Mobility Benefits Bargaining

The bargaining over Mobility benefits ended without a meaningful agreement between the Company and the Union. The District Six website states that the Company’s counter-proposal was actually worse than their original offer. Because an agreement was not reached, the negotiations proceed to mediation, which will begin on July 14 and proceed for ten days. If the mediation does not achieve a resolution acceptable to both the Union and Company then it will proceed to binding arbitration. We will post all further developments here.

Wireless Bargaining Update

From the District 6 Website:

The Bargaining Committee met again with the Company on Friday with demands that they provide outstanding data still owed to us.  It is still apparent that we are the only ones who came to this table to look for possible solutions to what the Company says, but can’t show, are problems with the current health care plan.  Instead, the Company wants us to simply put forward another proposal with “shot in the dark” ingredients of retrogression!  But we are not interested in giving into the astronomically impacting demand the Company proposed on June 4!

 

The Company’s suggestion that, for a family, an employee who earns the average salary within Mobility today should have to pay out more than 17 percent of their annual income before the plan kicks in is insane, let alone unreasonable and immoral! We feel that the Company has wasted enough time avoiding the questions and they need to get serious if we have any chance at reaching a tentative agreement! They need to DO THE RIGHT THING!

 

The Bargaining Committee appreciates all of the support you have shown!!

 

Bargaining has been recessed and will reconvene on June 27.

First Wireless Benefits Bargaining Report

The first report from the bargaining session for wireless benefits is posted on the District Six Website. Link

Download the New Mobility Contract

Here is the finalized 2008 Labor Agreement between AT&T Mobility and CWA District 6. Link

CWA, AT&T Mobility to Open Health Care Talks

From CWA Newsletter

Bargaining gets underway June 3 for the national health care plan covering more than 40,000 workers at AT&T Mobility. The settlement negotiated in 2004 expires June 30.

“CWA is determined to reach a fair agreement on health care that reflects the company’s profitability in what is the fastest-growing segment of the business,” said CWA Executive Vice President Jeff Rechenbach.

If a tentative agreement is not reached by June 30, both parties have agreed to take the dispute to mediation, then arbitration, if necessary, to resolve differences. If a tentative agreement is reached, it will be presented to the membership for ratification and take effect next year.

Members of the CWA bargaining team are Betty Witte, chair, District 3; Paul Klaebel, District 3; Holly Sorey, District 4; Jim Murray, District 6 and Joe Sison, District 9, and John Alphonse, CWA staff representative, District 1.

Mobility Pay Seniority Issues

The local is aware that seniority issues have arisen as a result of the company’s implementation of the new pay scale increases. Our concern has been conveyed to the district whose representatives are meeting with the company. We will keep you posted here on any further developments.

Mobility Health Care Negotiations between CWA and AT&T begin June 3, 2008

CWA’s National Health Care Agreement negotiated with AT&T Mobility will expire on June 30, 2008. This expiration does not change the Health Care Plan benefits during 2008, but it does mean that we must bargain the plan beyond 2008.

What will happen in this process is that our bargaining committee will meet with AT&T’s in an effort to reach a new tentative agreement by June 30. If an agreement is not reached, a Federal Mediator will come in and try to facilitate one. If the Mediator is unsuccessful, the final step in this process will be for the Union and the Company to present their respective proposals before an Arbitrator. The Arbitrator’s decision will be binding on both parties.

Action Item ….. Please go to the web address shown below and complete the online Health Care Survey by May 9, 2008 (not from a Company computer please!) Your participation will help guide our bargaining committee in the development of proposals and counter proposals that may be necessary during negotiations. Your answers to the survey questions will also help us to identify any problems with the current plan and what is most important to you.

http://www.cwa-union.org/survey/att-healthcare.html

Don’t miss your opportunity

District Reports Wage Calculation Issues

The local received the following letter from Richard Kneupper, Assistant to the District Vice President and head of the recent Bargaining Committee.

This is to advise we are aware there are some issues developing with new wage calculations due to the new agreement. We are looking into it and will advise as soon as we have all the details sorted out.

AT&T Mobility Benefits Bargaining

Bargaining for AT&T Mobility benefits will be held in Atlanta, Georgia from June 3 through June 13. Current benefits are in effect through December 31, 2008.

The Union’s bargaining representative will be Jim Murray. If there is no agreement by June 13, negotiations will go through the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service for up to ten days. If the benefits are voted down after mediation, arbitration will proceed through the American Abitration Association and they will have the final say.

It is illegal to strike over benefits.