Wireless Bargaining Update #18

Your CWA Bargaining Team met with the Company on Thursday, February 21, 2008. Progress at the negotiating table was slow. The Union had presented many revised bargaining demands on Wednesday. The Company addressed very little of the Union’s demands on Thursday. The CWA Bargaining Committee have numerous bargaining demands that need to be addressed including, bridging of service, tour scheduling, management rights, commission and quota relief, a Team Performance Award, a GPS Agreement, the Motor Vehicle Usage Plan, the benefit representative, a successorship clause and 401k plan improvements. The Company has not proposed a significant wage increase, and continues to bargain a retrogressive short term disability plan. The Union has made major movement in trying to reach an agreement. The Company has not been serious in addressing the Members demands at the bargaining table. The CWA Bargaining team will be meeting with the Company today, Friday, February 22, 2008. Time is growing short to reach an agreement by the expiration of the contract, February 24, at 11:59 p.m
District Six Website: Bargaining

Wireless Bargaining Report #17

Your CWA Bargaining Committee met with the Company on Wednesday, February 21, 2008. The Union proposed revised bargaining demands including changes in Hours of Work, Work Assignments, an Intersubsidiary Movement Process, Surplus, Force Rearrangement, and recall language, a Job Offer Guarantee, an Employment Security Commitment, Basis of Compensation, on-call and call out language, Absences, funeral leave, a Motor Vehicle Usage Plan and GPS.

There are four days left to negotiate before the contract expires at 11:59 p.m, Sunday, February 24, 2008. It’s time the Company got serious at the bargaining table. Wear black on Friday, participate in all Mobilization activities at your work center and continue to tell your Managers that you are demanding a good contract.
District Six Website: Bargaining

2/21 Union Day and Strike Vote

There will be a Union Day in the Cafeteria Conference Room at the wireless call center. In addition, Wireless Union members are encouraged to drop by the union hall between 7am and 7 pm to cast their strike vote.

Wireless Bargaining Update #16

Your CWA Mobility Bargaining Committee met twice with the Company yesterday, February 19, 2008.  Progress at the table was very slow.  The Company rejected revised Union demands for a Monitoring Agreement, and a Motor Vehicle Usage Plan for Technicians.  Little progress has been made on the collapsing of the wage progression bands from 7 years to 4 years, scheduling of tours in the retail stores, bridging for service and retirement purposes, Intersubsidiary Movement and a permanent transfer request.  The Company presented their second economic proposal.  The Union rejected the wage raises as inadequate.  The Company is still proposing a separate Pension Plan for new hires and cutting short-term disability benefits from 52 weeks to 26 weeks.  The CWA Bargaining Committee proposed revised bargaining demands on Management Rights, a Four Day Work Week and the Commission Plan for Retail Sales Consultants.  The Committee will meet with the Company again on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 to present revised bargaining demands.  The time has grown short to reach an agreement by the expiration of the contract.  Tomorrow is Thursday, remember to wear red and participate in all Mobilization activities.  Support your Bargaining Committee and tell your Managers that you are demanding a good contract that reflects the skills you bring to the Company and the hard work you perform.
District Six Website: Bargaining

Wireless Bargaining Update #15

Your CWA Bargaining Committee met with the Company on Monday, February 18, 2008. The Company rejected all the Union’s revised bargaining demands regarding contracting work, management’s rights, and the commission and quota plan for Retail Sales Consultants. The Company presented an economic proposal to the Union. The wage package was woefully inadequate. The Company proposed that short-term disability be cut from the present 52 weeks to 26 weeks, and that newly hired employees fall under a new pension plan. The Bargaining Committee rejected all the Company’s economic proposals. The CWA Bargaining Committee will meet with the Company on Tuesday, February 19, 2008. There are six days left before the contract expires on Sunday, February 24, 2008. The Company needs to get serious at the bargaining table. CWA Members have built AT&T Mobility into the largest cellular Company in the Country with record profits last quarter. The time has come for the Company to treat our Members with respect and negotiate a contract that ensures job security, decent wages and a voice in the workplace.
District Six Website: Bargaining

Strike Vote Requested

The District has requested each Local to conduct a strike vote. This does not mean that we are going to strike. It simply means that if the majority of CWA member votes are yes, we are willing to strike if the company does not offer a fair and equitable contract. As of this date the reasoning for this action is as follows:

As of this date the company has shown very little movement on key issues dealing with:

• scheduling problems, management control
• content of work, contracting out
• quota relief and commission relief
• force adjustment, severance pay and recall
• bridging of service and successorship protection
• NO ECONOMIC PACKAGE HAS BEEN OFFERED

We will have Union Tables setup 2/20 in Mod B, D & E Breakrooms and 2/21 in the Cafeteria Conference-Room to take your votes. Please come by and cast your vote. You can also vote at the Union Hall. (806-793-6203)

Wireless Bargaining Update #14

Your CWA Bargaining Committee met with the Company on Saturday, February 16, 2008.  The Union presented revised bargaining demands to strengthen language on Recognition and Establishment of the Unit, new grievance and arbitration language, tour scheduling, job vacancy and transfers, call out, on-call, commission and quota relief, time off for funerals and Holidays.  During this bargaining session Richard Kneupper, Assistant the District 6 Vice President, gave a strongly worded statement accusing the Company of surface bargaining and not listening to our Member’s demands.  Richard told the Company that they don’t care about the constant revolving door of employees leaving the Company and trying to find ways to keep trained people on the payroll.

There are seven days until the contract expires and we are long way away from reaching an agreement.  The Company has done little to address the Union’s demands on bridging of service, force adjustment, force rearrangement, quota and commission relief, scheduling of tours, GPS, severance pay and many other CWA bargaining demands.  AT&T Mobility is a very profitable Company, the largest Wireless Company in the Country.  It’s time they started acting like it, by fairly compensating the employees who have been instrumental in making the Company a powerhouse wireless provider.

Due to this lack of movement at the bargaining table the CWA District 6 will be conducting a strike authorization vote with the Members this week. The Committee strongly urges you to vote “Yes” for strike authorization.  Tell your Managers that you are demanding a good contract and that you will accept no less.  We need to stay strong, stick together and Mobilize in the work place.

Wireless Bargaining Update #13

Your CWA Bargaining Committee met with the Company on Friday, February 15, 2008.  The Company presented counter proposals on the Force Adjustment Article, the Working Relations Committee, on-call pay and Holidays.  The Company rejected the Union’s revised bargaining demands on a Successorship Clause, the Job Offer Guarantee, the Management Rights Article and a Benefit Representative.  The CWA Bargaining Committee presented a revised bargaining demand on Article 21 – Absences.  The Union also discussed service bridging and the Pension Plan.  The Committee continues to study documentation on the Pension Plan and the Sales Commission and Sales Quota plan.  The Bargaining Committee will present revised demands to the Company on Saturday, February 16, 2008.

Wireless Bargaining Update 12

Your Bargaining Committee met with the Company yesterday February 14, 2008.  The Union presented revised bargaining demands on Holidays, Vacations and Intersubsidiary Movement.  The Company presented counter-proposals on Force Adjustment, Funeral Leave and Civic Duty.  The Committee is studying the Company’s counter-proposals.
District Six Website: Bargainin