Bargaining 2004

Good Evening! Today is Monday, January 5, 2009

July 10, 2004

Notifications

This message is being sent to all members who are on the CWA Local 4630 Bargaining site update notification list. As of August 1, 2004, this notification list will be deleted. If you wish to receive news updates from CWA Local 4630 you will need to sign up on the News Page located here:

http://www.cwalocal4630.org/news/

A news article concerning the 1% lump sum payment went out today, July 10, 2004. If you did not receive it, then you aren't on the News notification list. You may sign up for email notification of News updates by visiting the link above and entering your email address in the notification box.

Thank you.

Posted by on July 10, 2004 10:48 AM | Permalink

June 2, 2004

Bargaining Site

Click here to read the District 4 Final Bargaining Report.

The Bargaining section of our web site will now be archived for reference and no longer updated. If you wish to receive news from CWA Local 4630, please make sure you are signed up for email notifications on the News section. You can get there by clicking this link: http://www.cwalocal4630.org/news.

Thanks for signing up, and pending ratification, we'll see you in 4.5 years!

Posted by on June 2, 2004 7:52 PM | Permalink

May 25, 2004

District 4 SBC Midwest Bargaining Report #25, May 25, 2004

5/25/2004
Marathon Bargaining Leads to Tentative Agreement on Midwest Contract

Around the country, marathon negotiating sessions led to tentative agreements on all four regional contracts. While detailed information is not yet available, here are some of the highlights:

Five-year contract, expires 4/4/09.

Wages and Other Compensation

Guaranteed Annual Wage Increases + Lump Sum Payments
In April of each year of the contract, 2004 through 2008, an across the board percentage wage increase will be applied to each step of the wage schedules, as follows:

April 4, 2004 2.0%
April 3, 2005 2.5%
April 2, 2006 2.5%
April 1, 2007 2.25% + COLA
April 6, 2008 2.25% + COLA

Lump Sum Payments
In addition to the base wage increases listed above, the agreement calls for a lump sum payment in 2004 and additional cash bonuses in 2006, 2007 and 2008, as follows:
April 2004 1% lump sum payment
April 2006 $250 cash bonus
April 2007 $375 cash bonus
April 2008 $375 cash bonus

Cost of Living Adjustment
A Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), will be made to base wage rates effective April 2007 and April 2008. If CPI increases more than 2.25%, the COLA will provide 0.7% of the amount of CPI in excess of 2.25%. The COLA formula is as follows:

* 0.7% X (Consumer Price Index (CPI) � 2.25%)
* The CPI index will be that for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)
* The COLA effective in April 2007 will be based on the percentage difference between the CPI-W published for December 2005 and December 2006.
* The COLA effective in April 2008 will be based on the percentage difference between the CPI-W published for December 2006 and December 2007.

Pension Benefits

Pension Band Increases for SWBT, Ameritech and Pacific Telesis bargaining units:
* January 1, 2005: 3%
* January 1, 2006 2.5%
* January 1, 2007 2.5%
* January 1, 2008 2.25% + COLA
* January 1, 2009 2.25% + COLA

Lump Sum Distribution Option
* Lump sum distributions of monthly pension benefits were continued
* The lump sum interest rate will use the average GATT rate from November of the prior year, beginning on January 1, 2005.
* The same rate will apply for the entire calendar year.
* Laid off workers who take a lump sum and are rehired have the option to repay lump sum.
* The pre-retirement survivor benefit is continued.
* If the GATT rate ceases to be published, a joint CWA-SBC committee will protect the lump sum payout.

SNET Cash Balance Plan
* New promotion credits will increase pension benefits payable from the Cash Balance Plan for workers who move to higher paid jobs.
* Interest Credits will be the higher of 7%, or the prior year's November average GATT rate plus 1.5%.
* Add pay brackets between $67,000 and $140,000 and will include commissions, lump sum wage payments, Team Performance Awards, Stock Appreciation payments.
* Fix CBA for 30 & out or age 55 with 20+ NCS. Account divided by 119.04, the factor which would apply to a retiree at age 65.

Health Plan Changes for Active Employees

Health Care Premiums
There are NO employee or retiree health care premiums.

Working Spouse/Partner Surcharge
Contributions will be required for working spouses or partners who have access to coverage elsewhere and who decline that coverage.
* The premium surcharge will be $40/month effective January 1, 2005.
* Working spouses/partners who earn $25,000 annually or less or whose health plan requires annual premium payments of $900 ($75 a month) or more will not be required to contribute.
* The surcharge does not apply if both husband and wife or partners are SBC employees unless one spouse or partner is eligible for the management health plan.

Overlapping Mental Health & Chemical Dependency (MH/CD) Benefits for HMO enrollees eliminated. Six months transition.

Eligibility & Enrollment will be standardized. New hires will be eligible for plan coverage after 6-months.

National Health Care Committee
The existing regional joint health care committees continue and a National Committee is established

Prescription Drug Plan
The prescription drug plan has been restructured. There are three co-pays for drugs bought at retail network pharmacies: generic, on the formulary or non-formulary. The mail order co-pays are twice the retail co-pays, but the supply is up to 90 days, versus 30 days. This new redesign is intended to encourage use of generic drugs and mail order:

Co-pays for In-Network
Retail Prescription Drugs (30-day supply)
2005 2007 2008 2009
Generic $5 $7 $8 $10
Formulary Brand $15 $17 $18 $20
Non-Formulary Brand $25 $27 $28 $40

Out of Network Retail Prescription Drugs (30-day supply):
Annual $50 deductible. Participant pays the network co-pay or the balance of the prescription costs after plan pays 75%.

Mandatory Mail Order for Maintenance Drugs
Maintenance prescriptions are required to be filled through the mail order after one refill. We get 3 months supply for two co-pays. Specialty pharmacy for special drugs.

Mandatory Generic
If generic exists and brand selected, then you pay generic co-pay plus the difference between brand and generic. Documentation by doctor can confirm that must use brand.

Annual Drug Out of Pocket Maximum of $750/individual and $1500/family

Appeals Process in place in order to pay lower co-pay rate when non-formulary drug is medically necessary.

New PPO Network for the SNET Region mirrors successful Midwest PPO.

Doctor Office Visits (PPO and POS plans)
* $15 per visit co-pay effective 1/1/05
* $20 per visit co-pay effective 1/1/07
* in areas where higher co-pays already apply, those co-pays will remain in effect until the new co-pays meet or exceed.

Hospital Emergency Room Co-pays (PPO and POS plans)
* $50 effective 1/1/05
* $75 effective 1/1/08
* in areas where higher co-pays already apply, those co-pays will remain in effect until the new co-pays meet or exceed.

Dental Plan Improvements
Effective January 1, 2005 reimbursements for schedule B services will be increased 5%.

Health Plan Changes for Retirees
This was extraordinarily difficult. Retiree health is not a mandatory subject of bargaining, and the company refused to bargain. CWA persisted and blocked unilateral changes by the company. We also won cash payments to retirees that should compensate for the higher co-pays.
Some of the key changes include:

No premiums for retirees during the term of the contract.

Company contribution caps lifted to $9000

Company to contribute $2 billion into VEBA for retirees.

Medical Plan changes
New Plan Co-pays:
* Emergency Room co-pay: $75
* Office visit co-pays:
** 2005: $15
** 2007: $25
** 2009: $30
* In-patient hospital admission co-pay:
** 2006: $100
** 2008: $200

Prescription Drug Benefits
* 3-tier plan: generic, formulary, non-formulary
** $50 annual deductible
** retail co-pays (30-day supply): $10/$20/ $40
** mail order co-pays (90-day supply): $20/$40/$80
** mandatory mail order for maintenance drugs
** Mandatory generic
** A specialty pharmacy program for certain high cost prescriptions.
** New out of pocket maximum:
* 2005: $750 individual/$1,500 family
* 2009: $1,500 individual/$3,000 family
* non-formulary co-pays do not count toward maximum (93% of non-formulary drugs have a generic or formulary alternative)

In 2009 an optional PPO will be offered with the following features:
* up front deductible of $250 individual/$750 family
* out of pocket max $1,500 individual/$4,500 family
* coinsurance level of 90/10% for most services
* office visit co-pay: $20
* co-pays for some services (deductible/coinsurance does not apply)

Retiree Bonuses
All retirees shall receive annual bonuses in the following amounts:
* 12/31/2004: $1250
* 12/31/2005: $1250

Jobs

Laid Off Workers will be offered jobs within 6 months; includes some 600 workers in Districts 4 & 6.

Employment Security
* Amended provisions of the Employment Security Commitment (ESC) in order to prevent layoffs for 5 years for current employees.

Bringing Contracted Work Back to the Bargaining Unit

* Tier 2 Customer Contact/Technical Support: CWA represented employees will do all Tier 2 customer contact/technical support work.

* Video: SBC will recognize CWA, and a video contract will be negotiated.

* Tier 1 Customer Contact/Technical Support: CWA and SBC will work to bring Accenture tech support work to CWA unit when Accenture contract expires in 2007.

* Telemarketing: The SBC-CWA President's Council will discuss bringing outbound telemarketing jobs into the bargaining unit.

* Buried Service Wire: The company and the union will negotiate a separate collective bargaining contract for buried service wire work.

Representing Work in Evolving Technologies

Fiber to the Premise:
* CWA core members will do fiber to the premise work.
* Customer premise work will be performed by SBC employees under CWA core contracts or DataComm contracts.

WiFi:
* SBC expects to expand WiFi work of CWA-represented employees.

VoIP:
* As the public switched telephone network transitions from switched circuits to VoIP, core technicians will transition with the work.
* Technicians will receive training to make that transition possible.
* VoIP will be done under Datacomm contracts.
* Comparable work performed today by CWA will be performed for VOIP technology.

Expanding Union Jobs in SBC Subsidiaries

Inter-Subsidiary Movement and Service Credit: Employees may transfer to any 100% owned subsidiary and carry service credit for benefits (e.g.vacations) at new company.

Global Services/Datacomm
Global Services/Datacomm work done today by bargaining unit employees will continue per applicable contract.

Successorship
CWA won for the first time a successorship clause that requires SBC, if it chooses to sell any of its represented properties, to make as a condition of the sale the assumption of the union contract and the employees. The buyer would have the right to negotiate a new contract of equal value. However, the existing contract would remain in effect pending those negotiations. With the uncertainties in the industry, this clause could provide real employment security.

Highlights specific to the Midwest regional agreement include the following:

***All laid-off employees who had not previously been offered a job will be recalled within six months utilizing the recall provisions of the contract.

***The five year employment guarantee will be administered in seven market areas rather than the five states as SBC had previously proposed

***All current employees will be "pay protected" in the event of a surplus

***Retained current language on overtime in all five states

***Kept Monitoring Agreement

"The progress that we made over the last four days in negotiations is a direct result of the innovative and militant four-day strike by CWA in District 4 and across the country," stated District VP Jeff Rechenbach. "We all can see how unity and solidarity make a real difference at the bargaining table."

More details on the agreement will be provided to Local officers at a contract explanation meeting at a date, time, and place to be announced in the next few days. Following that meeting, officers will share the details with their local members prior to a ratification vote.

Posted by on May 25, 2004 10:12 AM | Permalink

Unity@SBC, May 25, 2004, 3 a.m. EDT

Bargaining Update, May 25, 3:40 a.m.

CWA has reached a tentative agreement with SBC. Following is the news release we issued early Tuesday morning. Stay in touch with your local for more information on the settlement and ratification procedures.

###

Communications Workers Settlement with SBC
Provides for Employment and Health Security;
100,000 Workers Return from Picket Lines

Washington, D.C. -- The Communications Workers of America reached a tentative 5-year agreement with SBC Communications that achieves the union�s major objectives of strengthening employment security, including new access to jobs in the growth areas, protecting health security for both active employees and retirees, and improving wages and pensions.

The agreement came as 100,000 SBC workers returned to work today following a strike that began Friday, May 21. Subject to member ratification, the settlement covers workers in 13 states in SBC territory.

Among the highlights, the settlement guarantees that there will be no layoffs of employees currently on the payroll for the life of the agreement, and it calls for the rehiring of several hundred workers who had been laid off at SBC Southwest and SBC Midwest (former Southwestern Bell and Ameritech).

The pact gives union workers access to the jobs of the future at SBC in areas such as FTTP (Fiber to the Premise), Voice over Internet Protocol, Wireless Internet, video services and business data services. CWA and SBC agreed to work together to bring back tech support jobs from overseas when the current outsourcing agreement with Accenture expires.

�This agreement helps ensure that American workers and their communities benefit from the promise of new information technology jobs,� said CWA President Morton Bahr. The settlement provides access and opportunity for members as they move from traditional telecom work to the new technologies of the industry, he noted.

The agreement provides that health care benefits continue to be fully paid by SBC, a major union goal in the talks. There are some increases in co-payments for medical services and prescription drugs. To help offset these higher costs, active employees will receive cash bonuses of $1,000 and retirees, who are now under a different plan from active workers, will receive $2,500.

The parties agreed to across-the-board base wage increases totaling 12 percent, compounded, plus an additional 1 percent lump sum in the first year and cost-of-living-adjustments in the fourth and fifth years. The initial wage increase is retroactive to April 4.

Pensions will increase 13 percent over the contract term, and the cash balance pension plan for SBC East (SNET) employees is substantially improved.

A contract successorship clause stipulates that any sale of phone lines by SBC be predicated upon the buyer assuming the existing contract.

The previous contracts expired in early April, but remained in effect as negotiations continued until May 19, when CWA gave SBC its 24-hour notice of intent to terminate the contract and strike.

Bargaining took place at regional tables in New Haven, Conn., Chicago, Austin, Tex., and Pleasanton, Calif.

The thirteen states are Connecticut, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, California and Nevada.

###
_________________

Posted by on May 25, 2004 8:07 AM | Permalink

May 24, 2004

District 4 SBC Midwest Bargaining Report #33, May 24, 2004, 10 p.m. EDT

Intense Negotiations in Progress

Our bargaining company is currently locked into intense negotiations at the regional table. There is no additional information available at the present time.

We will put out additional reports as information becomes available.
_________________

Posted by on May 24, 2004 9:25 PM | Permalink

Unity@SBC, 5 p.m., Monday, May 24

Monday, May 24, 2004

Bargaining Update, 5 p.m., Monday, May 24.

Following a conference call with the bargaining chairs, we can report that issues at the regional tables have narrowed. The remaining issues, which include employment security, are significant ones and of great importance to our members.

It's very clear that through your support on the picket line you have had a real presence at the bargaining table.

While you keep walking, we'll keep working to resolve these remaining issues.

Should anything significant develop, we will update this website.
_________________

Posted by on May 24, 2004 7:21 PM | Permalink

May 23, 2004

District 4 SBC Midwest Bargaining Report #32, May 23, 2004

5/23/2004

Midwest Committee to SBC:
We Need Better Employment Security Language, Not Worse

Negotiations are still in progress at the Midwest regional table. Talks have focused on employment security issues, including Article 26. The proposal that has been touted by Whitacre is still the proposal on the table from management. Our committee has told the company in no uncertain terms that we view this proposal as a step backward on this key issue. Further, we cannot accept staying in place on this key issue any more than we would agree to moving backward. We must move forward in order to resolve this critical issue. We have not seen any meaningful step in that direction at the Midwest table so far.

The strike continues and picket lines remain strong and soggy as waves of storms continue to pelt the Midwest.

CWA Members are smarter than managers Part 1:

Local 4640 members in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, realized that the company had moved supplies from the garages in Hudson and Eau Claire to a storage location outside of Menomonie so mandates could be worked on by contractors. So, they moved their picket line there, and contractors came and went two times without crossing the line.

CWA Members are smarter than managers Part 2:

While Local 4032 members were on the line in Benton Harbor, Michigan, on Friday morning, the company found out just how hard it is to replace us. The managers rolled out first thing in the morning, but they were a bit confused on the operation of the garage door and the clearance of one manager's truck. This door doesn't open all the way unless you swipe your card a couple of times. Well, the result was the manager clipping the door with the strobe light of the truck, breaking the door to where it doesn't close or open any more.

The next report will be on Monday, May 24th, or sooner should developments warrant.

Posted by on May 23, 2004 8:20 PM | Permalink

Unity@SBC, May 23, 2 p.m., EDT

Sunday, May 23, 2004

Bargaining Update

CWA bargainers at the four regional tables are working hard today, pressing the company to resolve remaining issues including the critical issue of hometown jobs.

CWA: Taking a Stand for Jobs and Health Care

Posted by on May 23, 2004 2:04 PM | Permalink

May 22, 2004

Unity@SBC, May 22, 2004, 6:30 p.m. EDT

Bargaining Update, May 22, 6:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, May 19, as CWA announced our four-day strike, we told the federal mediator that with the ending of national talks, our regional bargaining committees would be made available to continue negotiations with SBC.

The next day, with the strike looming, the company called and we entered into in-depth discussions around the issue of jobs of the future, and steady progress was made.

Those discussions continued past midnight into early Friday morning and resumed during the day Friday, with discussion of jobs of the future and health care. Also on Friday, all regional tables met.

However, we made it clear to the company that the issue of hometown job security had to be resolved at the regional tables. This was absolutely crucial if any agreement was going to be reached.

While there has been considerable progress on ?jobs of the future,? as of now, talks on the issue of hometown jobs have literally ?gone nowhere.?

To get an agreement at the regional tables, this and related issues must be solved to the satisfaction of the regional bargaining committees.

Our strikers are doing their job. Our bargaining committees are doing their job. SBC must do its job.
###

Scenes from the Picketline (Part 1)

Strikers Pick Scab off Manager
A special report from Local 9400

On Friday, May 21, at an operator services building in Culver City, California, CWA Local 9400 members saved SBC, again.

A manager noticed that a scab, hired by a contractor who obviously has no idea of employee screening or standards, was standing at a window, making rude gestures at the CWA members walking the current picket line. The manager instructed the scab to leave the window, and to stop trying to anger the peaceful strikers.

Apparently this request was not what the scab wanted to hear and an argument broke out between the manager and the scab. The result: the scab was summarily fired and escorted from the building.

As the door was opened, the scab was faced with about 20 of our members chanting ?scab go home,? and not, apparently, in their ?library? voice. The newly terminated scab reacted by rushing back into the building where she was met by several managers who told the scab that she must leave the premises. All of a sudden the scab started to punch the 2nd level manager, and struck another manager who had attempted to restrain her, causing some rather bloody injuries.

At this the membership jumped in, pulling the scab away from the managers while explaining in no uncertain terms that no scab is going to hit their managers. During the altercation, several members jumped into the fray and were able to pick the scab from the manager. A few were slightly injured by the crazed scab, and a pair of glasses was broken.

Yes, we are on strike against SBC. Yes, the company is taking an unreasonable stand. BUT, this is where we work, where we spend eight hours a day and where we become family and friends, even with the managers.

As the manager directly involved said to the members later, she knows who she can count on in a time of need. The members of CWA have made the company the success it is. Through the hard work of CWA members, SBC was able to get into the long distance market. It is time for those on the SBC side of the table to realize the company still needs the help of the CWA membership to remain successful.

###

Scenes from the Picketline (Part 2)

A couple of CWA members from Local 6128 were finishing up their picketline duty in Amarillo and decided to walk to another picket location to help out. Just around lunchtime, a local bar-b-que catering company shows up with a delivery for managers and scabs inside the building.

The two CWAers put their heads together and come up with a devilishly delicious plan. CWAer # 2 approaches the catering employee, asks if the delivery is for SBC and offers to pay for it.

He pays for the food and delivers hot, fresh bar-b-cue to everyone on the picket line. Then everyone watched as managers waited for two hours for the lunch that never showed up.

###

The Grapevine

...Torrential rains and marble-sized hail couldn?t stop Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C) from joining a CWA picket line in Columbus, Ohio. While the storms broke up the Friday event, Edwards was out at 150 East Gay Street in Columbus this morning, talking to a crowd of about 60 and wearing a ?Game On? button from our shareholder action.

...Members of IBEW Local 21 in Highland Park, Ill., want their CWA brothers and sisters to know that IB is supporting the strike 100 percent.

Posted by on May 22, 2004 8:16 PM | Permalink

District 4 SBC Midwest Bargaining Report #31, May 22, 2004

Midwest Talks Continue As Does Effective Strike and Growing Public Support

Negotiations are continuing at this time at the Midwest regional table. There is no further information available at this time.

Meanwhile, members are filling soggy but spirited picket lines. SBC not only has to contend with strong CWA solidarity, but also assistance from a higher power as violent storms continue to roll through the upper Midwest bringing hail, rain, wind, and countless cases of trouble. In Milwaukee alone, there were over 2,000 cases of trouble in the system at 9 o'clock this morning . . . yet no repair trucks were on the road.

Members of Locals 4310 and 4320 in Columbus had a picket line visit from Senator (and former Presidential candidate) John Edwards (D, NC) this morning. Edwards donned a CWA button that said "Game On," and addressed the crowd of strikers.

CWA strikers have been overwhelmed with the showing of public support -- horns honking, visits to picket lines, emails, and calls. The media attention has also been significant.

In addition to a strong strike, CWA members across the Midwest are gathering thousands and thousands of pledges from customers to change their carriers if and when CWA chooses to invoke that tactic. If you need an additional supply of carrier change cards, you can contact your local or download one from the web at: www.fairnessatsbc.com

The next report will be on Sunday, May 23rd, or sooner should developments warrant.

Posted by on May 22, 2004 8:15 PM | Permalink