CWA Local 13500
 

 

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CWA Local 13500

 


 


 

    

 

 
    

CWA/AT&T MOBILITY BENEFITS

BARGAINING REPORT 

July 23, 2008

 
The CWA and AT&T Bargaining Committees for Mobility Health Care Benefits held meetings in Atlanta, with the assistance of a federal mediator, in another attempt to reach a tentative agreement.
Unfortunately, even with this assistance there was no agreement reached between the parties.  The rules under mediation require that particulars of these discussions and meetings must remain off-the-record and confidential, so there are no other details we can share.
The Union is now preparing for the last step in this bargaining process, which will be to take our proposals before an arbitrator who will decide what our health care benefits plan will be beginning in 2009.  The arbitration hearing is scheduled for September.
The CWA Bargaining Committee wishes to thank you for all of your support during these difficult negotiations. 



 


 

Communications Workers of America
Local Leaders List


 

 

July 8, 2008
To:    All AT&T Mobility Local Presidents
Subject:   AT&T Mobility Health Care Survey
Dear Colleagues:
As you may know, the first phase of our negotiations with AT&T Mobility about our health benefits ended without an agreement.  The CWA Bargaining Committee is now preparing for the next phase, which involves meeting with a federal mediator beginning on Monday, July 14.  To further prepare for this meeting, we would like to gather some more information from members about their experience with access to the current United Health Care and Blue Cross and Blue Shield network health plans.  We also would like to know what their experience has been with HMOs.
 
We realize this is very short notice and we will be sending this request directly to Mobility members who are on our e-activist mailing list.  However, this list will not touch as many members as we would like.  Please help by forwarding this request to any of the Mobility membership within your Local.
 
We need responses ASAP.
 
The survey may be completed by going to:
 
http://www.cwa-union.org/survey/att-healthcare-2.html
 
 

 

CWA/AT&T MOBILITY BENEFITS

BARGAINING REPORT 

July 1, 2008

 
Yesterday your CWA National Bargaining Committee spent a majority of the day preparing a counter proposal that is very fair to our members and to the Company.   It was our intention to reach a new agreement by yesterday’s deadline.  Unfortunately for our members, the Company returned to the table without the same intention. 
During our meeting, the Company reviewed our counter proposal, and then simply stated that they would not have another proposal even though there was still more than five hours left before expiration of the agreement.   An hour after both sides left to go home, the Company called and said they had changed their minds; they did have a counter, and asked us to meet at 10:30 p.m. 
It would have been great if we could report that this last proposal the Company presented late last night moved away from their high premium, deductible and out-of-pocket plan they have been proposing the entire time we have been bargaining with them – but we can't.  The Company proposal had only minimal changes and still also includes a new hire component that would make health care out of reach for many years.  This shows no respect for our members who work to produce the double-digit quarterly growth that keeps them as the number one wireless company.   The Company continues to think that our members should pay up to double-digit percentages of their income in premiums and deductibles before their proposed plan would pay a dime in benefits.  They continue to think that our members should willingly accept this hardship and without the Company even sharing any of the savings they would begin seeing!  This is what they think of their employees!
If the Company had only used this time to really work with us to reach an agreement that doesn't rob our members of their hard earned income and simply shifts more money into their bank accounts, we might have reached a tentative agreement.
The next step in this process is to meet together with a Mediator who will attempt to facilitate us reaching a tentative agreement.  Mediation will begin on July 14 and continue up to ten days.   Mediation is an "off-the-record" process that is not binding to either party.  Discussions during this period may not be used by either party in the event that no agreement is reached. 
The CWA Bargaining Committee thanks you for your continued support during this very difficult round of negotiations.  
 



 

 

 

CWA/AT&T MOBILITY BENEFITS

BARGAINING REPORT 

June 28, 2008

 
Bargaining resumed yesterday with a counter proposal from the Union aimed at maintaining our arguments that the company has the ability to provide a quality Health Benefit package for our members.
The company threw out a lot of numbers but had no data to substantiate their claims.  Since the first day of bargaining, the Union committee has repeatedly requested copies of their alleged sources -- but the Company cannot provide it.
 
We made our point clear that we are willing to work with the company to look into ways to contain their health care costs, but not by simply shifting the cost onto our members. 

Time is ticking and the Company's tunnel-vision approach is preventing us from potentially reaching an agreement.  As CWA President Larry Cohen said while speaking about health care during the convention, "The Company needs to get off our backs and get beside us."
We’ll be back at the bargaining table subject to the Company's call.
Thank you for all your support.
 

 

CWA/AT&T MOBILITY BENEFITS

BARGAINING REPORT 

June 16, 2008

 
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.
 

 


  

 
 

Central Division Offices and Locations:

American Red Cross - Wilkes-Barre

LifePath - Allentown, Bally and Pottstown

Verizon locations: Altoona Public Coin, Bloomsburg-Lancaster-Lehigh-Scranton-Stroudsburg CSSC, Harrisburg  LBS Call Center- Special Accounts & USF Group, Hershey - RMCC and RMCB, Williamsport BSC + all Coin Collectors in each of these areas.

Idearc - Bethlehem & Harrisburg 

AT&T Mobility- Harrisburg

Central Division Executive Vice President

Secretary Treasurer

 

Julie DaLoisio

Tace Popp

 

Office Telephone Number:

Office Fax Tn:

Email Address:

215-571-6826

610-433-7200

CWACentral@aol.com

Altoona PCS
1119 16 St.
Altoona
Chief Steward:
Amy Kennewell
Steward:
Nicole Consiglio
 
Bloomsburg CSSC
5 W 3rd St.
Bloomsburg

Chief Steward:
Donna Winn
Steward:
Nancy Bleznuck

Hershey ESG
1135 E. Chocolate Ave.
Flr 1 & 2.

Hershey
Chief Steward:
Susan Price
Steward:
Sue Reitnaurer
Beth Graham
 
Hershey RMCC Inbound Group
1135 E. Chocolate Ave.
Flr 3.

Hershey
Chief Steward:
Melinda Dressler
Steward:
Genie Maro
Hershey Final Recoveries
Flr 1.

1135 E. Chocolate Ave.
Hershey
Chief Steward:
Susan Price
Steward:
Sue Reitnaurer
Beth Graham
 
Lancaster CSSC
126 N. Duke St. Flr 2
Lancaster
Chief Steward:
Michael Holland
Steward:
Alex Stuart
Penny Kulp
 
Lehigh CSSC
7150 Windsor Dr.
Allentown
Chief Steward:
Tom Ballek
Stewards:
Gregg Potter
Barb Bedocs
Bob Lalo
 
Scranton CSSC
121 Adams
Scranton
Chief Steward:
Sandy Hartshorn
Steward:
Jason Jackiel
John Kane
Marah Lettieri
 

Stroudsburg CSSC
20 S 7th St.
Stroudsburg

 

Chief Steward:
Pat Hallman
Steward:
Christina Robson
Harrisburg Special Accounts
Harrisburg Call Center LBS
Harrisburg USF
Chief Steward:
Tina Martinez
 
Williamsport BSC
Chief Steward:
Stacy Eckard
Steward:
Jodi Roupp Stugart
Crystal Hill
Red Cross Chief Steward:
Vacant
Stewards:
Janet Harris
Dennis Burridge
 
Coin Collectors Chief Steward:
Sue Kershner
Idearc - Bethlehem Chief Steward:
Vacant
Steward:
Vacant
Idearc - Harrisburg Chief Steward:
Randy Galloway
Steward:
Vacant
AT&T Mobility
Interstate Dr.
Harrisburg
Chief Steward:
Robert (Hack) Hackenberg
Steward:
Dave Schell
Liz Wagner
Bobbi Owens
 
   

WEAR RED ON THURSDAYS!!!

Please patronize our Union Stores in the Lehigh Valley:

bullet ACME in Quakertown
bullet SUPERFRESH in Walnutport and Lower Saucon
bulletRITE AID DRUG STORES and STATE LIQUOR STORES