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Regional Bargaining Report # 56
Posted
On: May 08, 2012 (12:31:10)
Regional Bargaining Report # 56 Monday, May 7, 2012 Last week, the CWA District 1/IBEW Local 2213 and IBEW New England Regional Committees and the CWA District 2-13/ IBEW Mid Atlantic Regional Committees met with the Company together to discuss issues in a new approach to bargaining. For the past 11 months the two committees have been meeting separately with the company. The Union committees decided on this approach and also decided to give the company an aggressive comprehensive package to be used for discussion purposes to help jump start these negotiations. The Union presented a ‘what if” scenario and offered “what if” the Union proposed a phase in to premiums to help offset the cost of Health Benefits. In this “what if” scenario the union proposed that the company would withdraw their retrogressive demands on pensions, job security, disability benefits, retiree medical benefits and other retrogressive demands and the union would agree to some cost sharing of Health benefits which would include a phase in level of employee contributions. The Company spent little or no time evaluating the Union’s comprehensive package. The Company rejected the Union’s comprehensive package and responded with a new proposal which included minor changes to their last proposal. The Company’s new proposal lowered some deductibles and out of pocket maximums for individual and family plans. It is important to note that the company’s initial proposal would drastically change our Benefit Plans by changing components of the Benefit Plan. These components are: Deductibles; Co-Pays; Co-Insurance; Out-Of-Pocket Maximums and they added contributions as a component. The Company’s earlier proposals had higher deductibles, higher co-pays, higher co-insurance and higher out of pocket maximums plus the new component - high employee contributions. The earlier company proposals would add thousands of dollars a year to what our members would have to pay for benefits by adding these higher components. In addition, the company wants each employee to pay excessive premiums (contributions) for these benefits. It is not just about premiums (contributions). It is about these other components that make up a Benefit Plan We have Great Benefit Plans which the company wants to destroy. So, when they make a proposal which slightly lowers the deductibles and out of pocket maximums from a point that was too high in the first place and only slightly decrease contributions for only one plan and not the others– they are not making a serious counter proposal to the Union. The Company’s proposal would add $4,000 to $5,000 for the cost of health care to our members for each year of the contract with only small increases in wages. The Company only proposed a small wage increases for the 2nd and 3rd year of the contract and NO INCREASE in the first year of the contract. The Company still wants to eliminate the EPO plan where 6,000 of our members are enrolled, forcing them into other plans. Most of our members went into the EPO plan when the company eliminated the most popular HMOs. Now that the EPO is the most popular HMO type plan, they want to eliminate it, forcing our members into other plans that are not as popular for their areas. The Company wants you to pay more. They want you to feel it in your wallet. They want you to think twice about visiting the doctor or seeking medical attention. By rejecting the Union’s “What if” proposal the company not only wants to destroy your benefit plans and have you pay thousands of dollars more for those reduced benefits with high premiums but they also want to: Eliminate Pensions: - Cut pension accruals in half. For anyone currently on the payroll your pension will be capped at 30years. Beginning October 1, 2012, your pension plan will only accrue at 50 %.
- Eliminate the Pension Lump Sum option.
- Modify the 401(k) Plan and the CPS.
- Eliminate the Sickness Death Benefit
Eliminate Job Security: - Eliminate the Job Security Provisions for all employees.
- Eliminate the Movement of Work Protection
- Eliminate the 35 mile transfer provision
- Eliminate provisions in Force Adjustment Plan
- Eliminate New Contracting Initiatives agreement – which would allow them to increase the level of contracting
The Company has many other issues that are still on the bargaining table and some of them are: · ABSENCE – The Company only wants to give 5 paid days per year and still discipline members who use those 5 days. · CALL SHARING – Verizon still demands their call sharing proposal but have not addressed any of the security provisions from the Union nor have they given us any additional jobs. · ELIMINATE THE NEXT STEP PROGRAM Every member must tell every manager - every day - that we will not allow Verizon to destroy our benefits and to destroy the middle class jobs that CWA and IBEW have fought so hard to create over the last 50 years of collective bargaining. It is more important than ever that our members continue to mobilize and that EVERY member commit to spending at least 4 hours per week participating in mobilization activities. There are new mobilization activities planned for this week and every member must be involved in every activity If you have not got involved it is time to Call your Local or talk to your steward and find out what you can do to help IT IS TIME TO GET ANGRY IT IS TIME TO GET INVOLVED IT’S TIME TO FIGHT BACK Now more than ever we need to mobilize! Mobilize! – Mobilize! – Mobilize!
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Action Day at VZW
Posted
On: May 07, 2012 (17:58:14)
The Brothers and Sisters of CWA Local 1107 turned up in force at the Verizon Wireless store in Nanuet to show CEO Mcadam and his croines that we will not accept anything less then a fair contract. 
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FCC Stops the Clock
Posted
On: May 02, 2012 (10:05:12)
May 1, 2012 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Communications Workers of America supports the decision by the Federal Communications Commission to “stop the clock” on its review of a proposed deal between Verizon Wireless and large cable operators, noting the action is an important step forward in assuring full disclosure of the potential impact on consumers and the prices they would pay. “Today’s FCC decision simply shows that as federal regulators look more closely at this proposal, the more they are seeing the potential problems,” said CWA Telecommunications Policy Director Debbie Goldman. “CWA and many other national groups are saying it’s important that all the facts regarding the impact of this proposed merger – particularly ones concerning pricing and competition – see the light of day.” On April 20, the CWA wrote a letter on the FCC to stop the 180-day clock in its review of the Verizon Wireless/Cable transaction that would allow Verizon, Comcast, Bright House, Cox and Time Warner to market each other’s products and services. CWA asserted in the filing that the parties to the transaction have failed to provide requested data in a manner that allows for meaningful review. CWA also urged the FCC to follow the precedent it used in prior transaction reviews in which it stopped the clock until the agency and outside parties received requested documents in an accessible format and had a chance to review their content. Meanwhile, public concern about the implications of the deal has mounted, with growing numbers of elected officials, consumer advocacy organizations, civil rights organizations, smaller cable providers, telecom workers, and individual consumers voicing their opposition to the venture. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino commissioned a study detailing the economic dangers of the deal for urban areas and the Maryland Chapter of the NAACP filed comments to the FCC explaining how concentrated power in the industry would put poor and minority communities at further economic disadvantage. Further, residents of Syracuse, N.Y., protested the partnership, and over 145,000 consumers nationwide have signed an online petition against the deal. Last week, Rep. Henry Waxman and Rep. Anna Eshoo added their voices to the dissent by urging the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to hold public hearings on the deal. Join the protest by signing the petition at Urge your friends and family to show their support by signing.
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Barganining Report 55
Posted
On: Apr 18, 2012 (16:24:55)
Regional Bargaining Report # 55 Wednesday, April 18, 2012 CWA District 1/IBEW Local 2213 and IBEW New England Regional Committees returned to the bargaining table on Monday April 16, 2012 at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY. All of the retrogressive demands that the Company had proposed in August still remain on their agenda. Wages -.the Company has offered 0% wages for each year. You read that right- the company has no money on the table for wage increases for their employees. The company did make a proposal that would give 0% increase for 2012, 1% for 2013, and 1% for 2014 but that was pulled off the table on March 31stbecause the Union did not accept their package which contained retrogressive demands which included: Health Care Cuts– The Company is not only trying to implement premiums to our plans but they are trying to destroy the health plans that we now have as a benefit. They want to raise deductibles, increase co-insurance, increase out of pocket expenses and add premiums. If a family of four (4) had some doctor bills ($1,000), hospital bills, surgery, anesthesia and in-hospital physician’s bills - $10,000 and also had one emergency room visit ($750), they could have bills that would add up to $11,750. Under our present plan, there is $0 premium, there would be $0 deductible because we have 100% coverage and the out of pocket expense would not kick in because we would not have reached the limit. Under our present plan that family of four (4) would pay a co-pay of $15 for the 5 regular doctor visits and for the 5 preventive care visits there would be no charge. There would be a $15 co-pay for the emergency room visit. The total for the year would be $90. That same family of four in one of the plans the company proposed would pay an annual premium of $1630 in the last year of the contract. They would spend the same for the doctor’s visits ($75) but the emergency room visit would now cost a $200 co-pay. Of the $10,000 in hospital bills, one member of your family had $6,000 in bills and another member had $4,000, each member would pay $750 as a deductible. This would leave a balance of $5250 for one member and $3,250 for the other member. There would be a 15% cost for co-insurance on each balance which would be ($5250 X 15% = $787.50) and ($3250 X 15%= $487.50). Your total co-insurance is $1275. You add your premium ($1630), your co-pays ($275), deductible ($1500) co-insurance ($1275), emergency room visit ($200), doctor visits ($75) and your total medical expense for the year is $4995. This fight is more than just paying a premium. As you can see by the example, your premium would be $1630 but your actual medical cost would be $4995 compared to what you pay now which would be $90 The Company wants to eliminate the EPO plan where 6,000 of our members are enrolled, forcing them into other plans. Most of our members went into the EPO plan when the company eliminated the most popular HMOs. Now that the EPO is the most popular HMO type plan, they want to eliminate it, forcing our members into other plans that are not as popular for their areas. The Company wants you to pay more. They want you to feel it in your wallet. They want you to think twice about visiting the doctor or seeking medical attention. The Company’s goal is to destroy Middle Class jobs and they are starting with their own employees
The most recent offer also included:
Eliminate Pensions: · Cut pension accruals in half. For anyone currently on the payroll your pension will be capped at 30 years. Beginning October 1, 2012, your pension plan will only accrue at 50 %. · Eliminate the Pension Lump Sum option. · Modify the 401(k) Plan and the CPS. · Eliminate the Sickness Death Benefit. ABSENCE – The Company only wants to give 5 day’s paid per year and still discipline members who use those 5 days. Eliminate Job Security: · Eliminate the Job Security Provisions for all employees. · Eliminate the Movement of Work Protection · Eliminate the 35 mile transfer provision · Eliminate provisions in Force Adjustment Plan · Eliminate New Contracting Initiatives agreement – which would allow them to increase the level of contracting
CALL SHARING– Verizon still demands their call sharing proposal but have not entertained any of the security provisions from the Union nor have they given us any additional jobs.
Eliminate the Next Step Program
So, we did not accept that proposal and the company withdrew their wage proposal. As we have said before, we are in the fight of our lives with Verizon. The Chairman and CEO, LowellMcAdam tripled his compensation from 7.2 million to 23.1 million annually yet he does not want to give his employees a raise. This is a slap in the face to every member. We need to send a clear message that we are determined if there is no place in this business for us, then we will make certain there will be no business without us either. Verizon’s CEO LowellMcAdam seems hell-bent on destroying the middle class jobs CWA and IBEW have fought so hard to create over the last 50 years of collective bargaining. Verizon’s Annual Shareholders Meeting is Thursday May 3, 2012 at 10:30 AM at the VonBraunCenter, 700 Monroe Street, Huntsville, Alabama. We are still collecting your proxies. We are asking all of our members to vote your proxy, sign and date your card and return it to your Local. The Shareholder’s Meeting is a Thursday and there will be a “sea of red” CWA and IBEW members who are also shareholders who will deliver these proxies and a message to that meeting. It is more important than ever that our members continue to mobilize and that EVERY member commit to spending at least 4 hours per weekparticipating in mobilization activities. If you have not gotten involved, it is time to look at how much you can lose. It is time to call your Local or talk to your steward and find out what you can do to help IT IS TIME TO GET ANGRY IT IS TIME TO GET INVOLVED IT’S TIME TO FIGHT BACK
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Regional Bargaining Report # 54
Posted
On: Apr 03, 2012 (13:55:15)
Regional Bargaining Report # 54 Sunday, April 1, 2012 CWA District 1/IBEW Local 2213 and IBEW New England Regional Committees have been meeting at the RyeTown Hilton in Rye, NY for the last ten months. These committees continued to meet with the Company each day in an attempt to move closer to a fair contract settlement for both the company and our members. Verizon continues to push its agenda of demanding givebacks from our members in almost every area of our contracts. It has demanded significant changes to economic issues including healthcare and pensions which would result in cost shifting thousands of dollars a year to every active member. Verizon also demands that our retirees contribute the same for their healthcare coverage. Verizon has stuck with their agenda of gutting our collective bargaining agreements. Verizon shows no interest in any of the Union’s proposals and shows no concern for our issues. Verizon’s goal is to strip you of your benefits, your job security, your pension, your work rules and much more. We cannot stress enough this fight will not be won at the bargaining table alone. Only through members standing up and demonstrating they will do whatever it takes, will we see this Company move away from their most egregious retrogressive demands. Following last week’s mobilization and rally activities we have seen a demonstration of how our members’ activity in the workplace has an effect at the bargaining table. At the end of this week, Verizon passed an amended proposal on pensions to the Union. We will evaluate fully the company’s latest proposals before we respond. We are in the fight of our lives with Verizon. It is obvious from the company’s demands that Verizon has a plan for the business that does not include us. After months of hearing the company tell us how the business is in trouble and how we need to accept the concessions its demands in order to survive, we recently learn that the Chairman and CEO, Lowell McAdam tripled his compensation from 7.2 million to 23.1 million annually. This is a slap in the face to every member. We need to send the clear message that we are determined if there is no place in this business for us, then we will make certain there will be no business without us either. Bargaining will recess for the next two weeks due to therooms used for bargaining at the hotel are not available because of the Passover/Easter holiday. The Union bargaining committee will use this time to fully examine the latest proposals placed on the table by Verizon and formulate our response. Verizon’s CEO Lowell McAdam seems hell-bent on destroying the middle class jobs CWA and IBEW have fought so hard to create over the last 50 years of collective bargaining. Verizon’s Annual Shareholders Meeting is Thursday May 3, 2012 at 10:30 AM at the Von Braun Center, 700 Monroe Street, Huntsville, Alabama. Your admission ticket and proxy card was recently mailed to all our members who are shareholders. We are asking all of our members to vote your proxy, sign and date your card and return it to your Local. The Shareholder’s Meeting is a Thursday and there will be a “sea of red” CWA and IBEW members who are also shareholders who will deliver these proxies and our message to that meeting. It is more important than ever that our members continue to mobilize and that EVERY member commit to spending 4 hours per week participating in mobilization activities. Call your Local or talk to your steward and find out what you can do to help IT’S TIME TO FIGHT BACK Now more than ever we need to mobilize! Mobilize! – Mobilize! – Mobilize!
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Verizon Fined By OSHA
Posted
On: Mar 21, 2012 (15:25:44)
US Labor Department’s OSHA cites Verizon NY Inc. for repeat and serious safety violations following utility worker’s death in Brooklyn NEW YORK – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Verizon N.Y. Inc. for 10 alleged violations of workplace safety standards following the Sept. 14 electrocution death of an employee at a work site in Brooklyn at New Lots and Christopher Avenues. A field technician working in an aerial lift bucket was installing steel suspension strands when he came in contact with an energized power line. An inspection by OSHA’s Manhattan Area Office found that the employee and bucket were too close to the power line, the employee had not been adequately trained and he lacked insulated gloves. OSHA cited three repeat violations for these conditions, as Verizon had been cited for similar hazards in 2007 following the death of a worker at a Providence, R.I., work site. A repeat violation exists when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facility in federal enforcement states within the last five years. “Every workplace death is needless. A combination of effective training and safe work practices could have prevented this incident,” said Kay Gee, OSHA’s area director for Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. “The recurring nature of some of these hazards is disturbing. Verizon must take effective action to ensure that its workers are adequately protected so that this does not happen again.” The inspection also found that the steel suspension strands had not been grounded during installation, employees were not wearing hard hats, personal protective equipment had not been inspected and employees had not been adequately trained in safe work practices. These conditions resulted in citations for five serious violations. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known. Two other-than-serious violations involve an incomplete and uncertified injury and illness log. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm. “To prevent hazards, employers should initiate and maintain effective illness and injury prevention programs in which they work with their employees to identify and eliminate hazards before anyone is harmed,” said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional director in New York. The citations can be viewed at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Verizon.pdf. Verizon, which faces a total of $140,700 in fines, has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency’s Manhattan office at 212-620-3200. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
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Regional Bargaining Report # 53
Posted
On: Mar 09, 2012 (17:59:02)
Regional Bargaining Report # 53 Wednesday, March 7, 2012 CWA District 1/IBEW Local 2213 and IBEW New England Regional Committees have been meeting at the RyeTown Hilton in Rye, NY for the last nine months. CWA District 2-13/ IBEW Mid Atlantic Regional Committees have been at the same hotel since September. Since, the beginning of the year the meetings have been back “on the record”. Prior to these meeting, we spent weeks in “off the record” discussions in Sub Committees focusing on several major areas of our collective bargaining agreements trying to get the company to move off of their retrogressive demands. Unfortunately there is very little progress to report. The Company shows no interest in any of our proposals and shows no concern for our issues. Verizon’s goal is to strip you of your benefits, your job security, your pension, your work rules and much more. Verizon seems hell-bent on destroying the middle class jobs CWA and IBEW have fought so hard to create over the last 50 years of collective bargaining. Obviously, the company has not heard us and We need to take the fight to a new level. It is more important than ever that our members continue to mobilize and that EVERY member commit to spending 4 hours per week participating in mobilization activities. On March 22nd Join the Fight for Good Jobs – Stand up to Corporate Greed Call your Local and find out where you can go in your area on March 22nd to Join this Fight Now more than ever we need to mobilize! Mobilize! – Mobilize! – Mobilize!
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Hand Billing
Updated
On: Feb 24, 2012 (12:15:00)
Communications Workers of America Local 1107 Brothers and Sisters, This Tuesday February 28, 2012 CWA will be doing a massive hand billing campaign across the state. We are looking to make the public aware of our struggle against Verizon and their attack on Union and middles class jobs. We are planning to cover as many mass transit locations as possible. In Rockland, Local 1107 will be covering the train stops in both Nanuet and Pearl River and also the commuter lots in Spring Valley, West Nyack and Pomona. Our goal is to have our members there before and after work when we would be the most visible. Please contact your Steward or Business Agent to put in the time needed. As we all know we are still without a new contract and all are mobilization activities are vital in our effort to secure a fair contract.
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CPS
Posted
On: Feb 24, 2012 (11:59:12)
The Company announced today that the CPS award for full time employees is $700.00. The award was calculated at $677.00 but will be paid at the minimum negotiated amount of $700.00. The award will be pro-rated for part-time employees and those employees who participated for more than 3 months but less than 12 months in the year plan. The award will be paid on March 1st or 2nd based on your member’s regular payroll distribution schedule.
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No Secret Deals' for Verizon Wireless
CWA called on the Federal Communications Commission to "stop the clock" on its consideration of the Verizon Wireless/cable company spectrum deal until the parties involved provide complete information about their commercial agreements. |
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| Defensive Driving | DEFENSIVE DRIVING CLASS TO BE HELD AT THE UNION HALL ON SATURDAY, May 19 @ 7:30am. |
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CWA Local 1107 General Membership Meeting June 20th, at 5 p.m. at The American Legion Hall 65 American Legion Way New City, N.Y. 10956 It is located near the corner of route 304 and Congers road enter from Congers road
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| Weingarten Rights | KNOW what YOU are entitled to!
IF YOU ARE CALLED INTO A MEETING BY ANY COMPANY MANAGER OR CORPORATE SECURITY, BE SURE TO ASK......
If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that my Union Representative, Officer, or Steward be present at the meeting. Without representation, I choose not to answer any questions.
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| YOU ARE THE UNION | UNION BEGINS WITH YOU MOST PEOPLE FEEL THAT THE "UNION" IS THE BOARD, THE PEOPLE WHO "RUN" THE UNION. THIS COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. THE "UNION" IS YOU: YOU ARE THE ONE WHO ELECTS YOUR OFFICIALS TO REPRESENT YOU. YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAS THE PRIVILEGE TO GO TO YOUR MEETINGS AND SPEAK WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND, TO LET YOUR BOARD KNOW OF ANY GRIEVANCE YOU MAY HAVE. A STRONG UNION IS ONLY AS STRONG AS ITS MEMBERS. SHOW VERIZON YOU STAND BEHIND YOUR UNION, ATTEND MEETINGS, REPORT INFRACTIONS BY MANAGEMENT TO YOUR SHOP STEWARD OR LOCAL WHEN THEY OCCUR. YOU WILL NEVER AGREE WITH 100% OF WHAT YOUR LOCAL DOES OR DOESN'T DO. BUT, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU GET PAST THAT AND CARRY ON AND CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR YOUR RIGHTS. REMEMBER, YOU ARE THE EYES AND EARS OF YOUR UNION. WITHOUT YOU...THERE WOULD BE NO "UNION". REMEMBER AGAIN UNION STARTS WITH U...N...I...
REPRINTED FROM A MAN NAMED PAUL T. MORRISON |
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