"Toys for Tots"

Christmas time is here upon us and it is time to start getting all those presents for the kids. You have worked hard all year and saved so your family can have the best possible Christmas you can provide. You may have purchased some of your Christmas items early in the year to help cut back on the expense of the last minute details or to beat the rush to the malls and stores. Christmas dinner is all planned out, the food is all ready to be prepared and the Christmas lights are up and turned on. But you can not help but feel you forgot something……….

Christmas is a time of giving and sharing with others. This is the time of year to look at providing a little help for those who don’t have as much as you.

CWA Local 1107 is a proud sponsor of “Toys for Tots”. “Toys for Tots” is a nationwide program that gives out hundreds of thousands of toys to children. “Toys for Tots” is a great way to spread Christmas cheer and help a young child who may not otherwise have much of a Christmas.

On Monday, November 24th, Toys for Tots donation boxes will be set up in the Nanuet Garage, Pomona Garage and the CWA Local 1107 Union Hall. We are asking members to donate a new, unwrapped, unopened toy or to simply make a monetary donation to Toys for Tots. We will be collecting donations from November 24^th through the December 17^th.   

If anyone has any questions or would like to make a monetary donation, you may contact;

Vice President Dennis Leahy

Business Agents, John Buchan, Dan Caprara and Bob Milone

Pomona Garage – CWA 1107 Steward Paul Sisilli

Field Technician – Liz Felton 

The wage increase effective August 3, 2008 of 3.25% will be in the payroll check dated October 30, 2008. Beginning Sunday, October 19, 2008, the company will calculate the new wage increases and it will reflect in the payroll period ending on Saturday, October 25, 2008.

All retroactive payments will also be made in the payroll check dated October 30, 2008.

Open enrollment for ACTIVE members is November 12, 2008 through November 25, 2008.

Open enrollment for RETIRED POST 1986 retirees will be November 5, 2008 through November 18, 2008.

Pre-1986 RETIREES can make a change at anytime effective the 1^st of the month following a 30 day period.

There will be a Benefit Renewal Brochure mailed to all members on October 27, 2008. Those members who are in the MEP Plan will receive a brochure which details the changes from the MEP to the new MEP HCPPO. Those who are participating in the MEP PPO will receive a brochure which details the changes from the MEP PPO to the new MEP HCPPO and lastly those who participate in the HCN or an HMO will receive the information about the new MEP HCPPO.

The new medical plan option – the MEP Health Care PPO will replace the current MEP and the MEP PPO. This plan will be the default plan. Any new hire who doesn’t select a plan will be placed into the MEP HCPPO.

Any member who currently participates in the MEP or the MEP PPO will automatically be enrolled in the new MEP HCPPO and would ONLY need to make a change during open enrollment if they wanted to choose a different medical plan other than the new MEP HCPPO.

Any member who currently participates in the HCN or an HMO will continue in those plans unless they make a change and elect to enroll in a new medical plan by November 25, 2008.

The Preferred Care (New York) option 839 WILL NOT be an option in 2009. Those members in that plan will need to elect a new plan or they will default into the MEP HCPPO.

Any member who wants a copy of the Health Plan Comparison Charts can go online on the Benefits Resources website at www.verizon.com/benefits or if anyone wants the charts mailed to them, call 1-877-4VZ-BENS beginning October 29, 2008. Allow ten (10) days for delivery.

It is important for you to review your covered dependents during Benefits Renewal and remove any ineligible dependents. You can do this by visiting the Benefits Resources Website or by calling 1-877-4VZ-BENS.

The new “Anytime Enrollment Process” becomes effective on January 1, 2009. Members must be enrolled in the same plan for 12 months before he/she can make a medical plan change (other than a life event). Therefore the first time anyone can make a change under the “Anytime Enrollment Process” is January 1, 2010.

Anytime Enrollment for Retirees for Post 1986 Retirees becomes effective January 1, 2009 and retirees can make a change at anytime effective the 1^st of the month following a 30 day period.

The Presidential Election is heating up with only weeks left until Election Day. Learn where the candidates stand on Healthcare, Collective Bargaining Rights and good jobs by clicking on the below link.

http://www.cwavotes.org/cwavotes/

The nomination and election of CWA Local 1107 Officers and Executive Board members will be conducted in accordance with the CWA Local 1107 By – Laws, the CWA International Constitution and the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as amended.

Inspection of the Membership List.

Each Candidate may inspect (Not Copy) the CWA Local 1107 membership list once within 30  days prior to the election. No candidate is entitled to receive a copy of the list.

The CWA Membership List will be available for inspection at the Local 1107 office between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, from October 6, 2008 to November 3, 2008. Any candidate who wishes to inspect the list should contact Secretary/Treasurer John Anderson and make an appointment.

Distribution of Campaign  Literature

Local 1107 will honor any reasonable request by a candidate to distribute campaign  literature to members at the candidate’s expense.  Requests will be honored in the order received.  Campaign literature must be provided to the  Election Committee in sealed, stamped envelopes which are ready for mailing.  Each candidate should check with postal officials to determine the proper postage.

Candidates must pay $10.00 for each mailing to cover the cost of address labels.  Arrangements will be made with the Election Committee to put address labels on the envelopes containing campaign literature at a rate of $36.75 per hour. Candidates should contact Election Chairperson Steve Carey at 914- 329 4581 to arrange a mailing.

Campaign Restrictions

Federal law prohibits the use of any union or employer funds  to promote the candidacy  of  any person in a union officer election.  This prohibition applies to cash, facilities, equipment, vehicles, office supplies, etc., of CWA Local 1107, Verizon Communications, OSP Services LLC, Gretly Communications Inc. Rock Tel Communications Inc, Transervice Lease corp., PM Savvy Inc and any other union, and of employers whether or not they employ Local 1107 members. Candidates, Union officers and employees may not campaign on time paid for by the union or the employer.

Federal law also provides that candidates must be treated equally regarding the opportunity to campaign and that all members may support the candidates of their choice without being subject to penalty, discipline, or reprisal of any kind.

Voter Eligibility

As provided in Article XIV section 3 (B) of the CWA Local 1107 Bylaws, Only members of the Local in good standing shall be eligible to vote or hold office.

Preparations and Mailing of Ballot Packages

Ballot packages will be prepared on Friday October 10, 2008  9:00am at the CWA Local 1107 office ( 3 E Evergreen New City, NY 10956) Ballot Packages will be mailed on Tuesday October 14, 2008 9:00am at the  New City Post Office North Main Street New City, NY . Ballots will be picked up on Wednesday November 5, 2008 9:00am at the New City Post Office . Candidates have the right to have observers at each of these activities.

Observers

Candidates are entitled to have observers present at preparation, mailing and the tally of ballots.  Candidates should submit the names of their observer in writing to Election Chairperson Steve Carey prior to all activities. All Candidates are allowed one observer.

Tally of Ballots

 Ballots will be tallied at the CWA Local Office on Wednesday November 5, 2008 10:00am.

Election Results

The candidate who receives the highest number of votes cast for each office will be declared elected. 

The election results will be posted at the Local 1107 Office, the 1107 Web site and on union bulletin boards at work locations after the tally is completed.

 Election Records

 The local 1107 Recording Secretary is responsible for maintaining all nomination and election records for at least one year after the election,  as required  by federal  law.

Questions or Problems

Candidates and members with questions about the nomination or election procedures should contact a member of the Election Committee at (Steve Carey- 914 329 4581, James Walsh -908 399 5026 or Mike Lang- 914 330 1007).  Any violation of these rules should be reported promptly to the Election Committee so that corrective action can be taken, if necessary.

Protests

Any protest should be in writing with the Election Committee within 10 days after election results are posted.

The above rules are not all inclusive.  Additional election rules or clarifications may be issued by the Local 1107 Election Committee  as needed  during the nomination and election period.

Issued by: CWA Local 1107 Election Committee                            

Date October 6, 2008

Steve Carey- Chairman        

Michael Lang

James Walsh

John McCain's health care plan is just plain dangerous.

Earlier this month McCain told an academic journal:

Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.

That's right, John McCain wants to apply the same kind of deregulatory policies that created our current economic crisis to the health insurance industry. In other words, he wants to put your health care even more at the mercy of Big Insurance companies, like our economy is now at the mercy of Big Banks.

As America's major financial institutions are crumbling before our eyes, one thing is clear: this kind of deregulation just doesn't work. We can't allow McCain and the Republicans to take a reckless gamble with our health care system.

Sign a postcard demanding health care we can count on:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/healthcarepostcard/igwgbd34q75me53t?

John McCain's position on healthcare in America shows just how far out of touch he is with real Americans. McCain's plan doesn't stop with the dangerous deregulation of the health insurance industry. McCain's plan will also:

• Tax your employer-provided health care benefits;
• Undermine employer-based health care coverage, pushing workers into the private market to fight big insurance companies on their own; and
• Leave workers with pre-existing conditions, like cancer, without coverage.

Please join thousands of CWA members across the country in taking a stand against this reckless plan. Sign our postcard demanding a health care solution that works for all Americans:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/healthcarepostcard/igwgbd34q75me53t?

Verizon has notified the CWA National Union that a surplus condition exists in thirty (30) titles within the NYC FAA, nineteen (19) titles within the Long Island FAA, and fourteen (14) titles within the Mid-State FAA of Verizon-New York. This surplus condition has been determined by the Company to be a PROCESS CHANGE. The provisions of the respective FAP Articles 8(b) and 10 will not apply.

The Enhanced Income Protection Plan (EIPP) will be offered to those employees in the surplus titles and FAA’s involved and mailed out by Friday, October 3, 2008.

An employees election to leave the service of the company and receive EIPP payments must be in writing and transmitted to the company fifteen (15) days of the offer, in this case Friday, October 17, 2008.

The Off-Payroll date for members who ELECT and RECEIVE the EIPP offer will be Sunday, November 2, 2008.

CWA Local 1107 is part of FAA 3 (CWA Locals 1103, 1107 and 1120) in Mid-State.

Sum of Surplus	FAA
Surplus Title	1	2	3	4	5	6	Grand Total
Accounting Financial Clerk	17	3	4	3			27
Accounting Operations Clerk		17	1	12			30
Administrative Assistant	106	100	15	19	45	46	331
Apparatus Servicer	1						1
Back Tap Assignor	1						1
Building Mechanic	5						5
Building Service Attendant	13						13
Building Servicer	9						9
Cable Splicer Helper	15						15
Central Office Technician	293	94	1*	27	18	4	437
Coin Box Sealer	1						1
Conduit Worker	1						1
Construction Coordinator		14	12	4	3	5	38
Construction Equipment Operator	8						8
Customer Service Administrator	10	2		4	13		29
Drafter	6	1	11	2	2	1	23
Engineering Drafter	1	1					2
Facilities Assistant	2	10	8			7	27
Facilities Specialist	5	3	2	3	2	1	16
Frame Specialist	39	1					40
Network Service Coordinator	23	7		17			47
Office Assistant	17	2	1	1			21
Operator	80	70