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Grand River Mutual Networks - Final Bargaining Report

The Communications Workers of America and GRM Networks reached a tentative agreement and the highlights are outlined below.

Wages:

  • March 2019 – 3.0%
  • March 2020 – 3.0%
  • March 2021 – 3.0%
  • March 2022 – 3.0%

Wage Progression:

  • Any employee in wage progression will move up two steps towards top pay.

General Office, Accounting and Business Office

  • Job Classifications (A, B, C) – All clerical titles reach top pay at the 61st progression step. 

Wage Differential:

  • On a trial basis through the life of this agreement, Employees working in the Des Moines Area shall receive a 10% cost of living adjustment. The company and union will meet and be provided a written status update report of the trial every six months on whether it is helping in recruiting and retaining employees.

Healthcare 

  • 2020 - 2.0% increase towards healthcare
  • 2021 - 2.0% increase towards healthcare
  • 2022 - 2.0% increase towards healthcare
  • 2023 - 2.0% increase towards healthcare

Vacation

  • On a trial basis for the length of this contract, up to one (1) week ofAll day at-a-time vacation may be taken in four (4) hour increments, with prior approval of the Company. Both parties agree to review during the next contract negotiations to determine if the four (4) hour vacation increments shall continue or if changes are needed. 

Bereavement

  • The necessary time off to attend the funeral not to exceed one (1) day for the death of an uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, or first cousin of the employee, or to attend the funeral of a deceased employee.  The necessary time off unpaid to attend the funeral not to exceed one (1) day for the death of an uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, or first cousin of the employee’s spouse.  Additional time off, without pay, may be granted.

On-Call

  • Employees may be scheduled for on-call duty on a weekly basis (beginning Friday at 8 a.m. until the following Friday at 8 a.m.).Saturdays. When scheduled, the employee shall be available between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to report to his/her normal reporting location upon thirty (30) minute notice or reasonable response time and shall be required to carry a company-provided cell phone and laptop. and/or contact the Afterhours Trouble Reporting Location (748-5060) at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m.The employee shall be required to and respond to reports of an emergency nature and/or all call outs from any supervisor or from the helpdesk.  Supervisors may attempt to call other employees before calling the employee on call (for example, if the other employee is closer or has expertise in that area).  Cell phones may be tested during contact as listed above.

Compensation for on-call duty shall be equal to five (5)two (2) hours of regular straight-time pay for each weekeight (8) hour tour, plus the appropriate pay for time worked as provided elsewhere in this agreement.

 

Travel Expense

  • When an employee is required to work away from his or her regular headquarters and stay overnight, he or she shall travel to the job on Compny time and be furnished transportation; receive reasonable and adequate lodging furnished by the Company, and receive $40 per diem for meals while traveling in Missouri of Iowa or be reimbursed reasonable meal expenses with receipts for travel outside Missouri and Iowa.

 

If the employee elects to receive $35.00 per day allowance, he or she shall provide own transportation and travel on his or her own time except on the first day he or she shall travel to the job on Company time and return to his or her regular headquarters on Company time when in a Company vehicle. The Company is required to give the employee at least 24 hours prior notice that his or her work assignment will be away from his or her regular reporting location and of the Company's intent to deny the employee the "in lieu of allowance" except in cases of emergency.  Illustrative of such emergency would be major service outage.

 

Relief Period/Breaks

  • All employees shall be entitled to a relief period of fifteen (15) minutes during each full session they work. Breaks shall be taken at or near the middle of each session, where practical, and employees may leave the premises. When General Office, Accounting, and Business office employees are required to work overtime in excess of two (2) hours, they shall be entitled to a relief period of fifteen (15) minutes every two hours.

Combination Technician

  • Combination Technicians will be paid at level E for actual time worked performing advanced technical services work as determined and approved by the employee’s supervisor.

Internet Technician

  • C – Maximum rate for CDO Janitor, Lineperson, Facilityperson, Mechanic’s Helper, Cable Technician’s Helper, Store Keeper and Internet Technician.

Employee Services

Employee one access line service:

              a.   All regular full time employees, including retired employees, employees on FMLA leave, and employees on Long                     Term Disability (for a maximum cumulative total of five (5) years) residing where Company telephone service is                       readily available  in a Company exchange shall be entitled to:

      1. One (1) R-1 access line
      2. Push button service
      3. All custom calling and class features
      4. One (1) outside move (per calendar year)  
      5. One (1) inside move (per calendar year) 
      6. Maintenance of I/W
      7. Maintenance of 2 Standard Phones  
      8. SLC (FCC)
      9. Provide new employee with up to two (2) standard single line phones, if needed.
      10. Voice Mail
      11. VoIP phone service where readily available (if local telephone service is not readily available), at cost as approved by the providing vendor.

            b. Employee Internet Services

                 All regular full time employees, residing where Company Internet service is readily availablein a Company              exchange shall be entitled to:

  1. Broadband Internet service at the commercially offered speed tier that is closest to 200Mbps down, at no charge. (Where readily available). Speeds may be increased company-wide at the company’s discretion.

 

            c.  Employee Television Services

                   All regular full time employees, including retired employees, residing where Company television service is readily availablein a Company exchange shall be entitled:

  1.  Television services and or Skitter at a reduced rate, not to exceed Company cost (Each where readily available).