CenturyLink Central Arkansas Local 6171 Bargaining Report #15

Today the two committees met in a continued effort to reach an agreement. On the last evening, the Union’s committee has extensive conversation amongst themselves about the retrogressive language that the Company had been discussing and trying to explain on yesterday.

So today, the Company came back to the table with the most of the same proposals and explained that they were still on the table. These included the Arbitration language, Net Credited Service, using Personal and Vacation days as incidental absences no matter how many years of service you have with the Company, Uniform policy for face to face contact, Sickness and Disability, and a proposal to cut the TPA in half.

The Union’s Committee expressed their great concern with the Company about this language and how we could not risk going backwards in this contract with this unit. We would not be willing to take such extensive cuts and make concessions if the company wasn’t willing to do the same.

The Union’s Committee was still reviewing proposals, but the Company was on a timeline and had to leave. The two committees will meet again at a later date to continue negotiation talks.

Remember to wear your Union Red on Thursdays and Black out on Friday! We will be in communication about upcoming mobilization efforts! Let your supervisors and community know that we are in talks and that we want a FAIR and EQUITABLE contract!

In Unity,

Your CWA Bargaining Committee