Consolidated Communications of Texas Company Bargaining Report #18

After the last bargaining session on November 13, 2019, the Union and Consolidated Communications of Texas (Lufkin/Conroe) agreed on two days, December 17 & 18, 2019, to continue negotiations on the contract which expired on October 16, 2019. 

The Union Bargaining Committee handed the Company a comprehensive counter package on December 17, 2019. The Company stated that they were unhappy that we made minor movement regarding Company proposals. The Company took the majority of the day with our Union counter before handing us another Comprehensive package, late December 17, which only had a very slim addition to the percent of wage increase and the rest was the same as their previous comprehensive package.

The Company stated to our committee that they would not meet again with us unless we agreed to their two demands on retro wages and contracting language that they wanted removed as stated on their proposals. THE COMPANY REFUSED TO MEET WITH US ON DECEMBER 18, 2019. The Company also demanded that your Union Bargaining Committee let the Company have all the givebacks they wanted. Our response is, “NO we are not giving in.”

Members, we are standing strong against the Company demanding that we just let them run over us. We are standing up to Consolidated Communications and saying to them, “We are not just going to lay flat and let them run over us.” We need your help members.  We need for each and every one of you to let the Company know that we want a SUBSTANTIAL wage increase, we DON’T need healthcare costs to go up, LESS contracting of bargain for work, job SECURITY, and to keep our RETIREE life insurance on future retirees. Basically, we are saying NO more givebacks.

In Solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee