CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #6

The Union Bargaining team met with the Company this morning at the table. 

The session started with the Company passing a retrogressive proposal for Article XIX Grievances that would drop the amount of days you could file a grievance from 45 days down to 30 days from the date of the incident, as well as drop the amount of employees that are paid during a grievance meeting from 3 to 2. The current language of 3 covers the Grievant, plus the Union to have two people (1 to present the case and 1 to take notes). Dropping to 2 would diminish this process. The Company also passed a proposal to drop the $3000 cap for incentive plans in which we are currently reviewing the implications, and a proposal to renew the National Transfer Plan in which the Union already had a proposal drafted to do this. 

The Union introduced four new Memorandum of Agreements to the Company. The first one was an MOA that would allow Mobility Union Officers or their designees to represent Core employees and be paid by the Company. This is super important for Locals that have both bargaining units (Mobility and Core) in their Locals. The second was an MOA that would count the unpaid work time a Union official spends towards their FMLA eligibility. This has been a disadvantage for Union Officers & Stewards who complete Union work as they may have not had enough hours to protect a medical absence through FMLA if they were to become ill. Third, we introduced an MOA that would introduce two new stipends that would cover climbing boots and prescription safety glasses for the titles that require one or both of these items. Finally, we introduced an MOA for employees eligible for a Transitional Leave of Absence (TLOA) that lasts longer than six months but less than twenty-four months to have the Company’s cost share of their benefits to be paid for the full duration of their TLOA until retirement kicks in; right now it stops at six months.

This afternoon the Union team met with the CWA Research Department in regards to the Company’s initial benefits proposal. The meeting was very productive and we prepared several questions that we plan to present to the Company tomorrow in regards to this initial proposal. 

As you can see, the week started off with a lot of work both at the table and in our own Union caucus. It’s obvious with a couple of the proposals we have received from the Company so far that they want to take away pieces of the contract that have worked well for several years now.

It’s still early, but we are prepared to fight off their retrogressive attacks and improve upon what we already have in the CBA.

Thank you to all the Locals who have engaged in Mobilization activities thus far! For those Locals who haven’t participated yet, where are you at? Your Union needs you!

We are scheduled to meet with the Company tomorrow and will follow up with a new bargaining report afterwards.

To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates.

In Solidarity,

CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team

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