Windstream Communications Final Bargaining Report

 

Windstream Communications Final Bargaining Report April 18, 2014 The Communications Workers of America and Windstream Communications reached a tentative agreement following a hard day of negotiations. The highlights of the tentative agreement are outlined below. The Bargaining Committee will host a Town Hall conference call to explain the changes in detail. The date and time of the call will be communicated in the immediate future and details will be updated on the hotline and website. The Bargaining Committee recommends the tentative agreement for ratification.   Article 36 – Duration •New agreement is 3 years Wage Adjustments  •1st Year – 2.0% •2nd Year – 2.0% •3rd Year – 2.0%  •Retroactivity on all wages back to February 28, 2014 •Ratification Bonus – $300.00   Article 31 – Group Insurance  •Medical o80% Company/20% Employee Plan – 2014 o75% Company/25% Employee Plan – 2015  o75% Company/25% Employee Plan – 2016  o70% Company/30% Employee Plan – 2017  oThe Wellness Program and the Healthy Return Program shall apply to Bargaining Unit members effective January 1, 2015.  •Dental  oNo Changes  •Vision oNo Changes  Article 9 – Grievance Procedure  •Step 1 – Grievance Meetings may be held by conference call when mutually agreed upon between the Company and Union.  •Step 2 - Grievance Meetings may be held by conference call when mutually agreed upon between the Company and Union. •Travel Time  oStep 1 – Up to three employees will be paid up to two hours each way for travel.  oStep 2 – Up to two employees will be paid up to two hours each way for travel.  •Termination Grievances will not have a travel time limit.  Article 11 – Discipline and Personnel Records  •An Employee may, upon ten working days notice review their personnel file for discrepancies.    Article 15 – Wages  •Change – Any wage increase; step or GWI will take place according to the 1st half or 2nd half of the month.  Article 16 – Differentials and Overtime  •Overtime Payments  oPersonal Holidays not worked will not count towards overtime.   •Premium Payments – On Call oScheduled Days - $22.50  oNon-Scheduled Days - $29.00  oHolidays - $36.00  oWork Week - $164.00   Article 17 – Work Schedules and Tours  •Employees working the four-day, ten-hour schedule will be reimbursed for evening meal expense of $12.00 if the employee works in excess of thirteen hours that day without a meal break during the last session.   Article 19 – Vacations  •Schedule oVacation schedules will be prepared by the Company for each department and/or workgroup.  After November 1 and prior to December 31 of each year, the Company will check with each employee as to the dates desired for vacations, respecting the wishes of the employees insofar as the demands of service of the respective work groups will permit. oVacation taken during the last week of December; any days used that fall in the current year will be deducted from that year and any days that fall in the following year will be deducted from the following year.  Article 24 – Job Application Procedure  •Jobs will be posted for a period of fifteen (15) working days on the Intranet.   •Candidates for job vacancies for Network Technician will be hired in the following priority order: oThe most senior employee who possesses the minimum expectations and desired qualifications set forth in the job posting who also have preferential placement rights (employees who are either surplus, laid off or have medical restrictions). Laid off employees will be considered if the position is lateral rated from the position which they were laid off. oThe most senior employee who possesses the minimum expectations and desired qualifications set forth in the job posting who submit a valid application for a posted vacancy. oIf no Employee, who possesses the minimum expectations and desired qualifications set forth in the job posting submits a valid application, the Company will hire an employee from outside of the bargaining unit that possesses the minimum expectations and desired qualifications. oIf no external applicant possesses the minimum expectations and desired qualifications, the Company will hire the most qualified applicant from within the bargaining unit. •The Company will notify selected employees of their selections within ten (10) calendar days of the position being filled. The Company will also notify within that time frame any employee or employees of more seniority than the employee selected together with the reason or reasons why they were not selected.  A copy of this notification will also be sent to the Union, and if requested by the Union, a copy of supporting documentation of the selected employee/candidate.  Article 25 – Board and Lodging  •Employees will be reimbursed for evening meal expense of $12.00 if the employee works in excess of eleven hours that day without a meal break during the last session.   •Per Diems  oFull Day Overnight - $44.00  •Partial Per Diems oBreakfast - $10.50  oLunch - $12.50  oDinner - $21.00  Article 26 – Force Adjustment  •Employees that have been laid off continuously for more than eighteen months will not have recall rights.  •Seniority will not accrue for longer than eighteen months for purposes of recall from layoff.  Article 29 – Pensions  •Employees hired prior to March 1, 2014 shall be covered by the provisions of the Windstream Pension Plan and shall be permitted to participate in the Windstream 401k Plan. Employees shall also be eligible for a Supplemental Employer Matching Contribution 401k Plan equal to 50% of the first 6% of the employee’s compensation.  •Employees hired after February 28, 2014 shall only be eligible for a Supplemental Employer Matching Contribution 401k Plan equal to 100% of the first 3% and 50% on the next 2%.   Article 32 – Short Term Disability Plan  •The Company changed from Met-Life to Cigna and retained the internal appeal process if benefit is denied.  Appendix A – Exchanges •West Texas Division Exchanges – Addition of Plains Memorandums of Agreement •Jobs of the Future oThe Company and Union agree that installation and repair of fiber to the premise is considered within the scope of the bargaining unit and subject to Article 30.  •Evolving Technologies oThe Company agrees to offer Minimum Skills Training to all bargaining unit employees and will cover tuition costs.  •Tuition Reimbursement  oThe Company agreed to increase the tuition reimbursement allotment to $3,000 and an additional $2,000 for a Company product or service.  •Family and Medical Leaves of Absence (FMLA) oRenewed  •Integration of Kerrville  oRenewed  •Arbitration Procedure  oRenewed  •Classifications  oRenewed  •Common Interest Forum (CIF) oRenewed  •Contract Labor Reporting  oRenewed  •Drug and Alcohol Policy  oRenewed  •Force Adjustment Bumping  oRenewed   •Global Positions System (GPS)  oRenewed  •Home Dispatch  oRenewed  •Lump Sum Payment Option  oRenewed  •Medical Reimbursement Plan and Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan oRenewed  •Non-Precedent Setting Agreement  oRenewed  •Sales Initiatives Program  oRenewed •Wage Adjustments oRemoved – The MOA was no longer needed because there are no longer wage discrepancies between the work groups. •Windstream Group Health and Welfare Benefit Plans  oRenewed   In Solidarity, Your Bargaining Committee

Windstream Communications Final Bargaining Report

 

April 18, 2014

 

The Communications Workers of America and Windstream Communications reached a tentative agreement following a hard day of negotiations. The highlights of the tentative agreement are outlined below. The Bargaining Committee will host a Town Hall conference call to explain the changes in detail. The date and time of the call will be communicated in the immediate future and details will be updated on the hotline and website. The Bargaining Committee recommends the tentative agreement for ratification.  

 

Article 36 – Duration

•New agreement is 3 years

 

Wage Adjustments 

•1st Year – 2.0%

•2nd Year – 2.0%

•3rd Year – 2.0% 

•Retroactivity on all wages back to March 1, 2014

•Ratification Bonus – $300.00  

 

Article 31 – Group Insurance 

•Medical

o80% Company/20% Employee Plan – 2014

o75% Company/25% Employee Plan – 2015 

o75% Company/25% Employee Plan – 2016 

o70% Company/30% Employee Plan – 2017 

oThe Wellness Program and the Healthy Return Program shall apply to Bargaining Unit members effective January 1, 2015. 

•Dental 

oNo Changes 

•Vision

oNo Changes 

 

Article 9 – Grievance Procedure 

•Step 1 – Grievance Meetings may be held by conference call when mutually agreed upon between the Company and Union. 

•Step 2 - Grievance Meetings may be held by conference call when mutually agreed upon between the Company and Union.

•Travel Time 

oStep 1 – Up to three employees will be paid up to two hours each way for travel. 

oStep 2 – Up to two employees will be paid up to two hours each way for travel. 

•Termination Grievances will not have a travel time limit. 

 

Article 11 – Discipline and Personnel Records 

•An Employee may, upon ten working days notice review their personnel file for discrepancies.   

 

Article 15 – Wages 

•When the first day of the month in which a general or step increase is scheduled falls within the first seven (7) days of a two (2) week pay period, the scheduled increase shall be effective as of the first day of that two (2) week pay period.

 

Article 16 – Differentials and Overtime 

•Overtime Payments 

oPersonal Holidays not worked will not count towards overtime.  

 

 

 

 

•Premium Payments – On Call

oScheduled Days - $22.50 

oNon-Scheduled Days - $29.00 

oHolidays - $36.00 

oWork Week - $164.00  

 

Article 17 – Work Schedules and Tours 

•Employees working the four-day, ten-hour schedule will be reimbursed for evening meal expense of $12.00 if the employee works in excess of thirteen hours that day without a meal break during the last session.  

 

Article 19 – Vacations 

•Schedule

oVacation schedules will be prepared by the Company for each department and/or workgroup.  After November 1 and prior to December 31 of each year, the Company will check with each employee as to the dates desired for vacations, respecting the wishes of the employees insofar as the demands of service of the respective work groups will permit.

oVacation taken during the last week of December; any days used that fall in the current year will be deducted from that year and any days that fall in the following year will be deducted from the following year. 

 

Article 24 – Job Application Procedure 

•Jobs will be posted for a period of fifteen (15) working days on the Intranet.  

•Candidates for job vacancies for Network Technician will be hired in the following priority order:

oThe most senior employee who possesses the minimum expectations and desired qualifications set forth in the job posting who also have preferential placement rights (employees who are either surplus, laid off or have medical restrictions). Laid off employees will be considered if the position is lateral rated from the position which they were laid off.

oThe most senior employee who possesses the minimum expectations and desired qualifications set forth in the job posting who submit a valid application for a posted vacancy.

oIf no Employee, who possesses the minimum expectations and desired qualifications set forth in the job posting submits a valid application, the Company will hire an employee from outside of the bargaining unit that possesses the minimum expectations and desired qualifications.

oIf no external applicant possesses the minimum expectations and desired qualifications, the Company will hire the most qualified applicant from within the bargaining unit.

 

•The Company will notify selected employees of their selections within ten (10) calendar days of the position being filled. The Company will also notify within that time frame any employee or employees of more seniority than the employee selected together with the reason or reasons why they were not selected.  A copy of this notification will also be sent to the Union, and if requested by the Union, a copy of supporting documentation of the selected employee/candidate. 

 

 

 

 

Article 25 – Board and Lodging 

•Employees will be reimbursed for evening meal expense of $12.00 if the employee works in excess of eleven hours that day without a meal break during the last session.  

•Per Diems 

oFull Day Overnight - $44.00 

•Partial Per Diems

oBreakfast - $10.50 

oLunch - $12.50 

oDinner - $21.00 

 

Article 26 – Force Adjustment 

•Employees that have been laid off continuously for more than eighteen months will not have recall rights. 

•Seniority will not accrue for longer than eighteen months for purposes of recall from layoff. 

 

Article 29 – Pensions 

•Employees hired prior to March 1, 2014 shall be covered by the provisions of the Windstream Pension Plan and shall be permitted to participate in the Windstream 401k Plan. Employees shall also be eligible for a Supplemental Employer Matching Contribution 401k Plan equal to 50% of the first 6% of the employee’s compensation. 

•Employees hired after February 28, 2014 shall only be eligible for a Supplemental Employer Matching Contribution 401k Plan equal to 100% of the first 3% and 50% on the next 2%.  

 

Article 32 – Short Term Disability Plan 

•The Company changed from Met-Life to Cigna and retained the internal appeal process if benefit is denied. 

 

Appendix A – Exchanges

•West Texas Division Exchanges – Addition of Plains

 

Memorandums of Agreement

•Jobs of the Future

oThe Company and Union agree that installation and repair of fiber to the premise is considered within the scope of the bargaining unit and subject to Article 30. 

•Evolving Technologies

oThe Company agrees to offer Minimum Skills Training to all bargaining unit employees and will cover tuition costs. 

•Tuition Reimbursement 

oThe Company agreed to increase the tuition reimbursement allotment to $3,000 and an additional $2,000 for a Company product or service. 

•Family and Medical Leaves of Absence (FMLA)

oRenewed 

•Integration of Kerrville 

oRenewed 

•Arbitration Procedure 

oRenewed 

 

 

 

 

•Classifications 

oRenewed 

•Common Interest Forum (CIF)

oRenewed 

•Contract Labor Reporting 

oRenewed 

•Drug and Alcohol Policy 

oRenewed 

•Force Adjustment Bumping 

oRenewed  

•Global Positions System (GPS) 

oRenewed 

•Home Dispatch 

oRenewed 

•Lump Sum Payment Option 

oRenewed 

•Medical Reimbursement Plan and Dependent Care Reimbursement Plan

oRenewed 

•Non-Precedent Setting Agreement 

oRenewed 

•Sales Initiatives Program 

oRenewed

•Wage Adjustments

oRemoved – The MOA was no longer needed because there are no longer wage discrepancies between the work groups.

•Windstream Group Health and Welfare Benefit Plans 

oRenewed  

•Telephone Concession

oRenewed  

•Overtime

oRenewed