CWA
7102 is proud to represent the Police, Fire Dept., Public Works, etc. in
the City of Waukee. See
news about these members in the Local News section.
Go
to the Local News section for updated local
news and in depth Qwest contract info. Keep
informed by signing up to the CWA 7102 Mailinglist
for updates sent to your email.
(Bargaining
Report #34 Tentative CWA/Qwest Agreement) Tuesday, August 19, 2008Wages and Health
Benefits
Wages Addendum
7 (Amended
from Bargaining Report #28)
All titles listed
in Addendum 5 - except for Center Sales and Service Associates, Center
Sales Associates and Outside Sales Representatives will see their base
wage increase in each progression step by 3% effective August 17, 2008.
Effective August
16, 2009 a base wage increase in each progression step by another 3%; and
effective August 15, 2010 a base wage increase in each progression step
by 2.75%. Compounded over the term of the agreement, wages will have increased
a total of 9.37% by August 15, 2010.
All weekly wage rates
will be rounded to the nearest fifty cents ($.50)
Center Sales and
Service Associates and Center Sales Associates will move to a new base
wage rate on January 1, 2009 which front-loads the total negotiated wage
increases into the first year. Before the end of the year, we will map
moving every one of these employees from where they are to the new base
wage scale.
We were unable to
increase the base salary rate of the OSRs.
Report
#34 is also in the Bargaining Reports link below.
CWA/Qwest
Bargaining Reports (login and password protected) See your Steward or call
the union office to obtain the login and password. Local
7102 met for a pre contract expiration meeting
CWA 7102 listing of non members Stop
by or call the union hall at 515 243 7102 and tell them you want to join.
WHY
WE ARE HERE & WHAT WE CAN DO! Over
the years, we have bargained good contracts, first with US West and then
with Qwest. These contracts have improved our wages, benefits, working
conditions, and job security. In recent years, we have bargained hard to
protect our gains and continue to make improvements. However, the changing
structure of the global economy, the communications industry and Qwest
itself affect our power and, thus, our ability to protect what we have
and to gain further improvements.
Qwest
weathered the actions of past executives that nearly destroyed the company.
The company is finally begun to see real profits again. The stock price
has stabilized. Shareholders received a dividend in the first quarter of
2008.
With
a new CEO and renewed strategies for growth, Qwest plans to build on its
nationwide internet network to provide data, voice and video services.
It plans to invest in that network, to upgrade its plant within its 14
state region to maximize its attractiveness to local consumers and businesses.
It hopes to use its contract to provide network services to the federal
government as a springboard to attract new business customers of all sizes,
both in region and nationwide. It would build on partnerships with Verizon
Wireless, DirecTV and others to compete for customers in its region.
The
telecommunications industry is also changing. The ability to bundle services
like landline telephone, internet, wireless and TV is increasingly critical.
All telecom companies face increasing competition from the largely non-union
cable sector. In response, we can expect Qwest to seek to cut its costs,
including labor costs. Yet again, we will face a major fight to protect
our health care benefits.
The
political climate has also begun to change after years of deregulation,
the erosion of labor laws, globalization, the anti-labor slant of the National
Labor Relations Board, massive corporate anti-union activities and the
reduction of the percentage of workers represented by unions.
Thus
far, we have protected the majority of the hard won gains that we have
made in the past in the areas of wages, pensions, health care, working
conditions and job security. Indeed, CWA is one of the few unions that
have been so successful in protecting our standard of living. We have not
only to deal with Qwest, Verizon and AT&T but also to fight against
the debilitating effects of deregulation that have decimated workers and
unions in industries such as trucking, energy, and airlines.
In
2008, we face a hard struggle and new challenges. But we are strong. Qwest
employs 21,000 union-represented workers, 57% of the company including
19,000 CWA members. Our success will depend upon the involvement of our
members not just in collective bargaining but in the political arena
as well.
Now
is the time to get involved! Our Bargaining Team needs your help! Our retirees
need your help! We all need to rely on each other! Contact your Local Officers,
Stewards, & Activists to find out more about what we can do to gain
a fair and equitable contract for us all! It
is up to us, the members! Our
Bargaining Team is Ready! Are You? The
CWA Bargaining Team consists of 4 elected members and 2 district staff:
Suzie
Miller- Colorado Kent Anderson- Utah *Retiree Ken Saether- Oregon Malachy
Sreenan- Washington
Jay
Boyle- District 7 Staff Reed Roberts- District 7 Bargaining Agent
In
case of an emergency or someone getting sick there is also an alternate
to the committee- Tim Donovan Minnesota.
Our
committee will be very busy reviewing proposals both to and from the company.
Their efforts will be targeted on bargaining to obtain the best contract
they can for us all! Without the identifiable support of the membership
their job will be twice as difficult. The company will attempt to tell
them what the members of QWEST want and will settle for, thus eliminating
your voice at the bargaining table.
With
your help and participation this will not happen. If each work location
is supporting our representatives through the wearing of t-shirts, or buttons,
even work place activities the company will view the membership as UNITED!
The impact upon bargaining will allow for our representatives at the table
to have more ability and leverage against the company as to what our membership
needs and wants as a result of this bargaining. By showing solidarity each
member contributes to the overall goal of gaining a fair contract.
Simply
put, if you believe that what we do on the shop floor or at our offices
goes unnoticed by senior management, you are wrong. The company has precise
plans on what to do and how to report all mobilization activities throughout
the entire company. They will know about the 3 members in the small town
just as much as the 100s in the big city offices. They will also evaluate
the activities to determine how much they can attempt to take away.
Its
easy to say NO Givebacks! But we must show the company that there is leverage
behind our committee, and that leverage is you the membership! Show your
support get involved today! BE PART OF THE SOLUTION!! CONTACT YOUR LOCAL
TODAY! For more information see the local
news section
Keep
informed by signing up to the CWA 7102 Mailinglist
for critical updates sent to your email.
CWA 7102 listing of non members
WHY
WE ARE HERE & WHAT WE CAN DO!
in
the CWA Political Iowa section.
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