Regional Bargaining Report

Thursday, July 16, 2015

CWA District 1/IBEW Local 2213 and IBEW New England Regional Bargaining Committees met today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, New York. The Union spent most of the day reviewing data that the Company provided late last night. We continue to wait for more information that has been previously requested.

All employees in the East will be greeted by Mark Reeds latest e mail. After reading it you may come away with the belief that Verizon is financially struggling.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

We can’t allow Mark Reed to keep lowering the bar. The only reason for a Company who is making enormous profits like Verizon to take away from their employees is GREED! They want you to get less while Corporate Pigs like Mark Reed take more. Instead of taking more from our members they should share Verizon’s financial success with the workers who made those profits possible.

It would be more advantageous for Verizon to start having serious discussions around issues at the bargaining table rather than taking time away from this process by sending misleading e mails to our members. For example when Reed explained Medicare Advantage, he states that there would be “reduced costs”.

Guess whose costs would be reduced? Verizon’s- not yours. Their Medicare Advantage Proposal would save Verizon tens of millions of dollars and they have the nerve to propose increasing the cost for Retirees. They are despicable.

In Solidarity,

Steve Murphy

Regional Bargaining Report

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

IBEW New England, IBEW Local 2213 and CWA District 1 Regional Bargaining Committees met with the Company today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, New York.

We met in the morning and afternoon to submit more Union proposals highlighted by a comprehensive proposal on call sharing which would assure all calls would be handled by a CWA or IBEW union member.

Locals are in the process of conducting a Strike authorization Vote. We need to send the Company a strong message that we will do whatever it takes to achieve a fair and just contract.

Don’t forget about our annual summer union meeting tomorrow. The morning meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. with breakfast and a bargaining update to follow. Then at 5:00 p.m. there will be a cookout followed by a bargaining update. Please make every effort to attend one of these meetings in order to hear the facts not the propaganda from the company. If you can’t make one of those times please feel free to stop by the hall and we will be glad to give you an update on bargaining.

In Solidarity,

Steve Murphy

Regional Bargaining Report #11
Jul 10, 2015

CWA District 1, IBEW Local 2213 and IBEW New England Regional Bargaining Committees met Verizon today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY. The Union passed several proposals regarding Health Care, Dental and Vision for active and retired members which are in deep contrast to the Company’s healthcare proposals which would raise healthcare costs for our members by up to 143%.

The Company had no proposals for the Union today.

Your bargaining committee continues reviewing information provided by the Company. Bargaining is scheduled to resume on Monday.

With two weeks to go before the July 25, 2015 Rally scheduled for Verizon headquarters at 140 West Street in New York City, locals should be doing everything necessary to ensure that as many members, retirees and family members as possible attend.

We will be joined by Union Sisters and Brothers from several areas of the country who will be supporting us in our fight against Corporate Greed to protect our wages, benefits and working conditions and also that we will not forget our retirees.

Regional Bargaining Report # 10

July 9, 2015

IBEW New England, CWA District 1 and IBEW Local 2213 Regional Teams met with the Company today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY. We gave the Company numerous proposals centered around Pensions, Benefits, Tuition Assistance and more. This evening the IBEW System Council T-6 met and passed multiple proposals at the Local bargaining table.

You may have or soon will be receiving an e mail from Marc Reed, Verizon’s Executive Vice President explaining to you the Company’s proposal to slash your retirement security.

It will state that you have two options:

Option A – Continue to participate in the pension plan but it freezes at 30 years and lose any company matching contributions to the 401(k) plan.
Or

Option B – Give up future pension accrual and participate in the 401 (k) with 100% match and possible profit sharing contributions up to 3% of salary.

What the e mail doesn’t say is the Union proposed:

Option C – Our proposals include pensions for all employees, higher pension amounts, to retain the lump sum cash out, and an improved 401 (k) plan for all employees.

While Verizon proposes to destroy your retirement security, it’s a safe bet that Marc Reed and the top executives of this corporation don’t have to worry about the size of their retirement portfolios. Verizon should stop wasting their time writing lengthy e mails filled with propaganda and get serious at the bargaining table.

On Wednesday, July 15th, we will be holding our Annual Summer meeting where we will provide breakfast for our members who work nights and a cookout for those who work days. Breakfast will begin at 9:00 a.m. with a bargaining update to follow and the cookout will begin at 5:00 with a bargaining update to take place around 6-6:30.

We encourage all to attend to hear the facts of what is taking place at the bargaining table. If you work a shift that doesn’t line up exactly with the times of the meetings come have some food and we will cover any information you may have missed.

In Solidarity,

Steve Murphy

IBEW local 2323 will be holding our Annual Summer meeting on Wed July 15, 2015. We will be serving breakfast and dinner in the Union office.

Please come hear the latest up to date facts regarding 2015 bargaining.

Breakfast 9:00am

Dinner 5:00pm

We encourage all to attend if you work a shift that does not line up exactly with the times of the meetings come have some food and any information you may have missed will be covered with you.

Regional Bargaining Report # 9

July 7, 2015

IBEW New England, IBEW Local 2213 and CWA District 1 Regional Bargaining Committees resumed negotiations with Verizon today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY.

The Regional Bargaining Committee spent much of the day reviewing the data the Company provided based on our information request regarding Healthcare and Pensions. We passed numerous proposals to Verizon at the Regional and Local bargaining tables.

Tomorrow, the Company will be giving another presentation on healthcare beginning at 9 a.m.

Strike Authorization Votes are being held in all locals over the next few weeks with the ballots to be counted by the July 15th.

There are two upcoming rallies that members should make every effort to attend. The first is in New York City on July 25th at the Verizon Headquarters located at 140 West St. the rally will begin at 11:00 a.m. The second will take place in Boston on Thursday, July 30th at 6:00 p.m. located at 6 Bowdoin Sq.

In Solidarity,

Steve Murphy

IBEW Local 2323 will be conducting 2015 Strike Authorization Vote this week.

Voting will take place at the following locations:

234 Washington Street 7th floor
Monday July 6 & 7 at 10am-4pm both days

Union office
22 Amflex Drive Cranston RI
July 8, 9 & 10th 9am-4pm

Regional Bargaining Report # 7
July 1, 2015

IBEW NY/NE and CWA DISTRICT 1

The IBEW System Council T6 and CWA District 1 Regional Bargaining Committees met with the Company today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY.
In the morning session we were given a presentation on the utilization of the Medical and Prescription plans. We received some data from the Company pertaining to healthcare and continued our questioning on the topic.

We met again in the afternoon and continued our discussion on healthcare utilization. At this time the bargaining team requested more information specifically on prescription drugs and compound drugs.

This evening we had another session where we exchanged additional proposals with the Company.
Local New England bargaining also continued this afternoon and this evening. The Company has passed a few proposals and the local bargaining committee continues to pass proposals and request data.
The Local bargaining team will meet in the morning to continue discussions.

Regional Bargaining will also resume tomorrow morning.

In Solidarity,
Steve Murphy

Regional Bargaining Report # 6
June 30, 2015
IBEW – CWA DISTRICT 1 NY/NE

IBEW NY/NE and CWA District 1 NY/NE Regional and Local Bargaining Teams met with the Company today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY. The Regional Committee presented proposals to the Company including a proposal to eliminate all Contracting and to stop plans for future contracting.

The Company responded to some of the Unions information request and the Committee spent the rest of the day reviewing the information that was provided.

The Regional Committee is scheduled to meet with the Company tomorrow morning to receive information on the utilization on the medical plans.

We must continue to stand strong and get our message out that we are more committed than we’ve ever been to fight to protect our wages, benefits and working conditions.

Mobilize! Mobilize! Mobilize!

Regional Bargaining Report # 5
June 29, 2015
IBEW – CWA DISTRICT 1 NY/NE

IBEW and CWA District 1 met with the Company today in Rye New York where the Company made a presentation on Excise tax, which is a potential tax on health care plans related to the Affordable Care Act.

Last week, in the Company’s propaganda they boasted about offering a wage increase to 38,000 workers. As usual, when dealing with this greedy corporation the devil is in the details.

Here are some of the other things that Verizon has proposed:

JOB SECURITY– Remove the protections against layoffs and forced transfer.

NO COLA

CORPORATE PROFIT SHARING at risk if not settled by certain date. Eliminate the minimum payout.

DIFFERENTIALS AND PREMIUM PAY -Eliminate Saturday and Sunday Differentials and premium pay. Tour differentials only paid for time worked between 9pm and 6 am. Eliminate all but 10% differential.

SUNDAY TOURS- Include Sunday as part of basic work week.

OVERTIME – only paid after 40 hours worked. No payment of more than one and half time
(1 ½ X). Eliminate caps on Overtime.

TECH CHANGE NOTICE- reduce notice given to the Union of any major technological change

BENEFITS- the Company proposes major reductions in medical benefits including higher deductibles, co-pays, premiums and co-insurance. The Company also proposed to remove the Unions ability to negotiate retiree health care benefits. Eliminate Class II/Sponsored Child coverage.

PENSIONS- Eliminate the lump sum pension. In addition, employees would have to choose between a pension which would be frozen and an enhanced 401K. If you choose Pension – No 401K match. If you choose 401K enhanced (100%)-Your Pension freezes.
401K Plan changes- begin charging a quarterly administration and a $50 fee for processing new loans.

DISABILITY BENEFITS- Eliminate Accident Disability Plan. Establish a rolling 5 years period for 100% payment on Sickness Disability. Once 100% is used – members are paid 50% (currently full pay benefits recycle after being back at work for 13 weeks)

CALL SHARING- give the Company additional leeway to route calls out of our bargaining units and to contractors while giving contractors the handling of all new products and services.

TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENTS– Ability to transfer employees to any state in Verizon footprint.

TUITION ASSISTANCE- Expanding the list of “Excluded” studies

FORCE ADJUSTMENT PLAN- changes to the FAP that would eliminate job security provisions.

WORK FAMILY- Reduce funding by $900,000. Added limitations if not agreed to by a certain date.

FAMILY CARE LEAVE- eliminate

EXCISE TAX- Company wants ability to change medical plans, health care spending account or premiums to avoid excise tax without negotiating with the Union.

PRE TEST TRAINING – Eliminate

INCOME PROTECTION PLAN – Would require employees to sign a Disclaimer to receive an IPP.

This is not a Company facing a financial crisis. They are extremely profitable. This is not a Company coming to its union employees seeking ways to work together to face the challenges of the future. Their proposals seek to destroy our future.

We need to send a very clear message that this is not acceptable, that we will not be passive as they seek to gut our contract.
MOBILIZE!!!