During these hot summer months, hopefully, Local 2323 members have had an opportunity to enjoy some well-deserved vacation time with your families.

 

     The Union has remained active and involved on behalf of the membership throughout the months of July and August. The Verizon Corporation’s surplus declaration and special incentive offer, which ended in June, resulted in over 100 of our members voluntarily leaving the Company. On behalf of the officers and stewards of Local 2323 we wish them well.

 

     In the aftermath of the offer there remain numerous outstanding issues. Three of the most important matters that the Union has been actively bargaining with the Company are preventing additional layoffs, oversubscription of surplus members, and how to handle those non-surplus members who wish to voluntarily leave.

 

     The Union’s primary objective throughout this process has been clear and unwavering. Our collective bargaining agreement must be followed in accordance with the Force Adjustment Plan. In addition, the Union has made it clear to Verizon that all members hired since August 2003 are to be granted job security. An earlier agreement with the Company had granted job security to all Fiber Network Technicians , Fiber Customer Support Analysts, and Service Representatives. The Union has demanded that all Splice Service Technicians and Outside Plant Technicians be afforded the same security

 

     The Union , throughout this process, has been very consistent in that we want to let all members leave who have expressed an interest in doing so.  At the same time, we need to ensure that Verizon adequately backfill much-needed positions and jobs in order to protect those members who will remain after the offer. In other words, we have to protect the future of our member’s jobs.

 

     For example, in the Providence Fiber Solutions Center, members are forced to work overtime on a daily basis, in some cases seven days a week. Eliminating more jobs in the center without backfills would only exacerbate an already intolerable situation.

 

     The Union remains confident that an agreement with the Company can be reached which accomplishes all of these goals.

 

     Once an agreement is reached the contractual provisions of a Force Adjustment, canvassing for available jobs, would occur.

 

     A rally was held in Boston on August 5^th, marking the one-year countdown to the expiration of our contract with the Company. Verizon has made it very clear to the Union that they are coming after your benefits, wages, pensions, and job security. Your future, as well as your very job, is at stake in 2011 bargaining.

 

     Be active and involved in this process. Attend Union meetings. Listen to and support your Union steward. There will be a Union meeting held on Wednesday, September 1^st , at 6PM at the Asia Grille located in Lincoln. An informational meeting will also be held in the Union office at 1150 New London Ave. in Cranston at 10AM on September 1^st.