Bargaining Update

AT&T West

In San Diego, CWA Local 9509 successfully ended its grievance strike with AT&T West, following a nearly week-long walkout by the local's 1,700 members.

CWA Local 9509 members went on strike at AT&T West on May 19, forced out by management's refusal to provide the local with copies of the recording usage reports. These are the recordings of service representatives' monitored calls that are the basis of management attempts to discipline, suspend and terminate call center workers. The local represents about 500 customer service representatives.

Local 9509 President Chris Roberts said, "The entire local participated in the action and members stood together, walking picket lines and holding rallies at garages and the call center. We know what solidarity means," he said.

Watch more here.

Local 9509 President Chris Roberts rallies members in San Diego.

OFS

CWA members at OFS in Sturbridge, Mass., and Norcross, Ga., voted nearly unanimously to authorize a strike if a fair contract can't be reached. With just days until the May 28 expiration, the nearly 300 OFS workers, members of Locals 1400 (Sturbridge) and 3263 (Norcross), are mobilizing and supporting their bargaining committee.

Lisa Bolton, CWA Vice President for Telecommunications & Technologies, said: "The proposals that OFS has given us are downright insulting. During leaner times, OFS workers made big sacrifices year after year to help this company succeed. Now it's our turn. OFS is now reaping benefits from that hard work, and it's time that they negotiated a fair contract that reflects workers' contributions."

OFS, once part of the former Lucent, is owned by Furukawa Electric and is that company's top performer. OFS's profits have more than doubled over the last year. In the same time period, OFS made nearly 23 times more than in 2014. OFS is a leading manufacturer of fiber optic cable and products.

Read more here.

PBS

The NABET-CWA Local 52031 bargaining team has reached a tentative agreement at PBS that provides wage increases, maintains the current scheduling process and compensates workers who have been affected by wage discrimination at the Crystal City and Springfield, Va., production facilities.

CWA's research department made an extensive information request of management and discovered a pattern of wage discrimination affecting mainly African American workers. In addition to salary increases, the proposed contract includes lump sum wage increases for longtime workers and those on the job for 10 years or more. Any employee (with the exception of editors) who earns less than $85,000 a year will have their bonuses folded into their base pay over the three year contract term. All members will receive a $1,000 signing bonus.

The tentative agreement covers 45 members; the local has scheduled a conference call on June 1 for members to get more information.

Verizon

Verizon workers, families and allies are standing strong on picket lines, pushing for a fair contract from the very wealthy Verizon. The 39,000 Verizon workers – members of CWA and the IBEW – have been on strike since April 13.

This week, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and several members of the House of Representatives joined CWAers on the picket line outside a Verizon Wireless store in Washington, D.C. They were among the 88 Members of Congress who signed on to a letter to Verizon calling on the company to bargain fairly with workers.

Joining Verizon workers on the picket line in D.C. were House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Mark Takano (D-Cal.), Barbara Lee (D-Cal.), Gene Green (D-Tex.), David Cicilline (D-RI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Alan Grayson (D-Fla.), Mark Desaulnier (D-Cal.) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.)

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Last weekend was a family affair as Verizon workers, spouses and kids made signs, marched and spread the word that it's time for a fair contract.

Keep up with the latest here and here.