CWAers Challenge Windstream CEO on Retiree Health Care, Lawsuit

Angry about Windstream's decision to eliminate retiree health care, more than 150 active and retired CWAers jammed the company's shareholder meeting in Little Rock, Ark.

Windstream notified retirees they would lose their long-promised health benefits effective July 2010. CWA represents about 3,000 retirees and workers at the company.

Even worse, Windstream is suing dozens of retirees who responded to a survey that the company mailed to them about health care. Workers who answered the question as to whether Windstream had the right to change or terminate benefits with "no," have been sued.

"Windstream is building an empire on the backs of retirees who helped build the company," said District 6 Vice President Andy Milburn, noting that Windstream has spent $2 billion to acquire four companies over the last year.

"The cost to replace health care will be unaffordable, especially for pre-Medicare retirees," said CWA Telecommunications Vice President Jimmy Gurganus. Windstream will provide a tiny subsidy toward retirees' new benefits, $17 a month for post-65 retirees and $80 a month for pre-65 retirees, but only if retirees use Windstream's choice for health insurance. And family policies cost about $1,800 a month.

Two Windstream retirees from CWA Local 6171 joined Gurganus in questioning CEO Jeff Gardner. "I asked how they could break an agreement we had with the company," said Debra Elijah, 53, who retired in 2006. "He gave us the same old answer – that most companies don't provide retiree health care."

Royce Perry, 60, who retired in 2007, wondered how Windstream could justify suing retirees for filling out a questionnaire. "Gardner said that Windstream did not intend the lawsuit to 'be adversarial,'" Perry said.

More than 60 active Windstream members and retirees bused in from Dallas, joining CWAers from Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Texarkana and Arkansas communities. Members from all five of CWA's Arkansas locals joined the demonstration, along with a contingent of CWAers in Little Rock for the next day's Verizon annual meeting, including CWA District 2 Vice President Ron Collins.