Search News
For the Media
For media inquiries, call CWA Communications at 202-434-1168 or email comms@cwa-union.org. To read about CWA Members, Leadership or Industries, visit our About page.
Alltel, Century and Citizens Units Map Strategy
Presidents of Alltel, CenturyTel and Citizens Communications CWA locals returned in early April from bargaining council meetings in Las Vegas, assured of growth in the Telecommunications Sector despite job cuts in Nebraska.
While the Omaha World-Herald reported on March 11 that Alltel was planning to reduce its workforce in Nebraska by about 40 workers, Gurganus told the committee in Las Vegas that the "underlying growth in this part of the telecom industry is much stronger than most people thought. While many of the larger companies have had to endure drastic cuts in capital spending, these companies are aggressively moving to purchase rural and suburban properties sold by the larger companies. A major objective of the bargaining councils is to lay out bargaining plans that ensure that our members benefit from this growth."
In the coming year, he said, units can expect that health care cost-shifting and retiree benefits will be major issues. Significant numbers of workers coming into all three telecoms had superior benefits with the more dominant former RBOC and GTE companies.
"Part of our message will be that Alltel, CenturyTel and Citizens cannot expect cooperation from CWA if they continue to go down a path of second-class treatment for our members," Gurganus said.
He also stressed that organizing must become an important part of CWA's strategy. All three companies employ large numbers of unorganized workers. "These unrepresented workers must be brought into our union family if we are to effectively improve our bargaining potential," Gurganus said.
The Las Vegas meetings, March 31 for CenturyTel and April 4-5 for Citizens, were the first for those bargaining councils, established by the CWA Executive Board last fall as it tracked the growth of the two companies. The Alltel council meeting was April 2-3.
The number of units CWA represents at all three employers has more than doubled in recent years as dominant providers have spun off much of their rural service to smaller independents that can provide it cheaper. Dominant providers are required to provide universal service but are ineligible for federal subsidies available to independents to offset their costs.
At Alltel, CWA represents about 1,800 workers - 13 bargaining units in eight states. The largest are former Aliant units in Nebraska and former Verizon units in Kentucky. Most Alltel locations are in the South and north central states. Alltel Kentucky will bargain in June of this year.
About 1,500 Citizens members belong to nine CWA bargaining units in seven states, mostly in New York, the Midwest and Southwest. Iowa and Minnesota bargain in June. The largest Citizens unit is the former Frontier unit in Rochester, New York, set for bargaining next January. Most of the new Citizens units are from Frontier/Global Crossing.
CWA represents about 1,400 workers - 8 bargaining units in six states - at CenturyTel. Most Century units are in the South and Midwest, north central and northwestern states. The largest are former GTE/Verizon units in Arkansas, Wisconsin, Alabama and Missouri. Century has also acquired units from SBC. Ohio and Arkansas bargain next year.
Local 7470 Local President Denny Martin negotiated an enhanced early retirement offer for 60 CF technicians, DIGS techs and cable technicians-CF in Nebraska when Alltel announced earlier this month it would cut 20 positions in Lincoln and another 20 in the 22-county Alltel service area.
To be eligible, technicians must have 30 years of service or, if age 50, 25 years of service or, if age 55, 20 years of service, Martin said.
The retirement incentive includes 26 weeks' pay in addition to what the contract requires. Technicians had until April 7 to notify the company whether they will accept.
While the Omaha World-Herald reported on March 11 that Alltel was planning to reduce its workforce in Nebraska by about 40 workers, Gurganus told the committee in Las Vegas that the "underlying growth in this part of the telecom industry is much stronger than most people thought. While many of the larger companies have had to endure drastic cuts in capital spending, these companies are aggressively moving to purchase rural and suburban properties sold by the larger companies. A major objective of the bargaining councils is to lay out bargaining plans that ensure that our members benefit from this growth."
In the coming year, he said, units can expect that health care cost-shifting and retiree benefits will be major issues. Significant numbers of workers coming into all three telecoms had superior benefits with the more dominant former RBOC and GTE companies.
"Part of our message will be that Alltel, CenturyTel and Citizens cannot expect cooperation from CWA if they continue to go down a path of second-class treatment for our members," Gurganus said.
He also stressed that organizing must become an important part of CWA's strategy. All three companies employ large numbers of unorganized workers. "These unrepresented workers must be brought into our union family if we are to effectively improve our bargaining potential," Gurganus said.
The Las Vegas meetings, March 31 for CenturyTel and April 4-5 for Citizens, were the first for those bargaining councils, established by the CWA Executive Board last fall as it tracked the growth of the two companies. The Alltel council meeting was April 2-3.
The number of units CWA represents at all three employers has more than doubled in recent years as dominant providers have spun off much of their rural service to smaller independents that can provide it cheaper. Dominant providers are required to provide universal service but are ineligible for federal subsidies available to independents to offset their costs.
At Alltel, CWA represents about 1,800 workers - 13 bargaining units in eight states. The largest are former Aliant units in Nebraska and former Verizon units in Kentucky. Most Alltel locations are in the South and north central states. Alltel Kentucky will bargain in June of this year.
About 1,500 Citizens members belong to nine CWA bargaining units in seven states, mostly in New York, the Midwest and Southwest. Iowa and Minnesota bargain in June. The largest Citizens unit is the former Frontier unit in Rochester, New York, set for bargaining next January. Most of the new Citizens units are from Frontier/Global Crossing.
CWA represents about 1,400 workers - 8 bargaining units in six states - at CenturyTel. Most Century units are in the South and Midwest, north central and northwestern states. The largest are former GTE/Verizon units in Arkansas, Wisconsin, Alabama and Missouri. Century has also acquired units from SBC. Ohio and Arkansas bargain next year.
Local 7470 Local President Denny Martin negotiated an enhanced early retirement offer for 60 CF technicians, DIGS techs and cable technicians-CF in Nebraska when Alltel announced earlier this month it would cut 20 positions in Lincoln and another 20 in the 22-county Alltel service area.
To be eligible, technicians must have 30 years of service or, if age 50, 25 years of service or, if age 55, 20 years of service, Martin said.
The retirement incentive includes 26 weeks' pay in addition to what the contract requires. Technicians had until April 7 to notify the company whether they will accept.