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ALLTEL Workers Strike in Kentucky
Just after midnight, on June 8, 450 ALLTEL workers in Kentucky went on strike as their former Verizon contract expired. Two days later, newspapers in the state reported that CWA had filed complaints with both the state's public service commission and the National Labor Relations Board. As the Newsletter went to press, Local 3372 and Local 3371 members maintained picket lines at company facilities in Lexington, Ashland and other Kentucky locations and had roving pickets follow nonunion contract repair technicians to customers' places of business.
"It's extremely disappointing that ALLTEL, after assuring the PSC and citizens that it would improve its employee relations, would come to the bargaining table and attempt to gut the very contract it had said it would honor," said Jimmy Gurganus, CWA vice president for Telecommunications.
ALLTEL purchased plant and business service in Kentucky from Verizon last year and, as a condition for its approval, told the PSC it would abide by the Verizon contract. Talks stalled last Saturday night and the union went on strike after ALLTEL refused to extend the old contract until agreement on a new pact could be reached.
CWA Representative Judy Dennis reported at that time that numerous retrogressive demands remained on the table, among them increased cost-shifting to both employees and retirees for health benefits, withdrawal of the company match for 401(k) plan contributions and the elimination of team award payments.
The company is also demanding that technicians sell additional services while making repairs and-in a huge threat to job security-is demanding the virtual elimination of protections against the use of contract workers.
In the PSC complaint, Local 3372 President Mike Garkovich told the Herald-Leader, "We allege that they have not upheld their side of the bargain."
ALLTEL has 10 days to respond to the complaint it received on June 6, charging that it has not lived up to a number of negotiated agreements.
In addition, the NLRB charges state that the company provided false data during bargaining and was not serious about responding to union data requests until near contract expiration. Just three days before expiration, ALLTEL provided medical cost information that was massively revised from figures earlier provided.
In bargaining, Local 3371 President Phil Coldiron told the Ashland Daily Independent, "They didn't agree to any of the proposals we brought to the table. They weren't interested at all."
"It just seems like they want a nonunion environment," Coldiron said.
Kentucky workers have received broad support from the community with a media campaign of radio ads carrying the message that ALLTEL's tactics are wrong for Kentucky. Local leaders said retailers have complained about a drop in the quality of service and have posted signs in their windows supporting the workers.
The workers have also received expressions of support from other ALLTEL locals, particularly Local 7470 in Lincoln, Neb., which represents about 500 workers at facilities ALLTEL purchased from Aliant Communications. Those workers already experienced some erosion of benefits in an earlier round of bargaining with ALLTEL. They are due to bargain again in October 2004.
"It's extremely disappointing that ALLTEL, after assuring the PSC and citizens that it would improve its employee relations, would come to the bargaining table and attempt to gut the very contract it had said it would honor," said Jimmy Gurganus, CWA vice president for Telecommunications.
ALLTEL purchased plant and business service in Kentucky from Verizon last year and, as a condition for its approval, told the PSC it would abide by the Verizon contract. Talks stalled last Saturday night and the union went on strike after ALLTEL refused to extend the old contract until agreement on a new pact could be reached.
CWA Representative Judy Dennis reported at that time that numerous retrogressive demands remained on the table, among them increased cost-shifting to both employees and retirees for health benefits, withdrawal of the company match for 401(k) plan contributions and the elimination of team award payments.
The company is also demanding that technicians sell additional services while making repairs and-in a huge threat to job security-is demanding the virtual elimination of protections against the use of contract workers.
In the PSC complaint, Local 3372 President Mike Garkovich told the Herald-Leader, "We allege that they have not upheld their side of the bargain."
ALLTEL has 10 days to respond to the complaint it received on June 6, charging that it has not lived up to a number of negotiated agreements.
In addition, the NLRB charges state that the company provided false data during bargaining and was not serious about responding to union data requests until near contract expiration. Just three days before expiration, ALLTEL provided medical cost information that was massively revised from figures earlier provided.
In bargaining, Local 3371 President Phil Coldiron told the Ashland Daily Independent, "They didn't agree to any of the proposals we brought to the table. They weren't interested at all."
"It just seems like they want a nonunion environment," Coldiron said.
Kentucky workers have received broad support from the community with a media campaign of radio ads carrying the message that ALLTEL's tactics are wrong for Kentucky. Local leaders said retailers have complained about a drop in the quality of service and have posted signs in their windows supporting the workers.
The workers have also received expressions of support from other ALLTEL locals, particularly Local 7470 in Lincoln, Neb., which represents about 500 workers at facilities ALLTEL purchased from Aliant Communications. Those workers already experienced some erosion of benefits in an earlier round of bargaining with ALLTEL. They are due to bargain again in October 2004.