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ALLTEL Workers Strike in Kentucky
Facing numerous retrogressive demands, 450 ALLTEL workers in Kentucky went on strike just after midnight on June 8 as their formerly Verizon contract expired.
As the CWA News went to press, members of Locals 3371 and 3372 continued to walk picket lines in Lexington and Ashland, Ky., locations, focusing public attention on the company's demands to cut jobs and to slash health care coverage for workers and retirees.
Both Phil Coldiron, president of Local 3371 in Ashland, and Mike Garkovich, president of Local 3372, said the union approached the company in good faith, to extend the agreement and resolve differences, but ALLTEL refused.
ALLTEL's demands to shift health care costs and jeopardize workers' retirement security by eliminating a company match on contributions to the 401(k) plan would cost workers far more than a 2 percent wage increase the company has offered, the local leaders said.
ALLTEL has a positive cash flow stream and reports other positive financial findings, including $7 billion in revenues last year from its communications operations. "That this company came to the bargaining table with such draconian demands is outrageous," said Jimmy Gurganus, CWA vice president for Telecommunications.
"ALLTEL gave retired executive Joseph Ford a monthly pension of $208,000 plus fully paid medical coverage for himself and his wife" he said. But ALLTEL wants to slash its contributions for retired workers' health care, so that many retired families would end up paying more than $700 a month for coverage."
ALLTEL purchased plant and business service in Kentucky from Verizon last year and, as a condition for its approval, told the state public service commission that it would abide by the Verizon contract. CWA has filed a complaint that the company has failed to do so. CWA has also filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board 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 the contract expired, ALLTEL provided medical cost information that was massively revised from figures earlier provided, CWA Representative Judy Dennis said.
The Kentucky workers have received broad support from local unions and the community. Local leaders said retailers have complained about a drop in the quality of service and have posted signs in their windows supporting the workers. Retailers have delivered water, pizza and other refreshments to the picket lines.
On June 19 in Ashland, Steelworkers Local 1865 held a cookout for the strikers on the parking lot outside ALLTEL's offices. About 200 strikers and supporters attended. They included Mayor Steve Gilmore, who OK'd the location - the parking lot is city property. "The City of Ashland has always had a good relationship with our local," Local 3371 Vice President Terry Thompson said.
Concerned that the strike would cause undue hardship for Kentucky residents, the striking workers also reached out to provide emergency telephone service to families in dire need for the duration of their strike and established as policy that "Communications Workers Care."
"If any family is facing imminent danger to life, health or safety and needs phone service or repair, all the company has to do is contact the union, provide the equipment and CWA members will be there to help," Garkovich said.
As the CWA News went to press, members of Locals 3371 and 3372 continued to walk picket lines in Lexington and Ashland, Ky., locations, focusing public attention on the company's demands to cut jobs and to slash health care coverage for workers and retirees.
Both Phil Coldiron, president of Local 3371 in Ashland, and Mike Garkovich, president of Local 3372, said the union approached the company in good faith, to extend the agreement and resolve differences, but ALLTEL refused.
ALLTEL's demands to shift health care costs and jeopardize workers' retirement security by eliminating a company match on contributions to the 401(k) plan would cost workers far more than a 2 percent wage increase the company has offered, the local leaders said.
ALLTEL has a positive cash flow stream and reports other positive financial findings, including $7 billion in revenues last year from its communications operations. "That this company came to the bargaining table with such draconian demands is outrageous," said Jimmy Gurganus, CWA vice president for Telecommunications.
"ALLTEL gave retired executive Joseph Ford a monthly pension of $208,000 plus fully paid medical coverage for himself and his wife" he said. But ALLTEL wants to slash its contributions for retired workers' health care, so that many retired families would end up paying more than $700 a month for coverage."
ALLTEL purchased plant and business service in Kentucky from Verizon last year and, as a condition for its approval, told the state public service commission that it would abide by the Verizon contract. CWA has filed a complaint that the company has failed to do so. CWA has also filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board 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 the contract expired, ALLTEL provided medical cost information that was massively revised from figures earlier provided, CWA Representative Judy Dennis said.
The Kentucky workers have received broad support from local unions and the community. Local leaders said retailers have complained about a drop in the quality of service and have posted signs in their windows supporting the workers. Retailers have delivered water, pizza and other refreshments to the picket lines.
On June 19 in Ashland, Steelworkers Local 1865 held a cookout for the strikers on the parking lot outside ALLTEL's offices. About 200 strikers and supporters attended. They included Mayor Steve Gilmore, who OK'd the location - the parking lot is city property. "The City of Ashland has always had a good relationship with our local," Local 3371 Vice President Terry Thompson said.
Concerned that the strike would cause undue hardship for Kentucky residents, the striking workers also reached out to provide emergency telephone service to families in dire need for the duration of their strike and established as policy that "Communications Workers Care."
"If any family is facing imminent danger to life, health or safety and needs phone service or repair, all the company has to do is contact the union, provide the equipment and CWA members will be there to help," Garkovich said.