AT&T "Legacy T" Bargaining Report #41

Last night VP Maly and the Legacy T Bargaining Team held a call with over 40 Local Presidents to discuss the current state of bargaining.  Ralph made it clear that there has been hardly any progress since our April 4th expiration date and most of the Company's retrogressive demands are still on the table.  While some progress has been made on a National Transfer Plan, some important issues on it still need to be resolved and we are waiting for a response on those points.  We are still extremely far apart on Health Care.  Up to this point, the Company has not made a counter proposal to the Union's last offer.  The Company is still refusing to even discuss Retiree Health.  We cannot walk away from this bargaining leaving the future of our retirees in the hands of a management that has shown so little respect for its bargained-for employees.  That would give them a free hand to do anything they wanted to those retirees.  We can't let that happen.  "Two tiers" (one set of benefits for current and another for "new hires") is still in the Company's package.  They have also not responded to any of the Union's proposals for employment security and are removing "watermark" language and subcontracting language that saved many jobs under the 2005 Agreement.

With progress stalled, Ralph hammered home this point – this Company will not move off its current position without massive pressure.  That means not only continuing your activities on the jobs but increasing external pressure on AT&T.  Every gain we have ever made has meant sacrifice from our members, whether it was a strike or a suspension.  Up to this point we have not asked a lot of you.  A strike would have meant that by today, you and your families would have been without pay checks for two months, with only the "Members Relief Fund" to get you by.  What we ARE asking is that you STEP IT UP, and STEP UP to your responsibility to fight against proposals by a Company looking to force you to pay thousands for your health care and weaken your rights on the job.  Your Locals all know what actions need to be taken, and they should be contacting you about participating.  The time to take action is NOW!