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Avaya Workers in Florida Ratify First Contract
Telephone sales and administrative workers at an Avaya location in Brandon, Fla., by a 95 percent margin ratified an agreement that will place them under CWA's main Avaya contract. The ratification, completed on July 25, caps a major organizing victory for the 143 workers and CWA Local 3108.
"Initially, there was some resistance to rolling them into the national contract," said Ralph Maly, CWA vice president for Telecommunications, "but the persistence of our national, local and unit bargaining representatives paid big dividends for these workers."
Chaired by CWA Representative Gerald Souder, the committee also included Local 3108 President Pamela Lawson and Bill McGrouty, an Avaya worker and member of the unit.
Bargained as an amendment to the existing Avaya contract, Souder said, the new agreement creates three new job titles, and eliminates a two-tier wage compensation schedule for tele-sales workers and other wage disparities.
Customer Account representatives, administrative clerks and telephone sales representatives will immediately be placed on a wage progression scale, with no loss in pay, at the step nearest their current wage, with progression increases every six months.
Where telephone sales representatives formerly relied on a sales incentive plan for up to 40 percent of their income, that incentive has been reduced to 10 percent. Instead, telephone sales representatives will receive an immediate $5.42 increase in their hourly base wage.
All employees will receive an "Avaya Award" bonus, guaranteed to be a minimum of $570 annually, paid absences based on the national contract rather than at management's discretion, up to 26 weeks' termination pay, depending upon seniority, and will be covered by a grievance and arbitration procedure. Where some currently pay as much as $140 per month for family medical benefits, all will be eligible for the same medical benefits that other Avaya workers receive - currently paid entirely by the company - when a new national contract is bargained to replace the one that expires May 6, 2006.
"Initially, there was some resistance to rolling them into the national contract," said Ralph Maly, CWA vice president for Telecommunications, "but the persistence of our national, local and unit bargaining representatives paid big dividends for these workers."
Chaired by CWA Representative Gerald Souder, the committee also included Local 3108 President Pamela Lawson and Bill McGrouty, an Avaya worker and member of the unit.
Bargained as an amendment to the existing Avaya contract, Souder said, the new agreement creates three new job titles, and eliminates a two-tier wage compensation schedule for tele-sales workers and other wage disparities.
Customer Account representatives, administrative clerks and telephone sales representatives will immediately be placed on a wage progression scale, with no loss in pay, at the step nearest their current wage, with progression increases every six months.
Where telephone sales representatives formerly relied on a sales incentive plan for up to 40 percent of their income, that incentive has been reduced to 10 percent. Instead, telephone sales representatives will receive an immediate $5.42 increase in their hourly base wage.
All employees will receive an "Avaya Award" bonus, guaranteed to be a minimum of $570 annually, paid absences based on the national contract rather than at management's discretion, up to 26 weeks' termination pay, depending upon seniority, and will be covered by a grievance and arbitration procedure. Where some currently pay as much as $140 per month for family medical benefits, all will be eligible for the same medical benefits that other Avaya workers receive - currently paid entirely by the company - when a new national contract is bargained to replace the one that expires May 6, 2006.