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Cingular Delegates Meet in D.C. for Historic Bargaining Council
Delegates representing more than 5,000 Cingular Wireless workers from CWA locals in Districts 1, 2, 4, 9 and 13 met in Washington, D.C., in November for an historic first bargaining council.
Bargaining for a national agreement covering the retail sales workers, technicians and customer service professionals was set to begin in Washington on Dec. 16, with the current contract expiring Feb. 5. The national contract covers Cingular workers in those districts; workers in Districts 3 and 6 are covered by separate agreements.
Delegates adopted resolutions that spell out key bargaining goals and launched a mobilization plan to support the bargaining team.
The bargaining resolution noted that the first contract with Cingular four years ago provided "substantial wage increases and progression scales that brought fairness to the wage system at Cingular, replacing favoritism and 'merit pay.'"
"This year, we must negotiate higher wage scales, including language differentials," to help protect and improve the living standards of workers at Cingular, delegates said. They also supported a major revision of the Retail Sales Commission plan to ensure a system that is understandable, includes achievable targets and quotas and provides for reasonable payouts.
On job security issues, the resolution calls for limits on contracting out and the expansion of opportunities for advancement in customer service and other areas of the company.
Flexible scheduling, the use of performance management standards, mandatory overtime, pressure to sell, monitoring and other workplace policies also must be addressed, the delegates stressed.
A representative from each district will help coordinate the national Cingular mobilization effort, with a nationwide action planned for the opening day of bargaining and during negotiations, in addition to activities planned by locals and districts. By signing up for CWA@Cingular, members will receive e-mail updates on bargaining and mobilization events.
CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen discussed the rapidly changing state of the wireless industry, and the challenges posed by unorganized competitors Verizon Wireless and T- Mobile, which despite getting CWA's support for owner Deutsche Telekom to do business in the United States, has fired 100 union technicians in California as it buys some of Cingular's operation there.
CWA has filed unfair labor practice charges against T-Mobile and is building worldwide support against the company's anti-union actions in the United States.
Bargaining for a national agreement covering the retail sales workers, technicians and customer service professionals was set to begin in Washington on Dec. 16, with the current contract expiring Feb. 5. The national contract covers Cingular workers in those districts; workers in Districts 3 and 6 are covered by separate agreements.
Delegates adopted resolutions that spell out key bargaining goals and launched a mobilization plan to support the bargaining team.
The bargaining resolution noted that the first contract with Cingular four years ago provided "substantial wage increases and progression scales that brought fairness to the wage system at Cingular, replacing favoritism and 'merit pay.'"
"This year, we must negotiate higher wage scales, including language differentials," to help protect and improve the living standards of workers at Cingular, delegates said. They also supported a major revision of the Retail Sales Commission plan to ensure a system that is understandable, includes achievable targets and quotas and provides for reasonable payouts.
On job security issues, the resolution calls for limits on contracting out and the expansion of opportunities for advancement in customer service and other areas of the company.
Flexible scheduling, the use of performance management standards, mandatory overtime, pressure to sell, monitoring and other workplace policies also must be addressed, the delegates stressed.
A representative from each district will help coordinate the national Cingular mobilization effort, with a nationwide action planned for the opening day of bargaining and during negotiations, in addition to activities planned by locals and districts. By signing up for CWA@Cingular, members will receive e-mail updates on bargaining and mobilization events.
CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen discussed the rapidly changing state of the wireless industry, and the challenges posed by unorganized competitors Verizon Wireless and T- Mobile, which despite getting CWA's support for owner Deutsche Telekom to do business in the United States, has fired 100 union technicians in California as it buys some of Cingular's operation there.
CWA has filed unfair labor practice charges against T-Mobile and is building worldwide support against the company's anti-union actions in the United States.