CWA - Avaya Bargaining Report #4

Today the company presented proposals for Active employee medical and dental plans. While we were anticipating retrogressive demands, the plans presented by Avaya were the most insulting we have ever seen. Not only were they proposing increases in co-pays of 100% similar to the proposals for our retired members, but they want you to pay for the “privilege” of signing up during the Open Enrollment period each year. Under Ayaya’s proposal employees will have to pay a fee of $1200.00 in 2007, $1320.00 in 2008 and $1440.00 in 2009 just to enroll in the medical plan. The proposal for the prescription drug plan was just as regressive with increases of up to 100% in co-pays for both Retail and Mail Order. In addition they want you to pay a fee of $240.00 in 2007, $288.00 in 2008 and $336.00 in 2009 to enroll in the Dental plan for Active employees. As greedy as other employers have been over the years, no one has been as arrogant as Avaya. While we have had proposals to pay retirees to Opt Out of a plan, Avaya wants to pay Active employees to forego any medical coverage whether or not they have alternate medical insurance. This from a company that still pays its executives millions of dollars a year to basically destroy the business.

We need to ramp up the mobilization and show Avaya that their Union employees will not accept this! Do whatever you can to send the message!

Tomorrow the company will present proposals on Reimbursement Accounts, Disability, Domestic Partner Benefits and Leaves of Absences.

Updates will be posted at the end of the session.

  Mobilize----Mobilize---Mobilize---Mobilize---Mobilize---Mobilize---Mobilize

In Unity,

CWA-Avaya Bargaining Team