CWA, Avaya Reach Three-Year Agreement

Contact: Candice Johnson, CWA Communications, 202-434-1168 and cjohnson@cwa-union.org

Washington, D.C. – The Communications Workers of America reached a tentative agreement with Avaya that safeguards health care benefits for active and retired workers, increase wages, improves job security and meet other critical bargaining goals.

The three-year agreement covers more than 1,500 CWA-represented workers.

In negotiations, CWA bargaining team stood firm against management's demands for cutbacks and concessions, particularly in health care.

"Members' non-stop bargaining support and mobilization for a fair contract got the message across to management," said CWA Communications and Technologies Vice President Ralph Maly. Maly said the negotiations were challenging but that the CWA bargaining team was determined to address members' key bargaining goals.

The agreement provides a $1,250 lump sum in the first year and increases of 2.75 percent in the second and third contract years. It maintains health care benefits for workers and retirees and includes job security gains, including a no-layoff pledge for workers in all job titles for 9 months. Other improvement include a 4 percent pension increase for active workers and other gains.

The agreement will be submitted to Avaya members for ratification.