Search News
For the Media
For media inquiries, call CWA Communications at 202-434-1168 or email comms@cwa-union.org. To read about CWA Members, Leadership or Industries, visit our About page.
CWA Bargains OFS Contract
CWA bargainers have reached a new tentative 3-year agreement with OFS, the fiber optics operation sold by Lucent Technologies in 2001.
CWA's bargaining goals were to protect jobs and employment opportunities and to safeguard retiree pension and health care benefits, said Robert Richhart, administrative assistant to the CWA vice president for communications and technologies. CWA accomplished these goals, he said, in tough bargaining with a company facing serious financial problems and the continuing slump in the telecom sector.
"With American telecommunications companies unwilling to spend any capital dollars, OFS plants, especially where CWA represents workers, are seriously underutilized. Even now, OFS is planning a restructuring that could affect our members further," Richhart said.
"Our goal was to protect the jobs of those still employed, limit hardships to retirees and do as much as we could to provide decent job opportunities for members with recall rights," he added.
Bargaining got underway in December 2002, with negotiators going past the May 31 expiration to reach an agreement on June 2.
The contract provides for lump sum payments of $500 each year of the contract. CWA also was successful in maintaining existing contract language on termination pay, the 12-year social security supplement and qualifications for pension and retiree health care. Local 3263 members in Norcross, Ga., will receive an additional $330 and Local 1365 members in Sturbridge, Mass., will receive an additional $83 as a result of carrying over a prorated amount from a prior agreement.
In exchange, active workers will pay some additional out-of-pocket health care costs.
The agreement covers some 600 workers. Contract explanation meetings will be held before the membership ratification vote; the ratification deadline is July 11, 2003.
CWA's bargaining goals were to protect jobs and employment opportunities and to safeguard retiree pension and health care benefits, said Robert Richhart, administrative assistant to the CWA vice president for communications and technologies. CWA accomplished these goals, he said, in tough bargaining with a company facing serious financial problems and the continuing slump in the telecom sector.
"With American telecommunications companies unwilling to spend any capital dollars, OFS plants, especially where CWA represents workers, are seriously underutilized. Even now, OFS is planning a restructuring that could affect our members further," Richhart said.
"Our goal was to protect the jobs of those still employed, limit hardships to retirees and do as much as we could to provide decent job opportunities for members with recall rights," he added.
Bargaining got underway in December 2002, with negotiators going past the May 31 expiration to reach an agreement on June 2.
The contract provides for lump sum payments of $500 each year of the contract. CWA also was successful in maintaining existing contract language on termination pay, the 12-year social security supplement and qualifications for pension and retiree health care. Local 3263 members in Norcross, Ga., will receive an additional $330 and Local 1365 members in Sturbridge, Mass., will receive an additional $83 as a result of carrying over a prorated amount from a prior agreement.
In exchange, active workers will pay some additional out-of-pocket health care costs.
The agreement covers some 600 workers. Contract explanation meetings will be held before the membership ratification vote; the ratification deadline is July 11, 2003.