CWA Battling Idearc over Unilateral Pension Freeze, Health Cutbacks

Battling a unilateral pension freeze and benefit cutbacks by Idearc Media, CWA is mounting a major grassroots mobilization and corporate campaign against the directory advertising firm, which was spun off from Verizon in 2006 but remains the official publisher of Verizon directories.

About 700 CWA and IBEW members in New England and Upstate New York have been working without a contract since June when the company declared a bargaining impasse and imposed steep concessions in all benefit programs as well as job security and sales commission plans.

The unions have filed unfair labor practice charges, currently being investigated by the National Labor Relations Board, against the company for declaring an illegal impasse, bad faith bargaining, refusing to provide information and making unilateral contract changes.

"We have fought hard over 45 years to gain the contracts we currently enjoy, and the company wants to take it all back in one round of bargaining," said District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton.  The CWA workers are represented by Massachusetts Locals 1301 and 1302.

Other CWA contracts with Idearc expire this summer and at various points throughout 2009.  Altogether, CWA represents 1,700 Idearc workers in 17 locals in Districts 1, 2 and 13 in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.  Their jobs include sales, customer service, graphic design and clerical support.

Representatives from the Idearc locals are meeting with union officers and staff today in New Jersey to map out a strategy that includes reaching out to shareholders, the financial community and news media. 

The unions' message:  Idearc is compounding poor management decisions that have tanked the company's stock by 48 percent in the past year by creating labor turmoil and poor employee morale.  While Idearc's revenues are dropping, those of its major competitor AT&T Directories grew by 26 percent in the first three quarters of 2007.