CWA Fights for Jobs, Benefits in Extended Talks at Frontier

Bargaining resumed on Dec. 3 on a new contract for nearly 400 CWA members at Frontier Communications in Pennsylvania as union negotiators worked past the contract's expiration to preserve jobs and members' hard-won benefits. The contract expired on Nov. 30 but both sides agreed to extend talks.

Locals 13570, 13571, 13572 and 13573 are mobilizing against a range of  giveback demands. Among these, Frontier wants to transfer some call center work out of state and increase subcontracting of work.  Management also is targeting workers' benefits, seeking to shift more of the cost of health care to members and moving from a traditional pension plan to a 401(k) plan, reported Telecommunications Vice President Jimmy Gurganus.

The workers were employed by Commonwealth Telephone Company before Frontier purchased the company's operations in Pennsylvania in 2007.