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CWA Gains Early Settlement at Verizon California
Several weeks of intense negotiations produced an early tentative contract settlement for 9,000 workers at Verizon (formerly GTE) California, CWA Vice Presidents Tony Bixler, District 9, and T.O. Moses, Telecommunica-tions, reported.
Following a meeting of Verizon locals, membership contract explanation meetings got underway, with the ratification vote to be counted Dec. 27.
The three-year agreement provides a 12 percent wage increase over the contract term, with the first 4 percent wage hike to take effect next March when the current contract expires. Customer contact associates and business service representatives will receive an additional 4 percent in salary increases over the contract term.
Other economic gains include a 4 percent increase in the minimum pension effective next July 1, and medical coverage for retirees based on service, not years (had been age 60).
The settlement improves medical benefits by increasing lifetime ‘point of service’ benefits to $2 million; eliminates the deductible payment for ‘out of area’ prescriptions; adds a new hearing aid benefit; lowers premium share for dental benefits and increases maximum benefits for dental and orthodontic services, and expands vision coverage, among other gains.
The majority of contract gains take effect next March, but workers can take advantage of an extra personal day beginning in January. The agreement also ensures that all bargaining unit members who do not choose to join CWA will be agency fee payers.
Bixler said the negotiations were tough, but both parties made a concentrated effort to reach the early agreement. “The result was a package of real gains for members in compensation, including wage differentials and on-call pay, benefits and working conditions,” he said. Moses noted that the improvements were similar to contract gains made in negotiations earlier this year at Verizon Texas, covering 4,200 workers, and Verizon Northwest, covering 650 workers.
Jim Weitkamp, District 9 area director, headed the bargaining team, along with Linda Villegas-Firth, Local 9000; James Dudley, Local 9588; Vicki Pallan, Local 9575, and Ellen West and Laura Reynolds, District 9 staff.
Following a meeting of Verizon locals, membership contract explanation meetings got underway, with the ratification vote to be counted Dec. 27.
The three-year agreement provides a 12 percent wage increase over the contract term, with the first 4 percent wage hike to take effect next March when the current contract expires. Customer contact associates and business service representatives will receive an additional 4 percent in salary increases over the contract term.
Other economic gains include a 4 percent increase in the minimum pension effective next July 1, and medical coverage for retirees based on service, not years (had been age 60).
The settlement improves medical benefits by increasing lifetime ‘point of service’ benefits to $2 million; eliminates the deductible payment for ‘out of area’ prescriptions; adds a new hearing aid benefit; lowers premium share for dental benefits and increases maximum benefits for dental and orthodontic services, and expands vision coverage, among other gains.
The majority of contract gains take effect next March, but workers can take advantage of an extra personal day beginning in January. The agreement also ensures that all bargaining unit members who do not choose to join CWA will be agency fee payers.
Bixler said the negotiations were tough, but both parties made a concentrated effort to reach the early agreement. “The result was a package of real gains for members in compensation, including wage differentials and on-call pay, benefits and working conditions,” he said. Moses noted that the improvements were similar to contract gains made in negotiations earlier this year at Verizon Texas, covering 4,200 workers, and Verizon Northwest, covering 650 workers.
Jim Weitkamp, District 9 area director, headed the bargaining team, along with Linda Villegas-Firth, Local 9000; James Dudley, Local 9588; Vicki Pallan, Local 9575, and Ellen West and Laura Reynolds, District 9 staff.