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CWA Gains New Settlements At Verizon Southwest, Supply
CWA bargaining teams reached tentative three-year agreements with Verizon Southwest and Verizon Supply, formerly GTE, on Aug.16 after talks were extended 24 hours past contract expiration.
The settlements boost wages by 12 percent and call for upgrading “A” town classifications across bargaining units, improved pensions and new provisions to address wage and job stress issues for workers in service centers, among other gains.
The pacts cover 4,000 workers at Verizon Southwest and another 200 at Verizon supply. Ratification is to be completed by Sept. 22.
CWA Vice Presidents Andy Milburn, District 6, and T.O. Moses, Telecommunica-tions, said the hard work and long hours put in by the two bargaining teams, and the solidarity and mobilization of CWA members, made the agreement come together.
“The bargaining teams really stuck to it, especially when we encountered difficulties that might have derailed the negotiations. We’re very proud of their work and what they achieved,” they said in a joint statement.
The compensation package provides a general wage increase of 4 percent each year, yielding 12.5 percent compounded over term. All “A” towns will be upgraded to “1-A,” for both Southwest and Supply, providing nearly 1,500 workers with additional wage increases on top of the general wage hike.
Customer service representatives in the Customer Sales and Solutions Center and business customer representatives in the Business Solutions Group will receive an additional 4 percent upgrade, distributed in two increments.
Pension minimums will increase by 4 percent, with added options for survivors.
The tentative settlements also increase comprehensive lifetime medical coverage to $2 million, effective next July, and provide two years’ paid medical coverage for a surviving spouse or domestic partner and dependents. Dental coverage has been increased and new health-related benefits include a new company-paid vision plan and a new hearing aid benefit. The settlements also improve sickness and disability benefits.
Other improvements include an additional floating holiday, greater flexibility in using vacation time, new financial assistance for adoption costs, and additional job classifications resulting in upgrades for 107 plant assignment clerks.
CWA Local 6171 President Michael Simmons, who served on the bargaining committee, said members’ solidarity and mobilization made all the difference. With mobilization in full force, members were holding massive “walk-ins” to work and customer service representatives were standing up together three times a day and coordinating pencil taps, Simmons said. Thursdays and the contract expiration date saw a sea of red shirts throughout Verizon Southwest territory, he added.
Co-chairs of the bargaining team were CWA Representative Donna Bentley and Bill Davis, District 6 southern area director for Verizon Southwest, and CWA Representative Mike Littleton for Verizon Supply.
The settlements boost wages by 12 percent and call for upgrading “A” town classifications across bargaining units, improved pensions and new provisions to address wage and job stress issues for workers in service centers, among other gains.
The pacts cover 4,000 workers at Verizon Southwest and another 200 at Verizon supply. Ratification is to be completed by Sept. 22.
CWA Vice Presidents Andy Milburn, District 6, and T.O. Moses, Telecommunica-tions, said the hard work and long hours put in by the two bargaining teams, and the solidarity and mobilization of CWA members, made the agreement come together.
“The bargaining teams really stuck to it, especially when we encountered difficulties that might have derailed the negotiations. We’re very proud of their work and what they achieved,” they said in a joint statement.
The compensation package provides a general wage increase of 4 percent each year, yielding 12.5 percent compounded over term. All “A” towns will be upgraded to “1-A,” for both Southwest and Supply, providing nearly 1,500 workers with additional wage increases on top of the general wage hike.
Customer service representatives in the Customer Sales and Solutions Center and business customer representatives in the Business Solutions Group will receive an additional 4 percent upgrade, distributed in two increments.
Pension minimums will increase by 4 percent, with added options for survivors.
The tentative settlements also increase comprehensive lifetime medical coverage to $2 million, effective next July, and provide two years’ paid medical coverage for a surviving spouse or domestic partner and dependents. Dental coverage has been increased and new health-related benefits include a new company-paid vision plan and a new hearing aid benefit. The settlements also improve sickness and disability benefits.
Other improvements include an additional floating holiday, greater flexibility in using vacation time, new financial assistance for adoption costs, and additional job classifications resulting in upgrades for 107 plant assignment clerks.
CWA Local 6171 President Michael Simmons, who served on the bargaining committee, said members’ solidarity and mobilization made all the difference. With mobilization in full force, members were holding massive “walk-ins” to work and customer service representatives were standing up together three times a day and coordinating pencil taps, Simmons said. Thursdays and the contract expiration date saw a sea of red shirts throughout Verizon Southwest territory, he added.
Co-chairs of the bargaining team were CWA Representative Donna Bentley and Bill Davis, District 6 southern area director for Verizon Southwest, and CWA Representative Mike Littleton for Verizon Supply.