CWA Ramps up Bargaining Pressure on Rochester Frontier

Local 1170 members are mobilizing behind an e-activist campaign to pressure Frontier Communications in Rochester, N.Y., to bargain a fair contract for 600 workers.

"Voice! Video! Data! Frontier Communications is steadily losing market share in Rochester to competitor Time-Warner who can provide it all. But instead of investing to upgrade services, Frontier would cover its losses by freezing wages and passing massive health care costs on to employees," says the introduction to the campaign which will reach thousands of CWA and other union members through the AFL-CIO's e-activist network.

The campaign goes on to explain that Frontier is also seeking unlimited freedom to contract work to the lowest bidder, to consolidate work to non-union locations and to offer bonuses instead of a pay raise. It asks e-activists to send an e-mail to Maggie Wilderotter, CEO of Frontier's parent company Citizens Communications, at Maggie.Wilderotter@czn.com, urging her to bargain fairly.

Local 1170 negotiators have been in bargaining with the company since Dec. 20, 2006. Their old contract expired Jan. 31.

"Frontier's answer to competition is to attack the very people who help them compete," said Local 1170 President Linda McGrath, following the 18th session of bargaining that failed to produce a wage increase offer.

Members have been wearing black CWA t-shirts to work on Thursdays as a sign of solidarity and have picketed the home of Rochester Frontier Senior Vice President Ann Burr. To further show the company they are united, they have also lined the halls of RIT Conference Center, where bargaining is taking place. In late January they voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, though no strike date has yet been set.

District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton said: "Citizens is not bargaining just with 600 members of Local 1170 but with the entire strength of District 1 — 180,000 members," Shelton said. "We will do whatever it takes to win a fair contract."