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CWA REACHES EARLY SETTLEMENT AT AMERITECH
Communications Workers Reach Early Settlement at Ameritech
Provides Real Gains in Job Security, Wages, Benefits and Pensions
After resuming negotiations on June 2, the Communications Workers of America reached a tentative 32-month contract with Ameritech, covering some 30,000 workers at the regional Bell company in the Midwest. The agreement was reached some two months before the current contract is set to expire.
CWA Vice President Jeff Rechenbach said the agreement "clearly meets the objectives set by our members, and reflects the real contributions our members make to Ameritech's productivity and success. This was a great opportunity to negotiate a positive, forward-looking agreement with Ameritech, and we achieved the improvements in opportunity, compensation and working conditions that our members deserve."
CWA President Morton Bahr noted that this is our fourth settlement this year among major telecom companies, and the third that was bargained considerably before contract expiration. "CWA was willing to sit down at the bargaining table with any employer that indicated it wanted to reach a fair settlement and wasn't interested in making concession demands," Bahr said. CWA has reached early agreements with SBC (which includes Southwestern Bell and Pacific Telesis), AT&T, Ameritech, and also recently negotiated a new five-year pact with Lucent Technologies.
"Ameritech was willing to bargain for a fair settlement, not one based on giveback demands," said bargaining committee chair Larry Handley. "This early agreement strengthens job and employment security, improves pensions, and takes steps to restore opportunity for workers to choose union representation," he added. The tentative settlement goes to the membership for a ratification vote.
Settlement Highlights
The new pact calls for base wage increases of more than 11 percent compounded over the 32-month contract term, with an additional $500 ratification bonus and increased company contribution/match to the savings plan. Ameritech also agreed to pension improvements that maintain the value of employees' lump sum pensions, with increases ranging from 12 to 19 percent.
Meeting a key union objective, the settlement provides for neutrality and a union cardcheck recognition process at Ameritech cellular operations based on majority support. This provision could allow several thousand cellular employees the opportunity for union representation, and opens the way for union members to move into new company jobs.
The new settlement takes effect August 8, 1998 when the current contract expires and terminates April 1, 2001.
Provides Real Gains in Job Security, Wages, Benefits and Pensions
After resuming negotiations on June 2, the Communications Workers of America reached a tentative 32-month contract with Ameritech, covering some 30,000 workers at the regional Bell company in the Midwest. The agreement was reached some two months before the current contract is set to expire.
CWA Vice President Jeff Rechenbach said the agreement "clearly meets the objectives set by our members, and reflects the real contributions our members make to Ameritech's productivity and success. This was a great opportunity to negotiate a positive, forward-looking agreement with Ameritech, and we achieved the improvements in opportunity, compensation and working conditions that our members deserve."
CWA President Morton Bahr noted that this is our fourth settlement this year among major telecom companies, and the third that was bargained considerably before contract expiration. "CWA was willing to sit down at the bargaining table with any employer that indicated it wanted to reach a fair settlement and wasn't interested in making concession demands," Bahr said. CWA has reached early agreements with SBC (which includes Southwestern Bell and Pacific Telesis), AT&T, Ameritech, and also recently negotiated a new five-year pact with Lucent Technologies.
"Ameritech was willing to bargain for a fair settlement, not one based on giveback demands," said bargaining committee chair Larry Handley. "This early agreement strengthens job and employment security, improves pensions, and takes steps to restore opportunity for workers to choose union representation," he added. The tentative settlement goes to the membership for a ratification vote.
Settlement Highlights
The new pact calls for base wage increases of more than 11 percent compounded over the 32-month contract term, with an additional $500 ratification bonus and increased company contribution/match to the savings plan. Ameritech also agreed to pension improvements that maintain the value of employees' lump sum pensions, with increases ranging from 12 to 19 percent.
Meeting a key union objective, the settlement provides for neutrality and a union cardcheck recognition process at Ameritech cellular operations based on majority support. This provision could allow several thousand cellular employees the opportunity for union representation, and opens the way for union members to move into new company jobs.
The new settlement takes effect August 8, 1998 when the current contract expires and terminates April 1, 2001.