CWA, Verizon West Reach Tentative Contract Covering 5,500

News from the Communications Workers of America District 9

Contact: Laura Reynolds, CWA District 9, 916-921-4500, lreynolds@cwa-union.org and
Candice Johnson, CWA Communications, 202-434-1168, cjohnson@cwa-union.org

CWA, Verizon West Reach Tentative Contract Covering 5,500

Sacramento – The Communications Workers of America District 9 bargaining team has reached a tentative three-year contract with Verizon West, covering 5,500 workers in California.

The tentative agreement provides for Wage increases of 2.75% for each of the 3 years; the Sales Incentive Compensation plan remains voluntary and provides for a wage increase in the sales title; No Employee Medical Contributions; the PPO plan is available for all employees beginning Jan 2011; a MOA requiring the Company to discuss with the Union ways to reduce sub contracting out work, including work shipped from California and moved outside of the United States.

CWA District 9 Vice President Jim Weitkamp credited the effective mobilization and bargaining support by CWA members as a big factor in the successful negotiations. “Our members and their families stood strong behind the bargaining team and kept up the fight for the quality contract they deserved. With that support, we maintained quality healthcare, accomplished pay increases reflecting our members’ efficiency, and achieve gains in moving work from Verizon Business and the Video Hub into this collective bargaining agreement which should bring additional good paying jobs to California.  We also made real progress in keeping sales incentives voluntary for customer service representatives.”

CWA members had won strong public and community support, from communities in southern California up to the Bay Area. Most recently, the Long Beach City Council passed a resolution that backed its support for keeping quality jobs in our communities from corporations that have contracts with the city.

Negotiations continued more than a month past contract expiration. The tentative agreement will be submitted to members for a ratification vote.  More details are available at district9.cwa-union.org.