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First Contract at BellSouth.net
Newly organized collections workers at BellSouth.net overwhelmingly ratified a three-year first contract Oct. 29, winning significant raises and 100 percent company-paid health care premiums for fulltime employees.
District 3 Vice President Jimmy Smith said BellSouth granted voluntary recognition for the unit of 350 general office assistants, office assistants, administrative assistants and business communications specialists.
“The hard work of Local 3204 President Walter Andrews and Local Organizer Sheila Williams in collecting representation cards from well over half the eligible workers enabled us to negotiate recognition rather than going to an election,” Smith said.
The local conducted its campaign under the guidelines of a Mutual Values Agreement negotiated by CWA and BellSouth in 2001.
Williams coordinated meetings for organiziers, who made home visits and worked phones to get cards signed. “She just got out there and lived with those young people, explaining to them what unions were all about,” Andrews said.
Williams said most of the credit belongs to the committee, including leaders Kimberly Davenport, Yolanda Hall, Mia Howard and Shawntee Robinson. All of the new CWA members work at BellSouth’s Perimeter Center location in Atlanta.
The workers’ new contract, negotiated by Smith’s assistant, Noah Savant, brings them an immediate 2 percent wage increase, a $200 lump sum payment in March 2003, and increases of 1 percent in July 2003, January 2004, July 2004 and January 2005.
Under progression scales that did not exist prior to the contract, workers will get step increases within their job titles every six months, reaching the top after four years. “Some people will get increases of as much as 40 percent over the life of the agreement,” Smith said.
District 3 Vice President Jimmy Smith said BellSouth granted voluntary recognition for the unit of 350 general office assistants, office assistants, administrative assistants and business communications specialists.
“The hard work of Local 3204 President Walter Andrews and Local Organizer Sheila Williams in collecting representation cards from well over half the eligible workers enabled us to negotiate recognition rather than going to an election,” Smith said.
The local conducted its campaign under the guidelines of a Mutual Values Agreement negotiated by CWA and BellSouth in 2001.
Williams coordinated meetings for organiziers, who made home visits and worked phones to get cards signed. “She just got out there and lived with those young people, explaining to them what unions were all about,” Andrews said.
Williams said most of the credit belongs to the committee, including leaders Kimberly Davenport, Yolanda Hall, Mia Howard and Shawntee Robinson. All of the new CWA members work at BellSouth’s Perimeter Center location in Atlanta.
The workers’ new contract, negotiated by Smith’s assistant, Noah Savant, brings them an immediate 2 percent wage increase, a $200 lump sum payment in March 2003, and increases of 1 percent in July 2003, January 2004, July 2004 and January 2005.
Under progression scales that did not exist prior to the contract, workers will get step increases within their job titles every six months, reaching the top after four years. “Some people will get increases of as much as 40 percent over the life of the agreement,” Smith said.