Local 6171 Scores Victories at Century Tel, Windstream

CWA Local 6171 in Krum, Texas, used mobilization to achieve major contract protections for workers at Century Tel and also won a substantial settlement recently for workers who previously had been laid off by Windstream.  

Months of mobilization by Local 6171 members convinced Century Tel to back off its demands to eliminate seniority and negotiate a new contract.

Workers overwhelmingly rejected an earlier tentative contract to replace the agreement that expired August 2007 because it gutted seniority and force adjustment language, said Local 6171 President Allen Whitaker. "The company didn't want to use seniority for anything – not job promotions or force adjustment," he said.

The result: a new agreement covering 169 workers that was ratified by members in early July. The three-year contract restores seniority for force adjustment, improves job bidding procedures, provides a 6.5 percent general wage increase and is retroactive to August 2007. 

Century Tel workers were supported by other Local 6171 members who joined in rallies and other action to keep the pressure on the company. A separate Century Tel contract covering about 80 workers in northwest Arkansas also was ratified in June.

At Windstream, formed by the merger of Valor Communications and Alltel's landline operations in 2006, management wanted to cut layoff benefits for former Valor workers who lost their jobs when the company closed two call centers in New Mexico and Texas.

"A substantial amount of money was involved," Whitaker said. "It probably took a year to settle the grievance, but as a result, an award of $253,000 is being shared by 23 workers."