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Lucent Bargaining Gets Underway October 7
CWA bargainers are ready for tough negotiations with Lucent Technologies for a new agreement covering about 3,400 workers. The current contract expires Oct. 31; bargaining gets underway Oct. 7.
Critical issues in these negotiations include jobs, job security and health care, said Ralph Maly, CWA vice president for communications and technologies.
"Lucent continues to downsize and outsource union jobs, but at the same time, it is growing management jobs. The company wants to put the burden of retiree health care costs on retirees who are least able to pay, claiming there is 'no skin in the game' for retiree health, yet it continues to provide big bonuses and compensation for senior management," Maly said.
Lucent workers got a big boost of support from CWA convention delegates, who pledged their solidarity in the coming contract fight. George Mayl, president of Local 3490, called on delegates to stand in solidarity with Lucent workers and take on the company that wants to abandon its workforce and retirees and that has destroyed workers' retirement savings. Delegates responded with a sea of clenched fists and support for the Lucent workers' fight.
Art Wiskoff, president of Local 4390, told delegates that Lucent members were locked in a "life and death" struggle for their jobs, affecting workers, retirees and their families. The 3,500 active workers, 72,000 retirees and 45,000 retiree dependents are counting on the CWA family for help, he said.
On Sept. 21, hundreds of members of CWA Local 1365 and community supporters rallied outside the Lucent facility in North Andover, Mass., protesting Lucent's ongoing outsourcing and continued job cuts.
Local 1365 President Gary Nilsson, who ended a 46-day hunger strike that protested Lucent's continuing layoffs, said the company was making outrageous demands, especially on retirees.
Mobilization actions and activities are underway, with the first demonstration held following the CWA convention in Anaheim, and several actions planned for the week leading to the start of bargaining.
Lucent members and members of CWA's Retired Members Council also are writing to Lucent chief executive officer Patricia Russo, raising concerns about the company's continued outsourcing and its threats to shift health care costs to retired workers.
Members of the bargaining committee are CWA staff representatives Mary Jo Sherman and Gerald Souder, and Mike Klein, Local 4090; Tom Bruhn, Local 3790; Chuck Mitchell, Local 7790; Brian Reilly, Local 1062; and Marcie Vincent, Local 1366.
CWA and Lucent negotiators met in July to try and reach an early agreement, but talks broke off over Lucent's demands for subcontracting and excessive health care cost shifting for active and retired workers.
Critical issues in these negotiations include jobs, job security and health care, said Ralph Maly, CWA vice president for communications and technologies.
"Lucent continues to downsize and outsource union jobs, but at the same time, it is growing management jobs. The company wants to put the burden of retiree health care costs on retirees who are least able to pay, claiming there is 'no skin in the game' for retiree health, yet it continues to provide big bonuses and compensation for senior management," Maly said.
Lucent workers got a big boost of support from CWA convention delegates, who pledged their solidarity in the coming contract fight. George Mayl, president of Local 3490, called on delegates to stand in solidarity with Lucent workers and take on the company that wants to abandon its workforce and retirees and that has destroyed workers' retirement savings. Delegates responded with a sea of clenched fists and support for the Lucent workers' fight.
Art Wiskoff, president of Local 4390, told delegates that Lucent members were locked in a "life and death" struggle for their jobs, affecting workers, retirees and their families. The 3,500 active workers, 72,000 retirees and 45,000 retiree dependents are counting on the CWA family for help, he said.
On Sept. 21, hundreds of members of CWA Local 1365 and community supporters rallied outside the Lucent facility in North Andover, Mass., protesting Lucent's ongoing outsourcing and continued job cuts.
Local 1365 President Gary Nilsson, who ended a 46-day hunger strike that protested Lucent's continuing layoffs, said the company was making outrageous demands, especially on retirees.
Mobilization actions and activities are underway, with the first demonstration held following the CWA convention in Anaheim, and several actions planned for the week leading to the start of bargaining.
Lucent members and members of CWA's Retired Members Council also are writing to Lucent chief executive officer Patricia Russo, raising concerns about the company's continued outsourcing and its threats to shift health care costs to retired workers.
Members of the bargaining committee are CWA staff representatives Mary Jo Sherman and Gerald Souder, and Mike Klein, Local 4090; Tom Bruhn, Local 3790; Chuck Mitchell, Local 7790; Brian Reilly, Local 1062; and Marcie Vincent, Local 1366.
CWA and Lucent negotiators met in July to try and reach an early agreement, but talks broke off over Lucent's demands for subcontracting and excessive health care cost shifting for active and retired workers.