Search News
For the Media
For media inquiries, call CWA Communications at 202-434-1168 or email comms@cwa-union.org. To read about CWA Members, Leadership or Industries, visit our About page.
National Package a First at GTE
Described by CWA leaders as "an historic step toward true national bargaining," the union has negotiated a company-wide agreement with GTE that provides for expedited union representation elections, boosts the 401(k) match to 66 percent, improves company tuition assistance and vacation banking provisions, sets company-wide standards for holidays and business attire, and calls for a joint process to reduce the number of existing contracts.
GTE members approved the package by a better than 2-to-1 margin in a mail ballot referendum conducted by the American Arbitration Assn., reported Telecommunications Vice President T.O. Moses.
Currently, in bargaining for about 24,000 GTE workers across the country, CWA negotiates 20 separate contracts spanning seven union districts, with GTE members represented by 54 different local unions.
CWA President Morton Bahr, along with Moses and the district vice presidents who bargain with GTE, stated in the bargaining report to members that the agreement "will move us toward using our collective strength at GTE instead of continuing to bargain unit by unit, with some units as small as 100 to 200 people." They pointed out that the merger of GTE and Bell Atlantic will create a combined union workforce of about 140,000.
Moses said that a committee will be formed soon to "start looking at achieving contract consolidation and to discuss how we will bargain in the future," with the ultimate goal of national bargaining. He said GTE negotiates some 40 union contracts between its two unions, CWA and IBEW, and, "In today's changing marketplace, they see this situation as just about as cumbersome as we do."
Bahr underscored the importance of the expedited elections agreement, noting: "GTE has been very aggressive in moving into cellular communications and other businesses, and we now have an opportunity to do significant new organizing and build our power base within this company."
Negotiation of the new national package, said Bahr, grew out of the "Partnership" program established last year with the aim of redefining and improving labor relations at GTE.
GTE members approved the package by a better than 2-to-1 margin in a mail ballot referendum conducted by the American Arbitration Assn., reported Telecommunications Vice President T.O. Moses.
Currently, in bargaining for about 24,000 GTE workers across the country, CWA negotiates 20 separate contracts spanning seven union districts, with GTE members represented by 54 different local unions.
CWA President Morton Bahr, along with Moses and the district vice presidents who bargain with GTE, stated in the bargaining report to members that the agreement "will move us toward using our collective strength at GTE instead of continuing to bargain unit by unit, with some units as small as 100 to 200 people." They pointed out that the merger of GTE and Bell Atlantic will create a combined union workforce of about 140,000.
Moses said that a committee will be formed soon to "start looking at achieving contract consolidation and to discuss how we will bargain in the future," with the ultimate goal of national bargaining. He said GTE negotiates some 40 union contracts between its two unions, CWA and IBEW, and, "In today's changing marketplace, they see this situation as just about as cumbersome as we do."
Bahr underscored the importance of the expedited elections agreement, noting: "GTE has been very aggressive in moving into cellular communications and other businesses, and we now have an opportunity to do significant new organizing and build our power base within this company."
Negotiation of the new national package, said Bahr, grew out of the "Partnership" program established last year with the aim of redefining and improving labor relations at GTE.