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.
New BellSouth Pact Boosts Wages, Pensions
Three-Year Contract Addresses Workers’ Stress in Call Centers
CWA has reached a tentative three-year agreement with BellSouth Corp. covering 56,000 workers that provides substantial wage and pension gains and curbs job stress for call center workers among a range of contract improvements.
As part of the bargaining round, CWA also reached a new card check recognition and neutrality agreement with Cingular Wireless covering another 10,000 workers in the southeastern states of District 3. Cingular is a joint venture of BellSouth and SBC Communications. CWA represents 11,000 Cingular workers in other areas of the country.
The BellSouth settlement provides general wage increases of 12.35 percent over three years, with additional yearly incentive awards and a ratification bonus if the contract is approved by Sept. 27. Pension bands will increase by 14 percent over the contract, with improved benefits for surviving spouses and dependents.
The tentative agreement addresses job stress issues for customer service representatives and operators at the call centers. It provides for more flexible scheduling, increases pay by 4 percent for workers with significant sales responsibilities, and calls for 15 minutes of daily off-line time during which workers can process customer requests, among other improvements.
The agreement also improves the administration of the short-term disability benefit program, maintains retiree health care benefits, increases vacation time and personal paid days off, and improves vision and dental benefits.
CWA District 3 Vice President Jimmy Smith called the agreement a “forward-thinking contract.” He thanked the bargaining team for its hard work and CWA District 3 members for their solidarity. Because of this support, “we were able to avoid give-backs in the medical benefits area and we won real improvements in the pension program for current and future retirees,” he said.
Demonstrations and mobilization by members throughout the district were a big factor in winning this settlement, Smith said. The lunchtime rallies, members’ support of the bargaining team and informational leafleting held throughout bargaining showed the company we were serious about winning a fair settlement and sticking to our principles, he said.
CWA locals sent greetings, gifts of food and flowers, even a supply of Louisville slugger baseball bats to the CWA negotiating team, making sure that management got the message that workers wanted a fair contract. Noah Savant, assistant to Vice President Smith, chaired the common issues bargaining committee.
Contract summaries and balloting materials are being distributed to members through their locals, Smith said.
CWA has reached a tentative three-year agreement with BellSouth Corp. covering 56,000 workers that provides substantial wage and pension gains and curbs job stress for call center workers among a range of contract improvements.
As part of the bargaining round, CWA also reached a new card check recognition and neutrality agreement with Cingular Wireless covering another 10,000 workers in the southeastern states of District 3. Cingular is a joint venture of BellSouth and SBC Communications. CWA represents 11,000 Cingular workers in other areas of the country.
The BellSouth settlement provides general wage increases of 12.35 percent over three years, with additional yearly incentive awards and a ratification bonus if the contract is approved by Sept. 27. Pension bands will increase by 14 percent over the contract, with improved benefits for surviving spouses and dependents.
The tentative agreement addresses job stress issues for customer service representatives and operators at the call centers. It provides for more flexible scheduling, increases pay by 4 percent for workers with significant sales responsibilities, and calls for 15 minutes of daily off-line time during which workers can process customer requests, among other improvements.
The agreement also improves the administration of the short-term disability benefit program, maintains retiree health care benefits, increases vacation time and personal paid days off, and improves vision and dental benefits.
CWA District 3 Vice President Jimmy Smith called the agreement a “forward-thinking contract.” He thanked the bargaining team for its hard work and CWA District 3 members for their solidarity. Because of this support, “we were able to avoid give-backs in the medical benefits area and we won real improvements in the pension program for current and future retirees,” he said.
Demonstrations and mobilization by members throughout the district were a big factor in winning this settlement, Smith said. The lunchtime rallies, members’ support of the bargaining team and informational leafleting held throughout bargaining showed the company we were serious about winning a fair settlement and sticking to our principles, he said.
CWA locals sent greetings, gifts of food and flowers, even a supply of Louisville slugger baseball bats to the CWA negotiating team, making sure that management got the message that workers wanted a fair contract. Noah Savant, assistant to Vice President Smith, chaired the common issues bargaining committee.
Contract summaries and balloting materials are being distributed to members through their locals, Smith said.