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.
Next Step' College Program Graduates First Class
Ninety-two union-represented Bell Atlantic workers in New York state were honored at ceremonies at Hudson Valley Community College, Jan. 12, as they became the first graduating class of a precedent-setting higher education and training program.
The graduates of the Next Step program, a product of 1994 bargaining between CWA, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and Nynex, now Bell Atlantic North, have earned two-year Associate Degrees in applied science with a focus on telecommunications technology from Hudson Valley and five other community and technical colleges in the state. In addition, the graduates have been promoted to telecommunications technical associate, the highest paid craft job in the company.
"Education and the concept of life-long learning can literally change lives, and the Next Step program is doing that," said CWA Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling, who spoke at the ceremony in Troy, N.Y. "This visionary program represents the collective bargaining system at its finest. It is a win-win situation for both American workers and American corporations. The end result is better-educated and more productive workers who are uniquely equipped to meet the challenges of an intensely competitive marketplace."
"I want to add my congratulations to all of the graduates," said CWA Vice President Larry Mancino, of District 1, who also attended the ceremony. "These men and women have invested a great deal of personal effort and commitment to the program and should be very proud of their achievement."
"In the Information Age, the key to success lies as much in the skills, dedication and problem-solving abilities of employees as it does in management making the right investments and strategic choices," said Donald Sacco, executive vice president of Human Resources for Bell Atlantic. "These experienced, committed, capable technicians will walk out of college and back into our garages and central offices. They're smart. They're good. They're driven to excel."
Personal Best
The graduates come from a variety of backgrounds.
John Kelly of CWA Local 1101 is a central office technician in the Bronx. He started with New York Telephone in 1962 - when he dropped out of Westchester Community College - and stayed with the company under both Nynex and now, Bell Atlantic.
Says Kelly, "It took me 36 years to get a two-year degree. When I went to work for the company, I got locked into working weekends and overtime. I was a switchman. Most of us then had jobs that didn't let us get back to school."
He decided in 1994 to return to college and enrolled at New Rochelle. Then he learned that he qualified for Next Step. "It was an easy choice for me: either pay $3,000 a semester out of my own pocket, or let the company pay for it."
He attended classes eight hours a day on Fridays for four years, sticking it out with the support of colleagues.
Though he's now trained in the latest technology, including digital, and has a raise to show for it, Kelly says "self-satisfaction" is the greatest reward. "I'm amazed. I can swap graduation pictures with my granddaughter's pre-K class."
Antonia "Toni" Gilkey of CWA Local 1114 went to work for Nynex as a material handler in Oswego after working 16 years for AT&T. Her seniority followed her, making her eligible for the new program.
When she got into Next Step in January 1996, she immediately became an installation and repair technician, doing a fair amount of lifting and climbing telephone poles. She soon learned she was pregnant with hers and her husband's first child.
She continued working as an "I&R" for six months, taking classes at Onondaga Community College. Then the company switched her to light duty. Because she had already had some college, she was able to complete the Next Step program in three years.
After the birth of her daughter, Moriah, Jan. 10, 1998, Gilkey visited instructors on her own time to make up for classes she could not attend. She crammed homework assignments in during her baby's nap and before bedtime.
"You had to be a little more motivated to do stuff at home instead of going to the classroom, " she says.
Still working as an I&R, though with a title upgrade and raise, she is hopeful her work will change.
"Maybe now we can get on to something a little more challenging with the company; get on to some of the more advanced technologies," she says.
Demand Abounds
There are currently 1,600 Next Step students enrolled at 25 community and technical colleges throughout New York and New England.
Next Step is not yet available to employees of Bell Atlantic South, in CWA Districts 2 and 13.
The graduates of the Next Step program, a product of 1994 bargaining between CWA, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and Nynex, now Bell Atlantic North, have earned two-year Associate Degrees in applied science with a focus on telecommunications technology from Hudson Valley and five other community and technical colleges in the state. In addition, the graduates have been promoted to telecommunications technical associate, the highest paid craft job in the company.
"Education and the concept of life-long learning can literally change lives, and the Next Step program is doing that," said CWA Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling, who spoke at the ceremony in Troy, N.Y. "This visionary program represents the collective bargaining system at its finest. It is a win-win situation for both American workers and American corporations. The end result is better-educated and more productive workers who are uniquely equipped to meet the challenges of an intensely competitive marketplace."
"I want to add my congratulations to all of the graduates," said CWA Vice President Larry Mancino, of District 1, who also attended the ceremony. "These men and women have invested a great deal of personal effort and commitment to the program and should be very proud of their achievement."
"In the Information Age, the key to success lies as much in the skills, dedication and problem-solving abilities of employees as it does in management making the right investments and strategic choices," said Donald Sacco, executive vice president of Human Resources for Bell Atlantic. "These experienced, committed, capable technicians will walk out of college and back into our garages and central offices. They're smart. They're good. They're driven to excel."
Personal Best
The graduates come from a variety of backgrounds.
John Kelly of CWA Local 1101 is a central office technician in the Bronx. He started with New York Telephone in 1962 - when he dropped out of Westchester Community College - and stayed with the company under both Nynex and now, Bell Atlantic.
Says Kelly, "It took me 36 years to get a two-year degree. When I went to work for the company, I got locked into working weekends and overtime. I was a switchman. Most of us then had jobs that didn't let us get back to school."
He decided in 1994 to return to college and enrolled at New Rochelle. Then he learned that he qualified for Next Step. "It was an easy choice for me: either pay $3,000 a semester out of my own pocket, or let the company pay for it."
He attended classes eight hours a day on Fridays for four years, sticking it out with the support of colleagues.
Though he's now trained in the latest technology, including digital, and has a raise to show for it, Kelly says "self-satisfaction" is the greatest reward. "I'm amazed. I can swap graduation pictures with my granddaughter's pre-K class."
Antonia "Toni" Gilkey of CWA Local 1114 went to work for Nynex as a material handler in Oswego after working 16 years for AT&T. Her seniority followed her, making her eligible for the new program.
When she got into Next Step in January 1996, she immediately became an installation and repair technician, doing a fair amount of lifting and climbing telephone poles. She soon learned she was pregnant with hers and her husband's first child.
She continued working as an "I&R" for six months, taking classes at Onondaga Community College. Then the company switched her to light duty. Because she had already had some college, she was able to complete the Next Step program in three years.
After the birth of her daughter, Moriah, Jan. 10, 1998, Gilkey visited instructors on her own time to make up for classes she could not attend. She crammed homework assignments in during her baby's nap and before bedtime.
"You had to be a little more motivated to do stuff at home instead of going to the classroom, " she says.
Still working as an I&R, though with a title upgrade and raise, she is hopeful her work will change.
"Maybe now we can get on to something a little more challenging with the company; get on to some of the more advanced technologies," she says.
Demand Abounds
There are currently 1,600 Next Step students enrolled at 25 community and technical colleges throughout New York and New England.
Next Step is not yet available to employees of Bell Atlantic South, in CWA Districts 2 and 13.