Ralph V. Maly - Speech - Avaya Shareholders Meeting

Ralph V. Maly Jr.
Vice President
CWA – C&T
Avaya Shareholders Meeting
February 15, 2007

Thank you, Lou

Good morning,

My name is Ralph Maly and I am a Vice President for CWA, representing the occupational employees of Avaya.

I have had the opportunity to speak at every Avaya shareholder meeting, speaking on behalf of the membership we are privileged to represent.

Last year I spoke about the services business and it’s lack of direction.  I also talked about the direction the company was taking as we approached the upcoming bargaining and the impact no agreement would have on the business.

That was last year.

I stand here today to let you and all of Avaya’s shareholders and customers know we achieved a fair and equitable contract.  We now stand together better prepared to meet the challenges of our competition.  As a result of bargaining, we now have a new certification program that many financial analysts are touting as the best thing Avaya and its Unions could have done to prepare themselves for the future.  It positions Avaya well in the market place.  Already, some 1100 technicians, staging techs and software associates have entered the certification program with approximately 40% already completing some level of certification.  In addition, the new jointly run sales referral program is in place, giving Avaya new sales opportunities, added growth and revenue – giving us an opportunity to grow the business and maintain jobs for the future.

I ask you Lou to join me in helping to keep this momentum moving forward.  One way to accomplish this is to support the bargained for labor advisory forum and the constructive relationship committee as agreed to in bargaining.  These committees allow for the heads of the businesses and the leadership of the unions to continue the dialogue to make sure our partnership continues to grow, our customers and shareholders are satisfied and your employees maintain jobs for the future.

In closing, on a separate note, I would also ask for your support to help settle the labor dispute between Avaya/Tenovis and our brothers and sisters in German labor called IG Metall.

Avaya in Germany has taken a hard line in bargaining, demanding huge wage concessions, reductions in jobs and a number of other concessions.  I ask for your intervention in helping our union brothers and sister settle their labor dispute and make Ayava a success in Germany as well through a partnership with the IG metall that will allow Avaya to grow the business and protect the jobs of all Avaya employees worldwide.

Thank you.