Summary of Tentative Agreement Between CWA and Qwest, Plus Voting Information!

On Oct. 11, Qwest and CWA reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. This agreement was reached between CWA and Qwest in good faith and takes into consideration the financial condition of the company and the interests of its employees over the next four years.

The agreement strikes the best possible balance between allowing Qwest to compete in this extremely challenging environment and providing employees with fair wage increases, pension band increases, two reasonable health care options and manageable performance expectations.  And, significantly, in the latest round of negotiations we locked Qwest into a fourth year, thus, ensuring that the gains we achieved will be ours for an even longer period of time.

CWA Negotiation - Major Achievements:

1.  We got fair wage increases

2.  We gained pension increases

3.  We won the right to ensure that Network is required to provide our technicians with fair performance coaching and development when dealing with QJD

4.  We maintain affordable health care

5.  We gained commitments to discuss issues important to us

Wages: 12.55% increase over four years

·  This agreement provides for a general wage increase of over 3 percent each year for a total of 12.55 percent compounded over the term of the agreement.

·  This is close to the wage increased gained at Verizon, a much bigger and more financially well-off company.

Pension Increase: 3% increase

·  The 3 percent increase applies to occupational positions covered by pension bands.    

·  This agreement provides the first pension increase since 2003.

Performance Management:

·  We have a new letter of agreement for Network field and central office operations requires per the contract that the company give you reasonable coaching and developmental opportunities before any decision to terminate can be made.

Quality Health care:

·  Active employees retain medical, dental and vision coverage .

·  We maintained a health care plan that is better than that for management employees at much lower cost to us.

·  Compare the maximum monthly premium for a management employee covering a family at $407 and the national average to cover a family at $482 to the maximum of $75 per month for an occupational employee to cover a family.

Respect and Dignity: A commitment to hearing us out

·  CWA has secured commitments from management to hear and discuss strategic or systematic issues that impact Network members through the establishment of a leadership council.

The entire Bargaining Report can be retrieved on the CWA District 7 Web Page. If you have any questions regarding the tentative agreement please contact your local or the CWA District 7 Office. If you did not receive a ballot or have a question regarding the voting process please contact the American Arbitration Association at 1-800-273-0726. Thanks. Ken Egger