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Tough Bargaining Produces Settlement for 25,000 Members at Qwest
Many weeks of tough bargaining and effective mobilization have resulted in a tentative three-year agreement with Qwest Communications that achieves the union's major objectives of a fair wage increase, protecting health security for both active employees and retirees, and safeguarding against excessive hours of forced overtime, among other gains.
CWA District 7 Vice President Annie Hill noted that this is the first full contract bargained since 1998 and that the tough negotiations were made more difficult by Qwest's rocky financial situation. Qwest has been plagued by serious financial difficulties caused by fraud and illegal business practices committed by the previous management team, who now are facing charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Qwest is determined to restore the company's financial stability and CWA is equally determined to maintain longterm employment and stability for our members, Hill said.
The agreement covers 25,000 Qwest workers in 13 states. Several contract explanation meetings have been held, and the membership ratification vote will be completed by Oct. 1.
Among the settlement's key provisions:
The bargaining team worked hard to reach an agreement that improves wages, benefits and other conditions at Qwest, and enables the company to continue to provide long-term employment for our members, Hill said.
In unanimously recommending the agreement, the bargaining team noted that it was able to achieve a wage increase "that met or exceeded the contract settlements with Verizon, SBC and Bell South."
The agreement calls for a new annual enrollment fee for spouse and family coverage of $300 and $400, respectively, with some changes to the out-of-pocket costs for facility services that may result in lower costs for some employees and families.
Retired workers also maintain their employer-paid health care, with some offsetting changes to the company-paid life insurance coverage for those who retired after 1990.
Since the start of bargaining, CWA members held rallies, lunchtime actions and other events to remind Qwest that workers were determined to gain a fair contract, from the start of bargaining in June until the final countdown to contract expiration.
Locals collected petitions that called on management to drop its demands for huge shifts in health care costs to members and other regressive changes to health care coverage; more than 12,000 petitions were presented to the company bargaining team.
CWA represents Qwest workers in 13 states: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
CWA District 7 Vice President Annie Hill noted that this is the first full contract bargained since 1998 and that the tough negotiations were made more difficult by Qwest's rocky financial situation. Qwest has been plagued by serious financial difficulties caused by fraud and illegal business practices committed by the previous management team, who now are facing charges by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Qwest is determined to restore the company's financial stability and CWA is equally determined to maintain longterm employment and stability for our members, Hill said.
The agreement covers 25,000 Qwest workers in 13 states. Several contract explanation meetings have been held, and the membership ratification vote will be completed by Oct. 1.
Among the settlement's key provisions:
- A wage increase of 7.5 percent over the three-year contract term.
- Continuation of 100 percent employer-paid health care, with changes to the out-of-pocket cost structure that will reduce overall costs for many workers.
- Continuation of the 8-hour limit on mandatory overtime per week.
The bargaining team worked hard to reach an agreement that improves wages, benefits and other conditions at Qwest, and enables the company to continue to provide long-term employment for our members, Hill said.
In unanimously recommending the agreement, the bargaining team noted that it was able to achieve a wage increase "that met or exceeded the contract settlements with Verizon, SBC and Bell South."
The agreement calls for a new annual enrollment fee for spouse and family coverage of $300 and $400, respectively, with some changes to the out-of-pocket costs for facility services that may result in lower costs for some employees and families.
Retired workers also maintain their employer-paid health care, with some offsetting changes to the company-paid life insurance coverage for those who retired after 1990.
Since the start of bargaining, CWA members held rallies, lunchtime actions and other events to remind Qwest that workers were determined to gain a fair contract, from the start of bargaining in June until the final countdown to contract expiration.
Locals collected petitions that called on management to drop its demands for huge shifts in health care costs to members and other regressive changes to health care coverage; more than 12,000 petitions were presented to the company bargaining team.
CWA represents Qwest workers in 13 states: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.