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Training, Rallies Help Locals Prepare for Tough Talks with SBC
CWA locals are gearing up for SBC bargaining with activist training programs, membership meetings and rallies and one-on-one contacts with workers, while the company is getting ready by resorting to hardball tactics.
Bargaining gets underway in February for contracts expiring in early April covering workers in District 1, 4 6 and 9. Jobs and job security, health care and pensions top members' key bargaining goals.
In an indication of these hardball tactics, SBC mailed a letter to retirees in early January that said the company would shift premium costs that exceed the caps on medical coverage and would raise out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs beginning in 2005.
The company then followed up that letter with a second letter to retirees, this time asking for their help on regulatory and legislative issues, a move many regarded as pure "chutzpah."
"We want to reassure our retirees that we will do everything we possibly can to prevent them from sharing the cost of their health care premiums," said CWA President Morton Bahr. "This is an especially galling tactic at a time when SBC - thanks to our members' hard work - is enjoying positive financial success."
None of the other Bell companies has forced retirees to share in the cost of their health premiums. Even Verizon, which took a hard-nosed approach in 2003 bargaining, agreed to no premium cost-sharing for retirees during the term of the new five-year contract. In addition, Verizon agreed to raise the caps on retirees' coverage costs.
Vice Presidents Larry Mancino, District 1; Jeff Rechenbach, District 4; Andy Milburn, District 6, and Tony Bixler, District 9, called on members to show SBC their unity and determination to keep quality health care and to gain quality jobs throughout the company. "It's up to SBC. We can either lock horns or lock arms," declared local SBC leaders at District 9's meeting in San Francisco.
SBC's third-quarter financial reports beat the predictions of experts, as the company posted major gains in long distance and other telecom services, and predicted revenue growth to continue this year. In the highly competitive long distance market, SBC gained 2.7 million new customers in the fourth quarter alone and 378,000 new DSL customers.
CWA locals with SBC members have been working hard to "train the trainer," giving stewards, mobilizers and activists all the information they need about bargaining issues and SBC's financial outlook so they can rally their coworkers and answer questions. Locals are also hosting membership meetings, creating websites, publishing newsletters and sponsoring other activities to keep all members up-to-date and energized.
"Hopefully, we'll be bombarding them with information," said Local 4603 Executive Vice President Jim "Smokey" Courchane, whose local is holding garage meetings for outside technicians, plans a mobilization hotline and has put together a binder for stewards and mobilizers packed with materials.
Similar activities are happening throughout CWA's SBC territory. "Our people really seemed to 'get it,"' District 6 mobilization coordinator Daniel Fetonte said. "There's a fire building among our members. They see the need for discussions and one-on-one contact with every member."
More than 150 leaders and activists from Local 1298 in Connecticut attended a "holding the line" mobilization meeting. Members reviewed CWA's mobilization plans for SBC bargaining, as well as changes in the telecom industry, SBC's financial and corporate strategy and tactics to help achieve bargaining goals.
District 9 has set up three mobilization councils to coordinate events and provide training for local leaders and activists. At Local 9419's first mobilization meeting, members reviewed the union's bargaining history, so new members in particular could hear what to expect in this year's bargaining and learn how CWA made gains in previous contract bargaining.
Bargaining gets underway in February for contracts expiring in early April covering workers in District 1, 4 6 and 9. Jobs and job security, health care and pensions top members' key bargaining goals.
In an indication of these hardball tactics, SBC mailed a letter to retirees in early January that said the company would shift premium costs that exceed the caps on medical coverage and would raise out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs beginning in 2005.
The company then followed up that letter with a second letter to retirees, this time asking for their help on regulatory and legislative issues, a move many regarded as pure "chutzpah."
"We want to reassure our retirees that we will do everything we possibly can to prevent them from sharing the cost of their health care premiums," said CWA President Morton Bahr. "This is an especially galling tactic at a time when SBC - thanks to our members' hard work - is enjoying positive financial success."
None of the other Bell companies has forced retirees to share in the cost of their health premiums. Even Verizon, which took a hard-nosed approach in 2003 bargaining, agreed to no premium cost-sharing for retirees during the term of the new five-year contract. In addition, Verizon agreed to raise the caps on retirees' coverage costs.
Vice Presidents Larry Mancino, District 1; Jeff Rechenbach, District 4; Andy Milburn, District 6, and Tony Bixler, District 9, called on members to show SBC their unity and determination to keep quality health care and to gain quality jobs throughout the company. "It's up to SBC. We can either lock horns or lock arms," declared local SBC leaders at District 9's meeting in San Francisco.
SBC's third-quarter financial reports beat the predictions of experts, as the company posted major gains in long distance and other telecom services, and predicted revenue growth to continue this year. In the highly competitive long distance market, SBC gained 2.7 million new customers in the fourth quarter alone and 378,000 new DSL customers.
CWA locals with SBC members have been working hard to "train the trainer," giving stewards, mobilizers and activists all the information they need about bargaining issues and SBC's financial outlook so they can rally their coworkers and answer questions. Locals are also hosting membership meetings, creating websites, publishing newsletters and sponsoring other activities to keep all members up-to-date and energized.
"Hopefully, we'll be bombarding them with information," said Local 4603 Executive Vice President Jim "Smokey" Courchane, whose local is holding garage meetings for outside technicians, plans a mobilization hotline and has put together a binder for stewards and mobilizers packed with materials.
Similar activities are happening throughout CWA's SBC territory. "Our people really seemed to 'get it,"' District 6 mobilization coordinator Daniel Fetonte said. "There's a fire building among our members. They see the need for discussions and one-on-one contact with every member."
More than 150 leaders and activists from Local 1298 in Connecticut attended a "holding the line" mobilization meeting. Members reviewed CWA's mobilization plans for SBC bargaining, as well as changes in the telecom industry, SBC's financial and corporate strategy and tactics to help achieve bargaining goals.
District 9 has set up three mobilization councils to coordinate events and provide training for local leaders and activists. At Local 9419's first mobilization meeting, members reviewed the union's bargaining history, so new members in particular could hear what to expect in this year's bargaining and learn how CWA made gains in previous contract bargaining.