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UNI Telecom Conference Aims To Rebuild Industry
Telecommunications unions from around the globe emerged from the first Union Network International World Conference in Zagreb, Croatia, with a three-point program to restore the industry to long-term health.
"We have to stop playing defense. We want to be on the attack," said CWA Executive Vice President and UNI Telecom President Larry Cohen, encouraging 300 delegates from 75 unions in 48 countries, June 26 and 27, to seek new strategies and new areas in which to organize.
UNI's action program will press for:
*** Universal services, including broadband Internet access;
*** The creation of quality services and quality jobs, and
*** Full transparency among telecom companies to avoid the corruption and scandals of recent years.
"We stand for building universal services based on policies that encourage investment," Cohen told delegates. "Universal services are our first priority." He said part of the reason for "melt down" in the industry has been that companies have emphasized competition rather than investment for the long-term.
The conference focused on improving communication between unions, building solidarity and creating new global alliances dealing with multinationals.
UNI is planning a month-long organizing campaign by unions around the world, aimed at young people working in call centers, Cohen said.
CWA is also lobbying state legislators, beginning in New Jersey, for laws to ensure that call center staff identify whom they work for -- and where. Failure to do so could result in fines, Ralph Maly, CWA vice president for Communications and Technologies told conference participants. Noting that AT&T has shifted thousands of call center jobs to India, Maly pointed out that customer satisfaction is 40 percent better in the company's own call centers, with turnover as low as 6 percent annually, while outsourced centers have turnover as high as 200 percent.
Also addressing the conference was CWA District 4 Vice President Jeff Rechenbach, who explained how District 4 activists turned out for Verizon's shareholder meeting in April and built strong shareholder support for limiting executive compensation. "We're always looking at ways to leverage our employers," he said.
"We have to stop playing defense. We want to be on the attack," said CWA Executive Vice President and UNI Telecom President Larry Cohen, encouraging 300 delegates from 75 unions in 48 countries, June 26 and 27, to seek new strategies and new areas in which to organize.
UNI's action program will press for:
*** Universal services, including broadband Internet access;
*** The creation of quality services and quality jobs, and
*** Full transparency among telecom companies to avoid the corruption and scandals of recent years.
"We stand for building universal services based on policies that encourage investment," Cohen told delegates. "Universal services are our first priority." He said part of the reason for "melt down" in the industry has been that companies have emphasized competition rather than investment for the long-term.
The conference focused on improving communication between unions, building solidarity and creating new global alliances dealing with multinationals.
UNI is planning a month-long organizing campaign by unions around the world, aimed at young people working in call centers, Cohen said.
CWA is also lobbying state legislators, beginning in New Jersey, for laws to ensure that call center staff identify whom they work for -- and where. Failure to do so could result in fines, Ralph Maly, CWA vice president for Communications and Technologies told conference participants. Noting that AT&T has shifted thousands of call center jobs to India, Maly pointed out that customer satisfaction is 40 percent better in the company's own call centers, with turnover as low as 6 percent annually, while outsourced centers have turnover as high as 200 percent.
Also addressing the conference was CWA District 4 Vice President Jeff Rechenbach, who explained how District 4 activists turned out for Verizon's shareholder meeting in April and built strong shareholder support for limiting executive compensation. "We're always looking at ways to leverage our employers," he said.