CWA Local 1103
CWA Local 1103
 

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Bargaining Update February 12
Feb 13, 2016
Friday, February 12, 2016. 

Likely you will be receiving an email soon, if you haven't already, from company bosses Marc Reed and Larry Marcus. They will ask you to keep an "open mind" and to look at things from their perspective. They will say that you are in a new, fast-paced industry and that what they are offering you at the bargaining table is really a fair and competitive package when compared to the marketplace. They'll tell you that for the life of them, they can't understand why the union is being so stubborn or why the union is willing to put its members at risk of a strike or lockout, especially when what is being offered is so very reasonable.  

From the very beginning, the gang of two have misled you and your family with half-truths and misinformation regarding the state of negotiations. Reed and Marcus have inundated you with corporate propaganda, consistently expressing the need for you to become more open and willing to change, so that the company could become more competitive in this ever changing, fast paced industry. In actuality, it is corporate mumbo jumbo sprinkled with greed. It is intended to persuade and condition you to accept major concessions and a deterioration of your benefits and working conditions, without resistance.  

But here's the real story.

There are no present day work rules or employee benefits which have prevented the company from being flexible or competitive enough to earn 1.7 billion dollars a month in profit. The union has signaled to them all along that if there were real issues, or opportunities for the company to save money without hurting our members, we would be open and willing to address those items, despite their record profits. The union identified and made significant movement in earlier proposals which would save the company over 200 million dollars. So far, they aren't interested, because as they say, it's not enough.  

Since day one, Marc Reed and Larry Marcus have been more concerned with getting to impasse than getting to a fair contract. All along they have been engaged in zero sum bargaining. They win. You lose.  

Since day one, the company has refused to address one major concern or issue raised by the union. NOT ONE! 

On February 4th, the company modified their latest comprehensive proposal package, and along with some minor backtracking off of a few of their most outrageous demands, they offered to withdraw their demand to eliminate job security. HOWEVER--and this is a huge caveat--they made that single issue, of eliminating the job security demand, contingent on the union accepting the following harmful conditions, while still leaving all of the other, unsettled company demands open and on the table.

In exchange for job security, the company demanded that the union agree to:

1) Allow over a hundred members to be permanently transferred to new reporting points. In many cases, these members would be permanently transferred to reporting points that are over 75 additional commuting miles. In other cases, members would be required to report to points that are over 100 additional commuting miles.  

2) Allow temporary transfers (including involuntary forced transfers) to assignments in another state of up to 120 days at any time during a calendar year. Meaning that ANYONE, regardless of title, could be transferred for up to 120 days a year to assignments, anywhere, to and from New England, New York, New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic States. Of course, if there is an emergency or another out of state assignment then the 120 day limit would not apply. In those cases anyone could be transferred for more than 120 days a year away from home. There would be no restrictions on double transfers either. For example, if employees were temporarily transferred to NYC from New Jersey, employees from NYC could still be temporarily transferred out of NYC to anywhere, including even New Jersey. Also, there would be no restrictions or regard to Saturday assignment and Nday percentages. For example, employees could be temporarily transferred to Virginia or vice versa, and those "home' employees could be assigned Saturdays while those visiting could be working overtime.

3) Allow the company to declare a surplus condition under the Force Adjustment Plan in a title and organization within an Article 8 Unit Area. Meaning they want to have the ability to declare a surplus by title within our Local (which they have now twice a year) but only offer it to you if you happen to work in the right organization. (Plant) Allow the company to declare a surplus condition by job title and ITA. (CWA 1302) Allow the company to declare a surplus condition in a job title organizational unit within ITA. (CWA 1400) Allow the company to declare a surplus condition in an occupational classification and ITA. (CWA 1395)

4) Allow a Special Enhanced Income Protection Plan Offer conditioned on an employee's execution of a release of all claims against the company at the time of the signing. These claims could arise out of federal, state, or local laws relating to employment or separation from employment. This would include releasing the company from any and all claims related to the Civil Rights Act, ERISA, Equal Pay Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, FMLA, and others which may be amended from time to time. Additionally, the company's idea of a Special Enhanced Income Protection Plan Offer differs dramatically from the union's idea. Their design isn't generous enough. It makes no enhancements to pension band improvements, and it provides no protection or relief from layoffs, contracting, or transfers.  

The two sides remain far apart. Despite $20 billion in profits over the last 18 months, and a quarter of a billion in compensation to its top executives over the last five years, this greedy corporation is still insisting on destroying our job security, forcing us to pay thousands of dollars more for our health care, and slashing our retirement security. The company is not interested in real bargaining. They're interested in gamesmanship at your expense. It's a disgrace.

Please utilize your benefits and make any doctor, dental or vision appointments that are necessary. Your chief stewards, stewards and picket captains will be assigning picket duty responsibilities this coming week.

 
In unity, 
Kevin Sheil
President 
CWA Local 1103 
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CWA Local 1103
345 Westchester Ave
Port Chester, NY 10573
  914-939-8200

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