Regional Bargaining Report # 5

June 29, 2015

IBEW T-6, CWA District1

The IBEW System Council T-6 along with CWA District 1 met with the Verizon today in Rye New York where the Company made a presentation on Excise tax, which is a potential tax on health care plans related to the Affordable Care Act.  

Last week, in the Company’s propaganda they boasted about offering a wage increase to 38,000 workers.  As usual, when dealing with this greedy corporation the devil is in the details.  

Here are some of the other things that Verizon has proposed: 

JOB SECURITY- Remove the protections against layoffs and forced transfer.

NO COLA

CORPORATE PROFIT SHARING at risk if not settled by certain date. Eliminate the minimum payout. 

DIFFERENTIALS AND PREMIUM PAY -Eliminate Saturday and Sunday Differentials and premium pay.  Tour differentials only paid for time worked between 9pm and 6 am. Eliminate all but 10% differential. 

SUNDAY TOURS- Include Sunday as part of basic work week.  

OVERTIME – only paid after 40 hours worked. No payment of more than one and half time

(1 ½ X). Eliminate caps on Overtime. 

TECH CHANGE NOTICE- reduce notice given to the Union of any major technological change 

BENEFITS- the Company proposes major reductions in medical benefits including higher deductibles, co-pays, premiums and co-insurance.  The Company also proposed to remove the Unions ability to negotiate retiree health care benefits. Eliminate Class II/Sponsored Child coverage. 

PENSIONS- Eliminate the lump sum pension.  In addition, employees would have to choose between a pension which would be frozen and an enhanced 401K. If you choose Pension – No 401K match.  If you choose 401K enhanced (100%)-Your Pension freezes.

401K Plan changes- begin charging a quarterly administration and a $50 fee for processing new loans. 

DISABILITY BENEFITS- Eliminate Accident Disability Plan. Establish a rolling 5 years period for 100% payment on Sickness Disability. Once 100% is used – members are paid 50% (currently full pay benefits recycle after being back at work for 13 weeks) 

CALL SHARING- give the Company additional leeway to route calls out of our bargaining units and to contractors while giving contractors the handling of all new products and services. 

TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENTS– Ability to transfer employees to any state in Verizon footprint. 

TUITION ASSISTANCE- Expanding the list of “Excluded” studies 

WORK FAMILY- Reduce funding. Added limitations if not agreed to by a certain date. 

FAMILY CARE LEAVE- eliminate 

EXCISE TAX- Company wants ability to change medical plans, health care spending account or premiums to avoid excise tax without negotiating with the Union. 

PRE TEST TRAINING - Eliminate 

INCOME PROTECTION PLAN - Would require employees to sign a Disclaimer to receive an IPP.

This is not a Company facing a financial crisis. They are extremely profitable. This is not a Company coming to its union employees seeking ways to work together to face the challenges of the future. Their proposals seek to destroy our future.

We need to send a very clear message that this is not acceptable, that we will not be passive as they seek to gut our contract.

MOBILIZE!!!