IBEW LOCAL 2325
IBEW LOCAL 2325
 

×
Register an Account
Forgot Login?
Bargaining Update #1
Apr 23, 2015

BARGAINING UPDATE   #1                                                           

 April 23, 2015

Today marks 100 days till the expiration of our current Collective Bargaining Agreement. That date is midnight August 1st. This is your first Bargaining Update with many more to follow. This is the first update because I want to address the membership on the tone that the Company is already taking. In 2011, Local 2325 and the System Council T6 spent 15 months at the table with Verizon. At that time the Company was attempting to erode every benefit and every article in our agreement. The attack was on healthcare, pensions, sick time, wages and disability to name a few. We opened bargaining in June of 2011 with the first Comprehensive proposal from Verizon looking to diminish everything we have ever fought for. There wasn’t a page in the Memorandum that did not have language crossed out. That very first day at the table set the tone for the next 15 months.

Now we prepare for 2015. I have been speaking to this membership through tapes, emails, texts and unit meetings trying to emphasize the importance of preparing. Although we do not know exactly what is ahead for us, the last round of bargaining is a good template for what’s in store. The Company is beginning to make statements about this next round of bargaining and have set the tone as the same in 2011. This past week Verizon conducted a shareholders call that included a question and answer segment. One of the questions submitted and answered were about negotiations in the Northeast. This question was posed to Chairman McAdam and he so elegantly turned over the question to Marc Reed who is the Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Verizon. The Question was “Has negotiations with the Union in the Northeast started and what are the main requests?”  Mr. Reed’s answer was this (taken from the transcript):

A.) “Negotiations have not begun. Our contracts with the Northeast covering about 38,000 of our associates will expire on August 1st. And negotiations will begin approximately on June 22. So probably 6 or so weeks before the contract , ahh, will expire.

With that said, I would probably give you this type of advice. If we look at the historical timeline that it’s taken to reach new agreements, our last one took over a year and that was with a 2 week strike. AT&T is now in their 2nd week of working without a contract. Their contracts expired almost 2 weeks ago Saturday. 

With that said, I think this is going to be a, you know, long drawn out process.  The process has to occur.  Obviously the, uh, union’s gonna have, uh,
demands to improve things. We’re gonna have demands, if you will, to change work rules and some of the other things but again those things should be left at the bargaining table.

So All I can tell yas, is that, uh, we’re geared up. Ready to negotiate. We hope we can achieve a new agreement before the expiration.  If not, you know, obviously we can work without a contract. We did this for over a year last time.

But again one of the, you know ahh, the levers that the union does have is if they want to take their employees out on strike, they could do it.  I would say if that happens, I would probably assume it’s going to be a long strike until an agreement is reached. But again we’ll cross that bridge when it comes. 

But one of the things, I know a lot of you that are listening to today’s webcast from a management perspective are aware of is that we have been training people in the event that we do have a work stoppage.  So we will be prepared.  Ahh, we hope it doesn’t happen.  But uh again, June 22 is when we start. 

I wouldn’t get too concerned about an August 1st date cuz again as history has shown these things usually take longer than the contract period to get it done as evidenced most recently by ATT but, you know hopefully we can reach a satisfactory agreement on both sides.  Uh, But uh, again the process will continue and will start on June 22nd.  Thank You.”

If this answer surprises you then you have not been paying attention. This Company has become more corporate day after day. They are always looking to save a buck and will continue to try and do it at our expense. The remainder of the financial call spoke to the increased earnings in the wireline business. FIOS is turning a profit and this Company is in a better state financially then they were in 2011. These profits have come from the hard work of the men and women of the IBEW and CWA.

This Bargaining Update was not meant to scare or intimidate you. It was meant to make you aware that we will once again be engaged in a difficult battle. This membership needs to be ready. We need to prepare to defend our benefits and our contract. This will take sacrifice and effort from EVERY member of this Local. Do not assume the person next to you will take care of it. You will need to be involved.

We will begin informational picketing in the next few weeks. All members should be wearing Red on Thursdays and Black on Fridays. Begin meeting early at work locations and enter as a group. These are small gestures that show signs of solidarity. This Company must know that we are United. We have been here before and we have always succeeded. It’s time AGAIN….”ARE YOU READY??”

Fraternally,

David Keating

Business Manager


Paused
Veterans Day
UAWFeen
New Members
JOEUAW
50Proof
Group
KeithFrank
FrankAPalooza
feedfamily
feedfamily
feedfamily
B&M BM
mnastvpicket3

Action Center


Check registration, Register to vote, Request Mail in ballot

-
IBEW local 2325
367 Burncoat St
Worcester, MA 01606
 

Top of Page image
Powered By UnionActive - Copyright © 2024. All Rights Reserved.