Safety is Number One!

Lobby at 140 West Street, NYC. (Photographer unknown)

The entire downstate area has been devastated due to Hurricane Sandy! With all the floods, power outages and fires, the Executive Board hopes you and your families have made it through the storm safely.

For those that were able to make it to work, be careful, do not put yourselves in harms way due to the dangerous situations left in the aftermath of the hurricane. We have extreme flooding and power outages throughout our Local 1101 footprint, so remember there is no job so urgent, no service so important that we cannot take the time to perform our job safely.

The Manhattan Local is closed because of a power outage, if you have any questions call the Bronx Local at 718-823-7330, as I receive more information I will get it out to you. Be careful and have a safe day.

Source: Local 1101

The Most Important Job We Must Do Is Make It Home To Our Families Every Night

I hope this email finds everyone and their families safe. Hurricane Sandy has brought devastation to the Northeast like we have never seen before. Some of our members have been hit especially hard. We have members who live in Breezy Point and Rockaway Beach, which has been totally devastated. Staten Island members and anyone who lives along the water in Brooklyn are also dealing with massive damages. We send out our prayers to everyone who has been affected by this disaster.

It will take many weeks and months to recover from this storm. With trees down, homes damaged, and basic services not working the public will be depending on the work of dedicated CWA members. We are communicating with the management at all the companies we represent to figure out their strategy going forward. With mass transit paralyzed for the foreseeable future it is imperative that the companies come up with contingency plans for their employees.

Over the next couple of weeks our members will be asked to do everything in their power to get customers up and running again. We are sure that all of you will be working extended days and hours. It is important that all our members follow safety procedures and be aware of your surroundings. With so many contractors coming into New York to help get the power running, there will be many different people working on poles and utilities. It is important to follow all electrical safety practices. The most important job we must do, is make it home to our families every night.

As we get more information we will make it available to our members as fast as possible.

In Solidarity,

The Executive Board of CWA Local 1109

Hurricane Sandy

Update Monday @ 5:30 pm: The field technicians in my group were told that they could head home around noon today. We will be expected to report to work again tomorrow on 10-30-12, if possible. The technicians that could not report to work were given three choices for their time; it was recommended that they choose in this order.

  1. Take a EWD Day.
  2. Take a Vacation Day.
  3. Take a Day Without Pay.

Our manager sent emails to all of the technicians in his unit on Sunday. I expect that we’ll be notified later tonight if anything changes regarding reporting to work tomorrow. If your 1st level manager does not contact you make sure you get in touch with them to discuss your work reporting options.

Check the news reports before you to head out to work and make sure you will be able to get to work and home again safely. Currently most of the tunnels and bridges are closed going in and out of the city and public transportation is not an option.

Update Sunday: My manager said that field technicians are considered essential employees. We are expected to report to work on Monday 10-29-2012. That includes field technicians that work at 140 West Street. Call your 1st level manager for reporting details.
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Local 1101

As we all know, the Governors in the tri-state area have declared a state of emergency, and the Mayor of New York City has issued mandatory evacuations for anyone in Zone A.

The MTA has been shut down until Hurricane Sandy has moved on but still Verizon has no plans for the safety of their employees; once again we are dealing with a wait and see attitude!

Right now the only building that will be closed tomorrow is 140 West Street, except for essential employees, so every member who works for Verizon should call their first level manager to find out if their location is open or should they report to another work location. If you are having trouble getting to work keep calling your manager so they know your status and they know you are still trying to get to your work location.

According to the experts the worst storm to hit New York City is here, be careful and stay safe as we prepare for the worst but hope for the best.

Ratification Bonus, General Wage Increase for East Associates

Eligible East associates represented by the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, are eligible to receive an $800 ratification bonus and a general wage increase (GWI) with an effective date of Oct. 21, 2012.

The agreements provide for an increase of 2.25 percent in the basic weekly wage rate which will be applied to all steps on the wage schedules.

Key Dates:

  • Oct. 21 – Effective date of the GWI.
  • Nov. 1 – Ratification Bonus and GWI reflected in paychecks for eligible New York and New England associates.

Premiums for Verizon Medical Coverage – Open Enrollment

Opting out of coverage or changing your family coverage level must be done by October 26.

Premium payments for Verizon medical coverage become effective November 1, 2102. Monthly contributions will be deducted by the Company beginning with the paycheck on November 8, 2012.

Any member who wants to opt out of coverage or convert from Employee Plus Family to Employee Only coverage for the months of November and December, 2012, must call the Verizon Benefits Center at 877-489-2367 by Friday, October 26.

Additional information for 2013 coverage will be provided prior to open enrollment, which will be November 7-21, 2012.

Verizon Benefits Website

Elections and Union Hall Call October 18, 2012

Elections are about choices. In 2012, the choice is clear for American Workers.

Do we want more tax breaks for the wealthy? Do we want to gut the Medicare and Social Security safety net for millions of Americans? Or do we want an economic recovery in which we participate? This site presents the facts about the presidential candidates and candidates in other key races. www.cwavotes.org

The Choice for the Middle Class

Presidential Candidates on the Issues

Pennsylvania Candidates on the Issues

Union Hall Call October 18, 2012

Learn about the issues at stake in the 2012 elections. Download The Audio File

Verizon Contract Ratified

Washington, D.C. — Members of the Communications Workers of America at Verizon Communications ratified a four-year agreement covering about 35,000 CWA represented workers from Virginia to New England. Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers also voted to ratify a four-year agreement. IBEW represents about 10,000 Verizon workers.

Contract highlights include an 8.2 percent compounded wage increase over the next three years, and additional cash payments.  Also on ratification, CWA members who were fired by Verizon during the August 2011 strike will return to work.

Representing members in New York, New Jersey and New England, CWA District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton said: “This contract ensures that every one of our members will see an improvement in their standard of living. It was a tough fight, and we turned back efforts by the company to gut our contracts. Now, we’ll keep up the fight to expand good jobs for Verizon workers.”

CWA District 2-13 Vice President Ed Mooney, who represents Verizon workers in the mid-Atlantic states, said: “The unity and determination of CWA and the IBEW over 16 months of bargaining, and the support of our allies, made this contract possible.  Our goal now is to make certain that CWA members continue to be a key part of this company’s future.”

The contract had expired in August 2011. A two-week strike, an active member mobilization and support campaign by progressive allies, and final intensive negotiations under the auspices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service brought about this settlement. The new contract expires August 2015.

Source: CWA District 1

Letter From Keith Purce

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

The vote results for the Verizon contract ratification vote are in. The contract was rejected in 1101.  The contract passed overall across the Maine to Virginia footprint. This means the contract is ratified and goes into effect Sunday, October 21st.  CWA has requested that Locals do not publicly publish their numbers.  

We had a record participation rate of 70% in 1101.  That’s the highest turnout rate in 1101 for a Verizon contract ratification vote in years.  However you voted, I want to thank you for participating and making your voice heard.

The Verizon Wireless contract (covering 70 members in Local 1101) had a participation rate of 75% and was passed overwhelmingly.

We made this ratification process as visible, transparent and democratic as possible. We held two contract interpretation meetings and visited worksites throughout Local 1101.  We gave our reasons why as active CWA members still employed at Verizon, your Executive Board was voting no. The majority of members agreed with us, but not everyone. We worked hard to create a respectful environment for dialogue, debate and disagreement.  We made all the information available and encouraged every member to make his or her own decision. We did the voting with a mail ballot through the American Arbitration Association to make sure every member had the opportunity to vote.  The result?  1101 members voted in record numbers and showed Verizon how much we care about our future and our union.

Just as importantly, I want to thank you for your efforts this past year and a quarter.  It has been a rough road, filled with a lot of up and downs and uncertainty.  It was not easy to sustain mobilization efforts over such a long period of time, but I’m proud of the determination and perseverance 1101 members showed.  Local 1101 stood strong and our position was clear – “ready to strike and never surrender”.  The company came in with a plan to gut our contract, and it was members’ mobilization efforts for more than a year that caused the company to back off many of their harshest demands.

We have a contract until August 1, 2015, but the worst thing we could do now would be to become complacent.  We all know what tough challenges we are facing at Verizon. We will continue to stand together as proud CWA members fighting for our future. 

If you have any questions please call the Local at 212-633-2666 (Manhattan) or 718-823-7330 (Bronx).

In solidarity,

Keith Purce

President

CWAERS Take Action on Call Center Jobs

“There are more than 5 million customer service workers in the United States, employing more than 4 percent of the American workforce,” said Chief of Staff Ron Collins. “The more CWA can grow and organize this key sector, the better we can reduce workplace stress, negotiate better working conditions for our members and, most importantly, challenge offshoring. Too many companies have shipped jobs overseas to low-wage countries, devastating the domestic call center industry. But bringing these good jobs back home will help jumpstart our economy — building stronger communities, quality jobs and enhanced security for consumers’ personal information. That’s why we’re telling Congress to pass the U.S. Call Center Worker and Consumer Protection Act.”

CWA News – Read the full story.

Verizon Unions Due to Vote on Contract Friday

On Strike - Last August in NYC.

By Linda Sadlouskos, Patch

Verizon Unions Due For Friday Vote on Contract; New contract to replace agreement that expired August 2011 would take effect if unions vote to ratify.

The tentative contract agreement reached last month by negotiators for Verizon Communications and wireline and communications unions for Verizon employees is due for a final vote by union employees this Friday.

“All the unions involved with bargaining must complete voting by this Friday,” said Bill Huber, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 827 in New Jersey. Huber said he plans to notify the company of the New Jersey IBEW local’s results by early afternoon. “If the membership ratifies, then we have a new agreement”. If the contract offer is rejected, Huber said on Wednesday, “we need to make a decision. That will take place after we see the results.” IBEW local 827’s website.

Read the full story.

Update on Contract Ratification Vote – Local 1101