Monthly Archives: January 2013

CWA Condemns Cablevision-Optimum for Illegally Firing 23 Workers

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Cablevision Rally January 16, 2012. Click the photo to view the photo gallery.

Unlawful action by company follows history of anti-worker activity, settlement of NLRB charges and refusal to offer workers a fair contract

Today, 23 Brooklyn Cablevision workers were illegally fired after attempting to discuss the lack of good-faith bargaining by the company with their management and expressing support for their bargaining committee – protected activities by federal law. The Communications Workers of America, which the workers voted to join a year ago, condemned the firings as an illegal and outrageous attack on  the company’s hard-working employees.  Last week, CWA had filed unfair labor practice charges alleging bad-faith bargaining by Cablevision-Optimum.

“Over the last year, Cablevision-Optimum has demonstrated it not only lacks respect for its Brooklyn employees who have chosen to stand up for their rights as workers, but also for federal labor laws and the entire borough of Brooklyn,” said Chris Shelton, Vice President of CWA District 1. “Cablevision has illegally failed to negotiate in good faith with its Brooklyn workers, illegally intimidated workers in other boroughs, and today brazenly violated federal law by firing workers for protected activity.  By singling out 23 leaders who were ready to work by terminating them, Cablevision is trying to take New York City back to the bad days when workers were openly exploited and mistreated by abusive corporations.”

Full Story: CWA Condems Cablevision-Optimum for firing workers

Verizon to sell 700 MHz B Block spectrum to AT&T for $1.9B

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January 25, 2013 | By Phil Goldstein

Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) agreed to sell a huge chunk of its Lower 700 MHz B Block spectrum to AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) for $1.9 billion. The deal, which essentially passes spectrum Verizon won at auction in 2008 to its largest competitor in exchange for money and other airwaves, is sure to raise the hackles of those in the industry who think Verizon and AT&T control too much spectrum already.

Under the deal, Verizon will sell 39 lower 700 MHz B Block licenses to AT&T in exchange for a payment of $1.9 billion and the transfer by AT&T to Verizon of 10 MHz AWS licenses in certain western markets, including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Fresno, Calif., and Portland, Ore.

The FCC and Department of Justice need to approve the deal. AT&T said it anticipates closing the deal sometime in the second half of 2013.

Read more: Verizon to sell 700 MHz B Block spectrum to AT&T for $1.9B

Source: FierceWireless

CWA-AT&T MOBILITY BARGAINING REPORT # 2

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UNITY AT MOBILITY

Jan 23, 2013

Bargaining resumed today with the Company and Union asking clarifying questions on the proposals that were passed yesterday.

The Company presented yet another retrogressive proposal on Pensions, and a proposal on Article 22-Vacation outlining a change from “entitled” vacation to “earned” vacation.

The Union proposed changes to improve Article 16-Safety and Article 18-Union Activities specific to establishing an electronic bulletin board using the company network.

The Union made it clear we were not interested in any of the retrogressive proposals presented by the Company. The Union reminded the Company that we, their employees, are looking for careers and not just jobs and that their proposals fall short in moving towards that concept.

These company proposals do not deserve to be taken seriously. You should understand that management often starts bargaining by wasting our time like this. Why, you ask? Because they want to see if we are going to stick together or not. They have their managers’ ears to the ground. They want to know if employees trust the bargaining team to use good judgment and represent the priorities determined in our bargaining survey, or will the employees begin to mistrust their union? This is the time that solidarity is most important. The majority of these retrogressive proposals will disappear when management knows we are brothers and sisters that will never turn on each other. When they hear the majority of their employees say every day that they know what is happening at negotiations and will take whatever action is needed to win a fair contract we will begin to see these retrogressive proposals replaced with reasonable proposals.

Tomorrow, when you see your supervisor, tell he/she that you expect the company to get serious in bargaining and take the retrogressive proposals off the table.

STAY INFORMED. BE PREPARED. EXPECT THE BEST.

UNITY AT MOBILITY.

MOBILIZE!
MOBILIZE!
MOBILIZE!

Can Your Facebook Updates Get You Fired?

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Sometimes. But you may have more protection than you think.

The National Labor Relations Board is standing up for workers’ right to freely discuss their jobs, bosses and workplaces online, as long as it is “concerted activity.” That means employees can tweet, post on Facebook, blog and use other social media to comment about conditions at work, without fear of retaliation or getting fired — as long as the posts are part of an online conversation between coworkers, or are intended to provoke a response from coworkers. What remains unprotected is an online personal rant that does not seek a response.

“Many view social media as the new water cooler,” Mark G. Pearce, the board’s chairman, noting that federal law has long protected the right of employees to discuss work-related matters, told The New York Times. “All we’re doing is applying traditional rules to a new technology.”

Thanks the NLRB’s rulings and advisories, CWA representatives have been able to resolve social media disputes and to negotiate much better policies that have been either codified in the collective bargaining agreement or established as a mutually agreed to employer policy.

Source: CWA

Contract Negotiations For AT&T Mobility Have Begun

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Our bargaining committee of AT&T Wireless employee

CWA-ATT Mobility Bargaining Report # 1

Jan 22, 2013

Bargaining began today in Denver in hopes to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement on or before the expiration date of February 9, 2013.

After the Company, the Union presented our opening statement. The Company proposed changes to Article 7-Grievance Procedure; and, Article 21-Absence and the Short Term Disability Plan. Included in their proposal on Article 21-Absence, was a total elimination of pay for sick time.

The Union presented proposals regarding Article 2-Recognition; the elimination of Article 6-Management Rights; Article 13-Work Assignments; and a new Letter of Agreement regarding Domestic Violence.

Bargaining has recessed for the day in order for both sides to review the proposals.

Bargaining resumes tomorrow, Wednesday, January 23, 2013, at 10am.

STAY INFORMED. BE PREPARED. EXPECT THE BEST

UNITY AT MOBILITY

MOBILIZE
MOBILIZE
MOBILIZE

AT&T Mobility Bargaining Kick-off: CWA Opening Statement

President Obama Delivers His Second Inaugural Address

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President Obama takes the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol and delivers his second Inaugural Address.

President Obama

“It is now our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began. For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts.

Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law—for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.

Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote.

Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity; until bright young students and engineers are enlisted in our workforce rather than expelled from our country.

Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm”.

Get the full text of President Obamas second Inaugural Address here.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last campaign

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Tennessee National Guard troopers in jeeps and trucks escort a protest march by striking Memphis sanitation workers through downtown Memphis Saturday afternoon March 30, 1968. (AP photo file)

By Ned Resnikoff

February 1, 1968. Echol Cole and Robert Walker, two black sanitation workers in Memphis, Tenn. were collecting garbage in the midst of a pounding Southern monsoon. As their crew chief ferried them from house to house, they took shelter from the downpour in the trash compactor of their truck, a decrepit city vehicle. At some point that afternoon, the compactor malfunctioned, and Cole and Walker were chewed up by its rusted machinery. The Memphis government paid Cole and Walker’s families a small bereavement fee—not even enough to cover the cost of the funerals.

The Memphis sanitation workers went on strike, demanding union recognition against impossible odds. And a month and a half later, Dr. King came to town. Read the full story here.

Who Doesn’t Have To Work On MLK Day?
By Dawn Rhodes, Jan. 16, 2012

About 3 in 10 non-federal employers will give all or most workers the holiday off.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed with a day off for government employees, but many other employers don’t necessarily follow suit.

According to a recent survey from the Bloomberg Bureau of National Affairs, about 3 in 10 non-federal employers will give all or most workers Monday off with pay.

That’s a slight gain from 30 percent in 2011 but significantly higher than in the first years after the holiday was created. Only 14 percent of surveyed businesses made MLK Day a paid day off in 1987. That figure reached 30 percent in 2004 and has hovered there since.

By contrast, about 96 percent of employers surveyed gave Thanksgiving Day as a paid holiday for workers in 2011.

President Ronald Reagan signed legislation to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday in 1983, and it was first observed in 1986.

“It’s the one holiday we have that reflects America’s best ideals of justice, equality, democracy and human rights,” Carson said. “It’s part of our national heritage now.”

Source: Read the full story here,  Chicago Tribune

About Verizon:

For union workers at Verizon MLK Day is a floating holiday. That means the day off may be taken on MLK day or another holiday of the employee’s choice (article 24 below). The floating holiday was negotiated for Verizon union workers by the Communication Workers of America (CWA) during contract negotiations. CWA 1101 Members did not have the day off until it was in their contract.

Verizon Contract Article 24: Lincoln’s Birthday – Employees shall have the option of observing either Martin Luther King Day or the day after Thanksgiving as a holiday instead of Lincoln’s Birthday. Employees shall indicate their choice when they select their vacation for that year.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
In honor of Dr. King’s achievements in bringing people together to address important community issues, thousands will gather on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to participate in community service projects. The slogan is: “A day ON, not a day OFF.” Find a community service project in New York City.

IBEW Local 827 Files Petition Against Verizon Layoff Plans

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Jan. 14, 2013, Newswire

The union representing 5,000 New Jersey workers in the telecommunications industry today filed a petition calling on the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to hold an expedited public hearing and issue a stay order on Verizon’s plan to lay off 201 Facilities Technicians and Outside Plant Technicians whose jobs are needed for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.

Bill Huber , President and Business Manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 827, noted that Verizon’s lay off, scheduled for February 9, 2013, would make it even harder for New Jersey consumers to count on having reliable telephone service.

“IBEW Local 827 is filing this petition for an expedited hearing before the Board of Public Utilities because we are the only ones looking out for the needs of New Jersey consumers,” said Huber. “Verizon is more interested in reducing labor costs than they are at providing reliable dial tone and data service to their customers and, as a result of this bad management decision, consumers are being neglected in favor of Verizon’s singular focus on quarterly reports for stockholders.”

Read the full story here, Newswire.

Verizon notifies the Union of a lay-off…

On Tuesday, January 8, Verizon Labor Relations in an e-mail notified the Union they would lay-off 201 Facilities Technicians and Outside Plant Technicians. The notification letter states we are in a 30 day window as per our collective bargaining agreement, under Article VII. The 30 day clock starts Wednesday January 9 through Wednesday February 9, 2013. The Union has requested bargaining dates to continue discussions. We are scheduled to meet next week.

We will be mailing a detailed letter into every Verizon member’s home explaining what has been going on since the layoff announcement in May of 2012. Some members are calling to find out if they are impacted. We do not have the list of names affected as of yet. During our discussions we will be posting updated information to keep you informed.

In unity,
William D. Huber
President/Business Manager

Source: IBEW Local 827

What Effect Will Buying Verizon Wireless Have On Verizon Communications?

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By John Mylant

Verizon Communications (VZ) may have been kicking around the idea of buying Verizon Wireless outright. With the fourth quarter earnings coming around, I would expect it to be a good quarter for Verizon and a purchase may (or may not) have a positive influence on the stock. Let’s explore why.

What would happen if Verizon Bought Out Vodafone?

Rumors have surfaced again (like they did in 2006) that Verizon is seriously exploring a buyout of Verizon Wireless from Vodafone (VOD). If this is true, it constitutes a 45% buyout that Vodafone has in Verizon Wireless. Part of the problem is that the value of the wireless company is well over $100 billion. With that type of purchase, what would be the consequences of this for Verizon investors?

Read the full story here.

Verizon CEO says no Verizon Wireless buyout talks with Vodafone
By Sinead Carew Reuters News

Wed, 9 Jan 2013

LAS VEGAS, Jan 9 (Reuters) – Verizon Communications is not in talks with Vodafone Group Plc about taking full ownership of their Verizon Wireless venture, despite market speculation this week that such a deal could happen, Verizon’s top executive said.

“There’s no discussions about it,” Verizon Chief Executive Lowell McAdam told Reuters late on Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Verizon, which owns 55 percent of the wireless venture, has long said that it would be interested in buying out Vodafone if the 45 percent owner would sell its stake.

Vodafone shares rose 2.6 percent on Tuesday and added almost 8 points to the FTSE 100 Index, the UK benchmark, after McAdam was quoted in a Dow Jones report saying that a deal could be feasible.

But McAdam said his comment did not mean that Verizon was any more likely now to be able to purchase Vodafone’s 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless than it was before.

“Its been feasible for 10 years,” McAdams said. “There’s nothing that’s changed.”