President’s Report: March 21, 2018

Frontier Updates:

Membership Counts by title as of 12/31/17

Resignation

Retirement

Voluntary Severance:

LTD Absences

Frontier 2nd Step Grievance Meetings:

February 27, 2018

Meeting to be rescheduled due to scheduling of National Labor Relations Board Trial on M6 information charge.

March 6, 2018

Grievance committee in attendance for Union; John Pusloskie, Andy Cimino,

Rich Winter, Mike Sutphen, Bruce Cotton, Joe Cicero, and Rich Sarkis

Grievance 2-2586-18 – The Company improperly transferred Bruno Santoleri, Tom Ruhland, and Scott Berkemeier in Violation of CBA.  

The Union requested that Bruno and Tom be made whole for the differentials that they lost.  The Company agreed to transfer them back as of March 8th, but not the make whole remedy.  The Union is further reviewing the case.

Grievance 5-323-18 – On December 26th, 2017 the Company issued the first quarter schedule, which included Saturday and Sunday being reinstated and did not follow Article 13, Section 2B.  Section 2B states the schedule will not be posted less than 7 days prior to the first day of each calendar quarter. The Company tried to blame delay on the clerk for not getting it out on that Saturday when they were called in to work overtime.  The Company agreed notifying the Union isn’t notifying the technicians. The Company denied the grievance and claimed that there was no violation.

Grievance 5-324-18 – On December 26, 2017 the Company implemented the Tuesday to Saturday schedule in violation of Article 13, Section 2(F).  The Company failed to discuss this change with Union prior to implementation and discuss the affects. The Company took the position that this was a directive from Chris Levandos to schedule 30% of technicians on Saturday schedule.  The Company agreed to the following. They will add the 4 splicers transferred in on the next schedule. Those on disability will not be bypassed in rotation, the Union asked to look at the disparity in percentages from Suburban to Metro, the Company agreed to take a look at it.  The Union asked to have the schedule reviewed every 3 months and provide order information that justifies Saturday schedule.

Grievance 5-325-18 – Paul Dibble was bypassed for overtime on January 2, 2018.  The Company settled the grievance by offering Paul a 4-hour overtime makeup within the next month.

Grievance 7-1479-18 – The Union claims the Company has violated the contract by unilaterally changing the Long-term disability benefit.  The Company is claiming that the maximum monthly benefit is $3000.00. The contract states that the Long-term disability replacement earnings is 50% up to a yearly maximum of $50,000.00. The Company has denied the Unions grievance.

Grievance 7- 1480-18 – The Company unfairly closed a sales lead that Anthony NaDell submitted in regards to Monroe County 911.  The Company has agreed to reopen the lead and pay Tony $50 for the lead.

Arbitration Update Frontier:

• Transfer of bargaining unit work due to M6 Conversion.
• The Arbitration had been scheduled for February 15th and 16th and has been postponed pending the Trial and information request that is out there.  The CWA attorney is requesting dates from the Company
• The National Labor Relations board has issued a complaint in regards to the Unfair Labor charge.  The Company has agreed to provide the information to settle the charge. The Union reserves the right to go back to the board to settle the matter.
• Grievance 7-1476-17 Unjust termination James Everts request arbitration 2/2/18.
• Grievance 7-1477-17 Unjust termination Peter Loss request arbitration 2/2/18.

Take the Lead Sales Monthly Reports

February 1st thru February 28th

A copy has been included in this package.

Managerial Changes

Jason Cox. Frontline supervisor in repair answer CCSC

Commercial NOC Center:

Monthly Collaboration Meeting March 13th, 2018

Cancelled by the Company, February 13th update below

Agenda:

• Training updates:
  • MEF- December class completed
    • 12 attended- 6 passed exam
  • Ciena
    • Classes have started, projected completion end of February
• Premier Update
  • Discussed new accounts completed and accounts on deck as well as training refreshers
• CWA Floor Meetings
  • February 6th Andy Cimino addressed each shift as far as expectations to be on time and holding each other accountable.
• CPE
  • No new updates
• Repair Answer
  • January month end results, answered 20,869 calls and added one person to the midnight to 8am shift.
  • Escalation team
    • New members added to team, will be in place for 6 months
  • New supervisor Jason Cox.
  • Training will begin at the end of February as part of natural disaster in case Avaya Systems go down as back up for after hour dispatch.
• CWA/Union items
  • Netcool alarms for US Cellular going to W. Virginia
  • Status of the SLA work to Rochester
  • VX Field Status

Frontier Updates:

• The Company on February 20th transferred 3 Desk techs to Network Switch for 60 days to backfill for disabilities.  Tom Ruhland, Bruno Santoleri, and Scott Berkemeier were transferred back on March 9th.
• The Annual Bonus was paid out on March 12th.  For the 10th year in a row we received the minimum payout (4.5%), as the targets were not met.
• On February 28th Union reps, John Pusloskie, Andy Cimino, Sue Phillips, Bruce Cotton, Steve Spector, Mike Sutphen, and Bryan Renehan met with Company officials Bill Carpenter, Tracy Owen and Steve DaMinico in regards to call out administration.

The Company provided a power point presentation on how call outs are administered in Varynet system.  The Company system is designed around opportunities and not alphabetical order. The issue being employees on multiple call out list, screw up the Company’s program.  When call outs were done in Sherburne they were done on paper list. The Company system is in Conflict with our CBA. We have a proposal with our Attorney getting ready to submit to the Company.

• The Company resolved the Supplemental pension contributions as part of the contractual obligations for the force reduction.  Employees received either $5,000 or $10,000 based on their years of service
• The following issues have been grieved and are waiting to be heard at 1st and 2nd step
  • Sam Watkins denied an emergency vacation day.
  • Unjust layoff of Darren Magar
  • Tim Gross issued an unjust verbal warning.
  • Charlie Rudat issued an unjust verbal warning.
  • James Wojtarowicz an unjust written warning.
  • Demiah Smith issued an unjust Verbal warning.
  • The Company is in violation of the Contract by not dispatching on all HSI orders.
• The National reached a conditional settlement on the Unfair Labor charge on the M6 lack of information.  The Company agreed to give us the wage information. To date we haven’t received it.
• The annual contribution to the CWA retirement plan for Military members has been reviewed and amounts are to be contributed by Company.
• Frontier on February 27th earnings call announced suspension of dividend.  Other Comments by CEO and Sr. executives are as follows.
  • 2017 4th qtr. Purchased near term securities
  • Well positioned to address debt maturities
  • 4th quarter broadband trends not improved
  • Commercial business roughly stable
  • Consumer business stabilization on the horizon
  • Legacy operations plan to make new offers on products

• Tracy Owen has sent email requesting that Union meet to address Team performance bonus and metrics.  The Company is requesting to change two of the metrics.

Safety Committee

No report

Affiliate Report:

AT&T Mobility:

A nationwide investigation is going on in regards to charge backs.  No one disciplined yet.

ATT-217-18 Grace Figueroa received an unjust final warning for a COBC violation.

ATT-218-18 Darren Magar was issued an unjust counseling notice.

ATT-219-18 The Company unjustly terminated Patti Ross’s health insurance benefits.

City of Canandaigua PBA:

Grievance CP-174-18, unilateral change to shifts was settled with the Chief. The Chief has agreed to schedule within the shifts of the contract and will not change without agreement of the PBA in the future.

Town of Greece:

Gold Badge Club:

Nothing new to report

Greece Part Time Unit:

A fact-finding hearing was scheduled for December and cancelled with the hopes of scheduling a bargaining meeting to reach agreement. The unit President is dealing with the loss of her husband and no further meetings have been scheduled at this time.

Town of Greece Crossing Guards:

Sharon DeLucia termination: Brief has been filed by Union attorney to State supreme court and the Union will await a hearing date for the case.

Bargaining: The parties are at impasse and no further date has been scheduled.

City of Canandaigua DPW:

Nothing new to report

Town of Canandaigua Employees Highway Association:

Nothing new to report

Town of Henrietta:

January 18th a meeting was called for the purpose of explaining the Dente Max program that is now available to all employees through Health Economics.

Grievance H00-550-17 filed on employees being bypassed for promotions. The Union is working to resolve the grievance with new Town Supervisor.

On March 5th a letter was sent to the Town Supervisor requesting to meet over the October 4th, 2017 settlement, MOA on new hires which was settlement to Grievance H00-549-17.  The following conditions remain unsettled.

• Second Shift Dispatcher Job description
• New hire in place 2nd shift
• Joe LaRocca movement to field crew
• Joe LaRocca bypassed for approximately 125 hours of overtime

Village of Waterloo PBA:

• A tentative agreement has been reached as of February 20th. The agreement is retroactive back to June 1st 2017 expiring May 31st, 20121. The agreement provides for the following.
• Wages: June 1, 2017 – $.80 per hour, June 1, 2018 – $.70per hour, June 1, 2019-$.75 per hour, June 1, 2020 – $.80 per hour.
• Vacation: increase of two days after 20 years.
• Health insurance: Increase employee contributions to the following amounts.
  • 2017- 15%, 2018 – 17%, 2019 – 19%, 2020- 20%

Town of Gates:

March 1st met with the full time Librarians to discuss Union Officers, Stewards, next contract as well as Janus Supreme Court case impacting public sector Unions.

Political Action Committee:

March 2013 is CWA Lobby day. See Demiah Smith report

Other:

Union filed 990 with IRS for 2017 available for review upon request.

February 24th:  John Pusloskie, Sue Phillips, Rich Winter, Perrin Herman, and Greg Russell attended the Workers Rally in Buffalo, NY.

March 3rd:  The Rochester Labor Council sponsored a symposium on the Janus supreme court hearing and its impact on public sector Unions.

Frontier member Kevin Gilmore, working with NILCO to address loss of limb and benefits.

March 1, 2018 met with Bylaw Committee to review Local bylaws.  Last update was in 2008.

March 8th, 2018 Retirees Tom Tartaglia, and Jeff Leshner handed out informational letters at the Rochester Community Airport to support the Envoy workers negotiating for a first contract.