Tape Release 2-13-17

Tape Release Monday February 13, 2017

The CWA National Union announced on February 9th that they had reached a tentative agreement with Momentum, a chemicals company based out of Waterford, NY.  The 700 CWA represented workers had been on strike for 100 days.  While the details haven’t been announced, it seems like the workers have held on and protected their benefits and jobs.  As a Local we provided financial support to the striking families.  CWA continues to stand up to Corporate Greed such as the hedge fund managers who owned this Company with personal wealth in the Billions and continue to attack workers to lower their wages, benefits and retiree benefits.  This is another win for CWA workers.

For 65 of our Brothers and Sisters who work at AT&T Mobility, their contract expired at midnight Saturday, February 11th.  The Union and the Company have agreed to extend the current contract with the agreement that the Union will provide 72 hours notice of its intent to strike.  In all, 20,000 CWA Members are covered by this contract.  Please stay informed for possible mobilization activities as they fight to keep their benefits and pay with a Company that makes over a Billion dollars per month.

This week the Local submitted the Grievance on behalf of the bargaining unit to arbitration concerning the violations due to the M6 conversion.  We also submitted a grievance concerning the improper individual payout concerning the 2016 Take the Lead Bonus.  We have an MOA, which entitles employees who had sales that created multi-year revenue to additional bonuses.  The Union believes not everyone was paid correctly.

I also want to thank all the members who showed up for the membership meeting on Wednesday.

Finally, I’m saddened o announce the passing of retiree Boris Belik.  Boris retired in 2006 as a telecom specialist with 45 years of service.  He was a character in the work place, seen frequently chewing on an unlit cigar and with a heavy foreign accent.  On behalf of the Union, I want to express our condolences to Boris’s family and friends.  He was 74 years old.  There will be no prior calling hours, a mass will be held this Saturday, February 18th at the Rush United Methodist Church.

This is your President John Pusloskie, thanking you for calling your Union Tape, the place where we’re Union and Proud of it.