CWA/AT&T MOBILITY BENEFITS

BARGAINING REPORT 

July 1, 2008

Yesterday your CWA National Bargaining Committee spent a majority of the day preparing a counter proposal that is very fair to our members and to the Company.   It was our intention to reach a new agreement by yesterday’s deadline.  Unfortunately for our members, the Company returned to the table without the same intention. 

During our meeting, the Company reviewed our counter proposal, and then simply stated that they would not have another proposal even though there was still more than five hours left before expiration of the agreement.   An hour after both sides left to go home, the Company called and said they had changed their minds; they did have a counter, and asked us to meet at 10:30 p.m. 

It would have been great if we could report that this last proposal the Company presented late last night moved away from their high premium, deductible and out-of-pocket plan they have been proposing the entire time we have been bargaining with them – but we can't.  The Company proposal had only minimal changes and still also includes a new hire component that would make health care out of reach for many years.  This shows no respect for our members who work to produce the double-digit quarterly growth that keeps them as the number one wireless company.   The Company continues to think that our members should pay up to double-digit percentages of their income in premiums and deductibles before their proposed plan would pay a dime in benefits.  They continue to think that our members should willingly accept this hardship and without the Company even sharing any of the savings they would begin seeing!  This is what they think of their employees!

If the Company had only used this time to really work with us to reach an agreement that doesn't rob our members of their hard earned income and simply shifts more money into their bank accounts, we might have reached a tentative agreement.

The next step in this process is to meet together with a Mediator who will attempt to facilitate us reaching a tentative agreement.  Mediation will begin on July 14 and continue up to ten days.   Mediation is an "off-the-record" process that is not binding to either party.  Discussions during this period may not be used by either party in the event that no agreement is reached. 

The CWA Bargaining Committee thanks you for your continued support during this very difficult round of negotiations.  

CWA/AT&T MOBILITY BENEFITS

BARGAINING REPORT 

June 13, 2008

The Bargaining Committee met with the Company late into the night with questions and challenges about some of the data they have thus far provided.  But the Company's responses continue to be meager and evasive and have yet to substantiate a financial need to shift a significant amount of health care costs onto the backs of our hard working members! In spite of us continually asking the question, they have yet to even identify anything specific in the current plan they believe to be their problem high cost areas. All they can say is that the Union's proposal goes in the wrong direction! 

We have come to these negotiations with the goal of reaching an agreement by June 30, but it appears that the Company did not.  Could it be they are hiding behind the buzz on health care to simply force our members to pay more?

We say it's time, AT&T, that you put your money where your mouth is.  Start working with us and give us the tools we need in order to find viable solutions to possible problems. . . . we have never been afraid of a little hard work!

CWA/AT&T MOBILITY BENEFITS

BARGAINING REPORT 

June 7, 2008

The Union and Company committees met yesterday after spending Thursday carefully studying data provided by the Company. 

We had many questions for the Company about items in their data and the Company agreed to provide answers as soon as they get them researched.  We also have challenged the Company to substantiate their claims that our proposal represents a 60 percent increase to their initial costs.  We feel that we have offered a comprehensive and fair health care proposal that is affordable for the Company and that our members deserve.  Despite what the Company message to employees may have stated, at this point, it doesn't appear to us they are serious about trying to reach an agreement by June 30th. 

We have recessed negotiations pending the Company's call with answers to our many questions.

CWA/AT&T MOBILITY BENEFITS

BARGAINING REPORT 

June 5, 2008

On Tuesday, your committee passed a proposal that we believe is fair, equitable and affordable for our membership.
 
The company's response yesterday was that our proposal would be a 60 percent increase in cost to them.  And, instead of backing up their claim with supporting facts and data, they chose to simply pass a proposal that will increase our premiums by up to 540 percent!  In addition to that, the Company proposal includes increases in out-of-pocket expenses which could be as much as 1/3 of the annual base wage for the average employees salary!
 
The proposal passed by the company is an insult and shows a total lack of respect for CWA and our membership!  It is clear that the new AT&T has no appreciation for the employees who made them the number one wireless company.
 
Needless to say, we have a long tough battle before us!!
 
The Bargaining Committee thanks everyone for their continued support! 

CWA/AT&T MOBILITY BENEFITS

BARGAINING REPORT 

June 4, 2008

Negotiations opened yesterday in Atlanta, Georgia, with our Bargaining Committee submitting a comprehensive health care proposal to the Company.

District 3 Vice President Noah Savant, speaking on behalf of CWA nationwide, told the Company in opening remarks the Union is hopeful Mobility has come to these negotiations with the intent to reach an agreement that reflects our members' contributions toward making Mobility the number one wireless company in the United States.

At the same time that negotiations began, thousands of CWA members who work at AT&T across the country mobilized to show their support through rallies, informational pickets and by delivering flyers with a message to AT&T management reminding them that when our Bargaining Committee is sitting at this table, they are not sitting alone.

The Company is currently reviewing our proposal and preparing additional relevant data that we have requested.

Bargaining updates will continue to be sent out as there are further developments.