Regional Bargaining Report # 35

Monday, September 28, 2015

CWA District 1/IBEW Local 2213 and IBEW New England Regional Committees met today at the Rye Town Hilton in Westchester.

The Company presented a comprehensive proposal today which contained minimal movement on deductibles and out of pocket maximum amounts in their retrogressive health care proposal. This proposal would still drastically increase deductibles and out of pocket maximum amounts. For plans where there is currently a deductible, participants with a family plan could see an increase of more than 150%. In the Health Care Network, where the current deductible is $0 for in-network benefits, the Company is proposing a family plan deductible of up to $1,650. The proposal for the out of pocket maximum for family plans shows an increase of almost 100% by the end of the contract!

In the Union’s last proposal we made modifications to our call share proposal. Unfortunately, after all of the off record conversations regarding call sharing the Company has yet to move off of their initial proposal from June 22^nd,while the Union has made two counter proposals on this subject.

Everyone needs to remember that we are fighting for fair contracts at Verizon and Verizon Wireless.

We need to ramp up our mobilization. We need to keep the pressure on Verizon and to continue to get our message out. We need all members to handbill at the Verizon Wireless Stores. If you have not already volunteered to handbill at a store location please contact your steward or local and sign up. By everyone working together from the bargaining tables, to handbilling the store locations, to mobilization on the job we will stand strong against Verizon’s attempt to strip our contracts.

Stay Strong – Stay United

Mobilize!  Mobilize!  Mobilize!