In 2004, the Communications Workers of America members reached a 5 year agreement with SBC Communications that achieves the union’s major objectives of strengthening employment security, new access to jobs in growth areas, protecting health care security for both active employees and retirees, and improving wages and pensions. The agreement covers 100,000 CWA members.
Here are some of the key highlights
of the settlement:
·
No layoffs for the life of
the agreement (5 years).
·
Rehire several hundred workers
previously laid-off.
·
Bring back jobs from overseas.
·
Across the board compounded
wage increases of 12% plus
an additional
1% lump sum in the first year and cost of living adjustments in 4th
and 5th year.
·
Pension increases of 13% over
the contract term.
·
If SBC phone lines are sold,
buyer assumes union contract as is.
·
Health care benefits will continue
to be paid for by the employer,
although there
are increases in co-pay for certain medical services and prescription drugs.
·
To offset increases in co-pay
there will be cash bonuses for active employees of $1000
and cash bonuses for retirees of $2500.
The above agreement items were negotiated by SBC employees because they had a union contract and are members of CWA.
Contrast this with what has been happening to IBM employees in the US :
·
Terms and conditions of employment
NOT protected and can be changed unilaterally by IBM.
·
Job cuts continue with no rehire
policy.
·
Pension values have declined.
·
Pay increases not given to
many employees.
·
Drastic increases in medical
co-pay for current employees and retirees.
·
Jobs being offshored.
These and many more examples
we can’t list due to the volume of improvements in a union agreement, show
the value of a union contract. Now compare how YOUR next 5 years will compare
with the next 5 years of a CWA member at SBC. Based on the information above.
Don’t you think you and your family deserve what SBC employees have? Join
Alliance@IBM/CWA and support the drive for
a contract!