April '08 President's Report

The Union for the Information Age

April 2008 President's Report to the
Executive Board and Membership
Submitted by Malachy Sreenan

In what seems like a never-ending cycle of downsizing at Qwest, the month of March saw the largest District-wide voluntary reduction in recent years. Citing industry-wide declines in telephone access lines, work volumes and market share in many area of Qwest’s business, the Company announced the need to balance their workforce to their workload. In an effort to maximize voluntary reductions, Qwest offered an enhanced ZIPP VSPP to employees in the LNO Organization. The enhanced offer included a payout of $1,375 per year of service, an increase of approximately 25% over the contractually negotiated amount, up to a maximum of $48,125. Also included in the agreement were recall rights, not normally part of a VSPP offer, for one year should the work pick up and a need arise to hire back into the impacted job titles, and a Surplus Transitional Leave of Absence provision for employees within two years of Service Pension Eligibility or Term of Employment milestone. As part of the agreement with the Union, the Company has agreed to provide, on a monthly basis, data on the scope and volume of contracted work, and to discuss alternatives to contracting, including the feasibility of returning the work to the bargaining unit.

The total number of employees who elected to take the Enhanced ZIPP VSPP offer or STLA was 719 District-wide, including 173 from Washington State. Every state, besides New Mexico and Montana were included in the offer. New Mexico was excluded by Qwest on the basis that they need more, not less employees, and in Montana, IBEW Local 206 had reached agreement on this same offer, but Qwest withdrew it when the Local refused to pull a pending arbitration. In a clear indication of the attitude that we can expect from the Company this summer, having withdrawn the offer, Qwest sent a letter to all the IBEW-represented employees in Montana, outlining the enhanced ZIPP VSPP that was being offered to CWA-represented employees in the other states. .

Qwest announced a Force Adjustment within the Real Estate (Finance) organization under John Gerbozy, on March 20, with a resolution date of June 18^th, 2008. The surplus announcement will impact three of the five Building Specialists in the Seattle RCA. The Company also announced an Article 19 ZIPP VSPP poll for an expression of interest for the Supply Attendant title in the Seattle RCA, within the Procurement Finance organization. That expression of interest was followed later in the month by a ZIPP VSPP offer to one Supply Attendant.

While it is clear that the country is either in, or facing, a recession, and lay-off announcements are becoming daily headlines in the news, it is regrettable that Qwest leadership is ill-equipped to do much more than throw their hands up in the air in defeat. A reasonable person would conclude that if the Company was more concerned with providing competitive products and services, and helping their employees provide the highest quality customer service, instead of worrying about the latest QJD figures on their blackberries and where and when employees are using the restroom, we wouldn’t be facing this dilemma.

As Qwest Bargaining approaches, such attitudes seem all too prevalent amongst every level of management, and it is becoming apparent that the Company, for their part, has little or no intention of negotiating a fair and equitable agreement for its occupational employees. CEO, Ed Mueller, was in Seattle on April 3^rd, 2008, meeting with the Presidents of the Washington State CWA Locals. While he spoke at length about Qwest’s future plans and commitments to both customers and shareholders, notably absent was any discussion about its commitment to employees. In fact, when union leadership did bring up issues around QJD, they were swiftly brushed aside with a patronizing nod of understanding. Unfortunately, Qwest leadership not only doesn’t understand, but it is clear that they simply don’t care. In light of the recent layoffs and threats to force employees and retirees to pay more for healthcare, Mr. Mueller seemed alarmingly unapologetic about coming out of retirement himself for a multi-million dollar salary and compensation package.

Not content with constant attacks on the morale of its workforce with arbitrary and meaningless performance measurements, the company has stepped up its efforts by targeting union leadership and the Union’s mobilization activities. What they don’t understand is that this is nothing new for us. We have dealt with these types of attitudes and tactics every three years for the last several decades. We will mobilize our members strategically and effectively, and we will be ready for any proposals that the Company brings to the table, no matter how regressive or hostile they may be.

As an elected member of the CWA/Qwest Bargaining Committee, I will be leaving for negotiations in Denver at the beginning of July. In my absence, Stan Wylie will be backfilling the Local President position, and I am pleased to announce that Area Vice President, Joan Huey, will backfill the EVP position for Stan during that period. I would like to thank both Stan and Joan for stepping up to these challenging roles; it is great to know that the Local will be in such capable hands. If you would like to play a role in bargaining a fair and equitable contract with Qwest this summer, there are opportunities to be part of our strike preparation and mobilization efforts. For further information, please contact the local at (206) 441-7800.

In organizing news, CWA Local 7800 continues its efforts towards signing up new hires and non-members at our second largest bargaining unit, MV Transportation. MV has grown dramatically over the last three years, and now has over 200 bargained-for employees. I would like to recognize the continued hard work and efforts that our Stewards in the unit have put forth. With any company that expands at this pace, there are bound to be growing pains. Over the last several months, the Stewards have been working hard to ensure that seniority lists are accurate and that the process of shift bid and route selection is administered equitably and fairly. CWA Local 7800 is also engaging in discussion with a prospective new bargaining unit, Roads West Communications. Roads West is one of the Northwest's fastest growing, full-service cabling companies, with 16 technicians who handle the wiring, sales, service and installation of voice and data wiring and audio/video systems. Organizing Committee Chair, Charles Thomas, and I will be visiting with the technicians on Saturday April 19^th, to introduce them to CWA and start the process of initiating representation.

CWA Local 7800 also continues to be very involved with community action. On March 25^th, under the guidance of Community Services Co-Chairs Gayleen Jennings and Dee Steele, our members volunteered with Food Lifeline at the Sysco Food Show at the Qwest Events Center. Also, with support from the Qwest Joint Resource Groups, CWA Local 7800 is sponsoring a Bake Sale on Friday, April 11^th. The funds raised will go to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. The foundation works to prevent pediatric HIV infection and to eradicate pediatric AIDS through research, advocacy, and prevention and treatment programs. The bake sale will be held in the Executive Dining Room, room 3110, from 9am to 1pm. Thank you to all of our volunteers, who through their representation, organizing, and political and community action activities, help to make and keep this union strong and effective.