Negotiations
Ron's Response
04/05/2010 10:44 PM
The
attached document below is Ron's response to
Verizon's "Good Friday" email/letter about the
supposed lack of agreement from CWA/IBEW.
Ron's Response
Ron's Response
Dont Be Fooled
04/02/2010 04:30 PM
I
understand Verizon sent out an e-mail outlining
specifics of the negotiations. There was a unified
decision to do a joint release from the Unions. We
all agreed, we should not negotiate in the public. It
was also a unified decision of CWA Districts 1, 2,
13, IBEW New England & IBEW NJ to reject this
offer. This offer was not in the interest of the
Union members. We also agreed that we would not
negotiate in the public, obliviously Verizon violated
that agreement.
As a follow up to the Unions position from the Wednesday evening conference call, I stated, " Verizon attempted to throw a lot of money at the Unions in an effort to destroy our bargaining unit". To re-state the Unions position, "we are not in the business of negotiating away our jobs". We must do everything to maintain our power in negotiations with Verizon. The more members we lose, the weaker we become in negotiations for both active members and retirees. I understand that some members may want to leave and would like additional money. Verizon offered the following: additional $40,000 to the voluntary termination bonus for all employees, change the 30 year cap under EISP to 40 year cap, remove penalties if you had at least 25 years of service and were at least 50 years old, provide the October pension increase now versus in October.
DON'T BE FOOLED BY VERIZON - Verizon is not willing to do anything about the huge number of contractors, they refused to address contractors, they refused to address job security for the post 2003 members, they refused to give any laid off member access to jobs at Verizon subsidiaries, they refused to discuss an early retirement incentive, they refused to treat any EISP as a layoff. The
Unions offered several options in an effort to help reduce the 12,000 member surplus - all were REJECTED by Verizon. Moreover, Verizon stated: "It doesn't matter what we do - it will not change our surplus number of 12,000.
There was no spirit of negotiations on Verizon's part. Their only goal is to de-unionize at Verizon, if there is no union at Verizon, we can't negotiate for active members or retired members. Please stayed focused on the big picture - don't be fooled by Verizon. We are at war with this company and we will do what ever is necessary to stop this corporation form destroying us and our families.
Any questions please call. I hope everyone has a Happy Easter.
Solidarity Forever,
Ron Collins
CWA District 2
As a follow up to the Unions position from the Wednesday evening conference call, I stated, " Verizon attempted to throw a lot of money at the Unions in an effort to destroy our bargaining unit". To re-state the Unions position, "we are not in the business of negotiating away our jobs". We must do everything to maintain our power in negotiations with Verizon. The more members we lose, the weaker we become in negotiations for both active members and retirees. I understand that some members may want to leave and would like additional money. Verizon offered the following: additional $40,000 to the voluntary termination bonus for all employees, change the 30 year cap under EISP to 40 year cap, remove penalties if you had at least 25 years of service and were at least 50 years old, provide the October pension increase now versus in October.
DON'T BE FOOLED BY VERIZON - Verizon is not willing to do anything about the huge number of contractors, they refused to address contractors, they refused to address job security for the post 2003 members, they refused to give any laid off member access to jobs at Verizon subsidiaries, they refused to discuss an early retirement incentive, they refused to treat any EISP as a layoff. The
Unions offered several options in an effort to help reduce the 12,000 member surplus - all were REJECTED by Verizon. Moreover, Verizon stated: "It doesn't matter what we do - it will not change our surplus number of 12,000.
There was no spirit of negotiations on Verizon's part. Their only goal is to de-unionize at Verizon, if there is no union at Verizon, we can't negotiate for active members or retired members. Please stayed focused on the big picture - don't be fooled by Verizon. We are at war with this company and we will do what ever is necessary to stop this corporation form destroying us and our families.
Any questions please call. I hope everyone has a Happy Easter.
Solidarity Forever,
Ron Collins
CWA District 2