News + Events

Virginia Chesney’s 100th birthday isn’t until November, but the former telephone operators’ annual reunion is always in July at CWA Local 3805 in Knoxville Tennessee, so she and her old colleagues celebrated a little early. Chesney, who retired from the Bell system as group chief operator of information services, moved to Knoxville in 1947 after starting her switchboard career in Lexington Tennessee when she was 18 years old.

Avaya Contract Extension Agreement PDF

We have made some movement towards reaching a tentative agreement. Thus far, we have agreed to some clean-up language, addressed issues regarding the contractual language on safety in the UFO Addendum, addressed issues for members who serve our country, and a plethora of modifications to the surplus process. We are working hard to close the gap and make improvements for the membership. Mobilize, Mobilize, Mobilize.

The Utility Operations bargaining team would like to first send out our sincere apologies for not posting more updates surrounding bargaining. We have met with the Company and movement has been slow. Negotiations have been slow because several our main proposals surrounding wages, benefits, and quality of life are at the common interest table (CIT). The bargaining team took a break from negotiations this weekend, but we are back on the grind today.

Today your bargaining team caucused and deliberated the next course of action in response to the company's retrogressive bargaining tactics. The Company has preached their desire to come in on time, yet yesterday their actions sang a different tune. As we reach expiration, it is apparent that the only way to get the company to move on their childish stance is for our membership to send a loud message that we are prepared for a war they do not want.

With just over one week remaining until contract expiration, there continues to be vast differences between our idea of a fair agreement and the company's idea. After seemingly fruitful discussions in subcommittee, the company has devalued everything we have proposed. We want to reach an agreement that benefits all of our members. Unfortunately, the company wants a contract that benefits only the corporation. We must stand unified and send a clear message to the company.

The bargaining team met with the company late yesterday and received a few packaged proposals. The company proposed expanding the scope of work for Wire Technicians, changing the surplus process within CPE, and adding additional steps to the surplus process for all employees. We are continuing to form counter proposals in response to the mediocre proposals we have received from the company. It is becoming very clear to the team that the company is not sincere about getting a contract.

Today the bargaining team gathered data and information necessary to respond to the company's open proposals. We are scheduled to meet with the company later this afternoon. We expect to receive another nauseating healthcare proposal. Thank You to the Mississippi locals for dinner yesterday! Continue your mobilization efforts.

Your bargaining team worked throughout the weekend reviewing proposals in order to respond to the company’s position. At our last meeting with the company, we rejected several proposals intended to eliminate work protections in Article 14, allow contracting of work in the CPE and Wire Technician arena, expanding the Wire Technician scope of work, and raising the double-time pay threshold.

We met with the company today and countered their atrocious benefits proposal. We are still working to keep our members who serve in the armed forces pay protected when serving this great country. It is very discouraging to have to argue this point, and have the company leverage this issue against some of the other improvements we are seeking. MOBILIZE. MOBILIZE. MOBILIZE.