AT&T Bargaining Bulletin #82, June 2, 2017

AT&T Bargaining Bulletin #82

June 2, 2017

After 15 months of bargaining we are pleased to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement for both Pacific/Nevada Bell and DIRECTV members in California and Nevada. Both our AT&T and DTV Bargaining teams are supporting the agreement. These teams are to be commended for their tireless efforts to achieve the best contract possible. The negotiations were intense and frustrating for the bargainers. During the past two weeks a lot of progress was made.

CWA and AT&T reached a Tentative Agreement on June 2, 2017. The new four year agreement will expire April 4, 2020.

Listed below are a few of the highlights of the agreement:

Significant Wage Increases

• 3.0% retroactive to October 1, 2016
• 3.0% effective upon ratification
• 2.25% - April 8, 2018
• 2.5% - April 7, 2019

Success Sharing Plan

• Success Sharing Plan (SSP) award based on annual AT&T stock performance and dividends ($1,500 paid in 2016)

Retirement

• Yearly 1% increase in Pension Bands starting in January for years 2017, 2018, 2019and 2020
• Lump Sum Pension Option
• Move from AT&T Savings and Security Plan (ASSP) to AT&T Retirement Savings Plan (ARSP) which provides a broader fund line up and lower administrative, trustee, and recording keeping fees

Health Care

• Medical Plan  Cost Share 2018 - 27%,  2019 - 28%,  2020 - 29% as of January 1st each year
• Two Options:
  • Lower premiums and higher in-plan cost
  • Higher premiums and lower in-plan cost
• Continue Kaiser HMO at a discounted rate
• Employees hired after January 1, 2015, including 410 Premises Technicians, will move to the lower Current Employee Medical Benefits (27%), effective January 1, 2018
• Expand wellness program including personal coaching, web based tools and disease management
• Enhanced Dental and Vision plans
• Backfill for Benefits Help Representative

Job Security

• Continue Employee Security Commitment (ESC) and extend it for those hired between April 8, 2012 and April 9, 2016. Pooling and all Article 2 processes remain in effect.
• Continue Enhanced Severance Benefits (ESB)
• Increase relocation allowances
• Continue National Transfer Plan (NTP)
• 2020 Career Path Meeting

Premises Technicians

• $2.15 an hour increase at ratification which includes, $0.55 per hour increase in addition to general wage increases
• 40 hours guaranteed work week
• Decrease time-in-title requirement from 30 to 24 months
• Reduce Mandatory Overtime cap to 14 hours
• Personal Days Off (PDO) count towards the 40 hour work week
• Improve layoff provisions:
  • Increase severance table from 4 to 6 weeks
  • Increase layoff notification
  • Layoffs by inverse seniority
• Joint Union and Company Committee on Premises Technician Overtime

DIRECTV Field Services

• DIRECTV West Field Services employees becomes part of Appendix E in the Core agreement, and some of the highlights include:
  • $250 lump sum in addition to general wage increases
  • Employees will transition to new wage schedules and placed at the step closest to, but not less than employees’ current weekly wages
  • Employees not at the top step of their wage schedule will receive a wage increase every 6 months until progressed to the top step
  • Health and welfare benefits the same as Premises Technicians
  • Work rules the same as Premises Technicians
  • Grievance and arbitration procedure
  • Horizon’s Training/Retraining Program
  • AUTS access

Appendix D

• All Appendix D Technicians will move to Appendix A as Systems Technicians
• Employees will transition to new wage schedules and placed at the step closest to, but not less than employees’ current weekly wages
• Employees not at the top step of their wage schedule will receive a wage increase every 6 months until progressed to the top step
• Will receive Appendix A work rules (e.g. 49 hour rule)
• Employees will move to Core medical benefits

Other Agreements

• Continue Tuition Aid Reimbursement Plan
• Continue the Horizons Training/Retraining Program
• Joint Union and Company Committee on Monitoring
• Continue Card Check agreement
• Continue Successorship language
• Add Communications Technician and Facilities Technician to the titles receiving  work boots

• Arbitration Rights for grievances filed after expiration
• No Strike/No Lockout for the period of time for ratification
• Wage Credit up to 5 years
• No Job Offer Guarantee (JOG) to the Leverage Title
• Leverage Title Target Relief

Retrogressions Fought Back

• Health Care at 32% for all
• Attendance 5 paid days for all
• New hires- no paid sick days
• Freeze Pensions
• Eliminate 49 hour rule
• Eliminate Sunday Premium pay
• Eliminate Sunday plus four scheduling
• Eliminate off shifting pay
• Eliminate employment Security

Additional Info and Attachments

In Solidarity,

Your CWA District 9 AT&T West and DIRECTV Bargaining Teams

All official negotiation and mobilization information will be delivered on the District 9 website. (www.district9.cwa-union.org), Local Websites and email lists.

Your Bargaining Committee