Home > CWA Members Vote SBC Strike Authorization

CWA Members Vote SBC Strike Authorization

by Open-Publishing - Friday 7 May 2004
17 comments

For More Information: Jeff Miller or Candice Johnson
CWA Communications, 202-434-1168 www.cwa-union.org/sbc.

WASHINGTON,D.C. - Members of the Communications Workers
of America working at SBC Communications voted
overwhelmingly to give CWA leaders authorization to
call a strike if they deem it necessary.

Contract negotiations currently are underway on behalf
of 100,000 CWA-represented workers at SBC. The talks
cover SBC operations in 13 states: Connecticut, Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arkansas,
Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma, California and
Nevada.

CWA reported that 90 percent of its SBC members voted
in favor of strike authorization in balloting conducted
by CWA local unions. For a strike to take place, the
next step would be for CWA’s 18-member executive board
to authorize President Morton Bahr to set a strike
date.

CWA gave SBC a 30-day notice of intention to strike on
April 7; the earliest date a strike could begin is May
8. CWA agreed to provide the advance notice in exchange
for SBC’s agreement to keep workers’ health coverage in
place in case of a strike until a new contract is
ratified.

Under the auspices of the Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service and Director Peter Hurtgen,
national talks are taking place in Washington, D.C. CWA
members are seeking strengthened employment security at
SBC, including limits on outsourcing and access by
union workers to jobs in the growth areas of the
company. These jobs have either been outsourced by SBC
or are being performed by non-union personnel. They
include thousands of technical and customer service
jobs in growing areas such as high-speed DSL, business
data systems, long distance, and WiFi wireless Internet
access, with much of the work going to India, the
Philippines and other countries.

At the same time, SBC has cut more than 20,000 union
jobs in the company’s core telephone operations over
the past three years. CWA maintains that its members,
whose skills and productivity helped SBC achieve
profits of $8.5 billion last year, deserve the
opportunity to work in the growing parts of the company
as it deploys new technologies and expands into new
business areas.

Another key issue for CWA members is preserving their
health security. SBC has demanded substantial increases
in out-of-pocket health care costs for active workers
and retirees. A fair wage increase and pension
improvements are other major goals for CWA members.

Regional bargaining on other contract issues also is
taking place in New Haven Conn., for SBC East (former
Southern New England Telephone); Chicago, SBC Midwest
(Ameritech); Austin, Tex., SBC Southwest (Southwestern
Bell); and Pleasanton, Calif., SBC West (Pacific Bell).

More information is available at www.cwa-union.org/sbc.

Forum posts

  • "substantial increases in out-of-pocket health care costs"?
    As a manager at the company, my healthcare cost is $201/month in premiums, plus the SAME co-pays as the union. The union only has co-pay...no premium. The company asked for an increase in co-pay...no premium. Unlike me, where I pay whether or not I use it, the union members pay a little more WHEN they use it. It still wouldn’t add up to the $2400/year plus co-pay and deductible that I pay. I’m not complaining about my healthcare, it’s a really good deal considering those that pay for all of it and other plans. I’m sorry, but it’s about time to share the costs. the rest of the nation is.

    Also, the union doesn’t want to have to schedule all of their vacation in the current year...no carry over. Managers had to adjust to this a couple years back. We have to schedule all of our vacation for the year before end of 1Q...every year. It’s a major pain, but we do it. No carry over...use it or lose it.

    Also, the union gets full concession on the phone, and will be moving to a new concession plan in June ’05. That’s $20/mo for a fully loaded phone w/unlimited LD. Managers moved to this last year.

    Now I’ve used "manager" quite a bit here. Understand, the "managers’ have NOTHING to do with the negotiations. No supervisor has input. Those of us in IT have even less input, if that’s possible. So when they think that wearing certain colors, or speaking ill of management is helping...it isn’t. It’s just wasted efforts. They talk about us "taking their jobs", as if we are scabs. Believe me...we don’t want the jobs. Managers have had to train as best they can do backfill, only to keep service going. That training is in ADDITION to the normal duties, which means 16 hour days for many, and weekends, with no additional pay. It’s not about taking a job, it’s about continuing to provide service to the customers, who are not to blame for any of this. Who in their right mind wants to work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week...no exceptions. People had to cancel wedding plans not made prior to the initial message. Vacations, etc...cancelled. My wife and I both work for the company and are managers. We will not see our kids for the better of two weeks, working 8am to 8pm EVERY DAY! Gone before they get up, and home when they are in bed. No guarantee of pay for any of it, since we are exempt.

    Can you believe that some members trashed a company garage and vehicles in Chicago?! Others disconnected 100 customer’s lines and emergency service in Connecticut?! What were they thinking? They are fighting for retiree benefits. Most are young with the company. Anything settled on retirees and pensions will come around again in 3-5 years. They will sacrifice themselves for retirees and probably never see any of the rewards themselves. I understand unity, but that’s a shame. And if they strike, they lose 1.9% of a years wages for every week on strike, at least for the first two. The number goes down on week 3/4. They don’t get paid strike pay until day 15, and that’s only $200/week. Morton Bahr and the company can agree before day 15, and the union member loses 3.8% of their yearly wages, which will actually end netting less than had they agreed in the first place. In the meantime, Morton Bahr will avoid paying out any of the almost $400 million they have.

    It’s all just plain disturbing..

    • The Chicago garage incident was not any SBC employees management or non-management. Police investigation leads to teenagers breaking in on Saturday. Please have all your facts before you place unwarranted blame. By the way, I am in management and I do agree that it will be extremely difficult to try and do the job of our extremely dedicated and hard working non-management professionals. I hope a strike is averted and if a strike does happen, then I will be the first to welcome back our partners. I feel for the general non-management as much as I do for the management in SBC. Not only does management have no say in negotitaions, but neither do the non-management. It is up to a bunch of suits that "have our best interests in mind."

    • what this gentleman is not telling you is: as a "bargained" for employee, you constantly deal with the forced overtime issue, had to cancel plans? here in missouri, i had to cancel my plans 19 weeks in a row last year (june - oct) because they cut so many jobs that the i/r staff had such a great shortfall to service our customer needs. i cancelled my plans a total of 37 weekends last year. he had to sacrifice his plans? i had 1627 hours o/t last year. did i want this? no. yes, i make a good living, but my family life is non existent. as far as concession, we receive 1/3rd, and managers retire with full benifets (including full concession) at retirement. the carryover of vacation ( through march 31st ) is only because of the o/t we work from early april through october. also, might i add, this "manager " selected this job at his will, he had a choice to be bargained for, he neglected it. why be so jealous of someone who has the right to negotiate his working agreement. i enjoy sbc, but dont let the picture get painted on one side of the canvass. there are many reasons your phone is always working, behind the scenes when you dont see us, and it sure isnt because of sbc management, thank you

  • Don’t STRIKE DAMMIT

    • if we strike......WALK with pride

    • I Live in Canada, been following the SBC-CWA troubles in the news. Its been exciting to read all the contridiction.

      CWA- Disgusting to hear using changing LD companies in an effort to sabbotage their own company economics. Think about it? No matter what union jargon is thrown - think about it! Don’t forget to be critical of your union leaders...Be as critical about them as you are about SBC management - SBC as a service link to Millions. Be responsible - maintain respect - take pride in the partnership....

      SBC - you made 8 billion - Ante up! Show your leadership......I am Canadian we do not have to pay for our health care through insurance...I could not image having too pay for it....Give your partners that "feeling"..They are worth every penny..IT will make you feel good as profesional people..One more reason to brag about how good a company you are and are to work for!!!....

    • To all who have responded...
      I share the union’s concern over the company sharing the burden. I think it’s the stock market that is to blame. Company’s have to show growth, no matter what we may think. The sad thing is, and some may disagree, management (non-union) will bear the burden of any agreement which satisfies the union. Our healthcare will go up if the union’s doesn’t. Any concession, if I may use that word, will be passed on to the management. It stinks, but it’s business.

      Sorry about the garage mistake. Blame it on the media and my ignorance in not doing what I like to do best...research. That I will do first thing tomorrow...or I guess today...find out the truth. I’m glad you brought that to my attention, because it just didn’t make sense. What I find out, I will certainly share. Of course, the timing of the "teens" is certainly suspect. Again, I’ll research. Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately, the disconnect IS a member. GPS puts him (them) at the scene.

      As for the Canadian....you are fortunate. If "Ante up" worked, we wouldn’t have so many healthcare issues. Companies want to pass it along so they can keep the stock price up. They MUST show growth. I’m not justifying it by any means. My point is, if the rest of the nation is paying, why shouldn’t you (Americans). But then agian, it has to start somewhere. Maybe if they win that point, it wil resonate. You have a valid point.

      And "if you strike, walk with pride"....yes. You have something to fight for. I’m only trying to convey that management, people at my level, do not have any say. We just take our lumps and move on, as sad as that may seem. We are mandated to do what we have to, what the company tells us to do. We have no choice. 84 work weeks regardless of family obligations, like "who will watch the kids?". Just don’t take it out on us. We don’t want to cross any lines...we are FORCED to. There are +’s and -’s to management. Obviously, this is a minus. We are subject to outsourcing, as 5 members of my team have completed training their replacements. BELIEVE ME, it’s a bitter subject. The outsourcing bubble will burst! Read up on this in the opinions of many Indians who have had to completely alter thier lives to accommodate (the time difference). It WILL level out eventually.

      IFF the union WALKS, managers will do what they have to...what we are TOLD to do. But keep in mind, we as managers, want union to come back. I write and develop, and maintain, software that the CSRs use daily. I cannot do their job. It’s WAY too stressful. But this is also extremely stressful. I CANNOT stand the way the company puts pressure on them to "hurry up" and finish with this cutomer and move on. The "quota" has got to change. I know I have read a lot on the negative effects on employees in that arena. BTW, those same psychological effects are what plague the Indians...the bubble WILL burst.

      Good luck to all affected. I hope everyone gets what they bargain for. Sometimes, I wish I had a say...but I don’t.

      Union...we are not against you...just overworked, tired, stressed, and scared. All completely out of our control. My wife prays every night it doesn’t happen. It will be a tremendous burden on our family, but the press doesn’t cover that part unfortunately.

      On a side note, I read up on Whitaker, and try to follow along using the SEC’s website to track stock purchases/sells. Apparently, he never took the hit (stock options) the rest of us did when the company wasn’t doing so great (?) I guess keeping a train on it’s tracks is rewarding. but then again, the board of driectors scratch each other’s backs. A vote came up last year to keep compensation more in line with performance...shot down, defeated. I don’t think enough stock holders (proxies) voted. I voted for it. I had hoped it would come up again, but it didn’t.

      Sorry soooo long winded. I’m actually still up doing work in preparation for a possible work stoppage...go figure.

    • I am a student and have been reading some of the headlines. Life isnt fair evryone has to to suck it up a bit. I say stay at work and quit complaing lots of people dont even have jobs and would love to swithch place with anyone fo you folks. Just do you job with pride and if you dont like it find a new one its america other than that stay a work and dont strike because you job will be gone next time they have to make cut backs.

    • Oh if only it was that easy!! It is obvious you are still a student, you will soon come to know what it is like in the real world. Wait until whatever profesion you choose decides to outsource your work to another country. Wait until you have been somewhere countless years, then all of a sudden you can’t figure out how to feed your children. Wait until you have searched for months and months, but still can’t find a job that will support your family. Don’t talk about it until you have been there.

    • I agree, though, I’m somewhat biased.

      I’m also in Canada and employed at one of the potential locations for outsourcing while SBC employees remain on strike. However, the inbound customer service training which SBC employees normally go through for three months, we’ve had only a week to try and take in. This means obviously corners were cut, we’re not likely going to be as apt at dealing with customer concerns and many of us are going to be unable to cope.

      We’re also going to have to deal with irate SBC employees on strike calling in to request duplicate bills or just to yell at us. Our hours will be completely changed, some of us working up to 11 hours a shift. It’s extremely stressful on this end of things as well, maybe we should just strike, too! lol.

    • I have been there. I am not a student. I am 35, a father of 2 and have been in the IT field since I was 16. I was out of work for over a year between 2002 and 2003 before I found another good paying job. But, you know what, while I was at a good paying job I was saving money, no Union told me how to do that, I did it on my own. And you know what else, when I was out of work I was able to feed and provide for my family while I looked for another job. No union had to think for me to do that. I had to use my own brain and do it on my own. It is time for peple to start thinking for themselves and quit relying on Unions and Government. When you put your faith in either one of those two you will always be disappointed. People are going to lose jobs, Corporations are going to lay people off. It is a fact of life and always has been. Unions are nothing but a drain on our economy. Americans need to quit being lazy and relying on Unions. This is why all of the jobs are going overseas. A Union cannot stop a company from outsourcing. Stop using your head for just hair growth and start using your God given talents to think and provide for yourself.

    • get a life student.......you dont even know, ive been here 15 years, the benefits are great, sbc is a great company,but you dont even know the sacrifice the union employees give to provide dial tone and all other services..what is wrong with trying to maintain the benefits that we have....your approach would lead us all to feal content with flippin burgers

  • I hope they do STRIKE. I would like for these UNION PIGS to try and find a JOB that pays 100% of the health care cost. Company’s do not do this anyway. I do not agree with the SBC is doing to the OLDER TIMERS. Let them ride for free. The new union members do not care about SBC or the customers of SBC. They want everything for free and come in and work a simple 8 hour shift and go home. There is no law that says SBC has to have a union. There is plenty of people that need JOBS and would love to learn something new. Yes it might be a lower cost to the company. But if they walk i say fire them all and hire new people.

    • Union PIGS is just a tad harsh don’t you think. What exactly did they do to you? My husband has been a Comm Tech with SBC for 3 years. We don’t have any problem sharing the cost of our healthcare. Let’s not forget how this negotiating stuff works. They say you pay $200 a month for insurance, the union says we’ll pay nothing and hopefully they will settle somewhere in the middle. The other issues that are on the table are things like job security and forced overtime. Not unlike many other Americans, the fear of layoff has been ever present for my husband for the entire time he has been employed by SBC. He just barely missed the cut-off in the last round of lay-offs. Not knowing if your going to have a job day to day is difficult, especially when you know there is plenty of work to be done and the company you work for is in great financial condition and handing out Millions of dollars in bonuses to their Executives. My husband works very hard and, the strike would be difficult for everyone involved and if SBC didn’t need their union employees than we would’nt even be discussing this!

    • Since I started these comments, I feel the need to keep going, but not to each one. One gentleman responded as if "managers" are not what keeps the company going. Not true. Get with the 21st century. You cannot do it all with paper and pliers. I work in IT and the systems we develop and maintain are what keeps the company going in this day and age, just as much as the field. Without the advanced systems and qualified personnel who develop and maintain them, SBC couldn’t compete. Just remember, not all of the management is in a supervisory role of union members, and with the exception of the top brass, we have NOTHING o do with contract negotiations. We ALL make the company work, and cannot afford the loss of any group.
      Jealous of the union, and had the chance to be union???? I did not spend 4 years in the Marine Corps, and 5 years working through college on my BSEE, which cost me a mere $50K, so I could be part of society of lemmings. I am greedy. I want my pay scale to rise as fast as it can. I don’t care if it rises faster than my peers. I work harder than many, and I have always exceeded my goals. With merit increase of around 3%, some get more, some get less. It is commensurate with your performance, not we all climb the scale together. This is America. Union’s had a place many years ago, but they are no longer needed. Sorry, that’s the way I and many analysts see it.
      Lastly, if you want to share in the company’s profits, or feel you are entitled to them, find a job with a private, family owned business and become "one of the family". SBC is a publicly traded company, and as such, it MUST show growth to its investors, or it won’t have any investors. Want to complain about Whitaker’s salary? That’s America as a whole and not limited to SBC. It’s in line with other large companies. I don’t care for it, but he’s not giving any of it back and nor would I.
      So many people would be thankful to have a job. A company says, "Hey, want to come work for me? I’ll pay you handsomely to do yada yada yada. I’m making any guarantees, but as long as the company is growing and you perform well, you’ll have a job." Do you know how many would take that job? Everyone. You have to prepare for your own future and not demand that the company or government will do it for you. That’s the irresponsible way. NOBODY owes anybody anything. You are paid for the job you do today. The company promises that and lives up to the promise. You cannot ask them to commit to a guarantee of your life, when they don’t have a guarantee of theirs.

      SBC needs the union employees, because they are damn good at what they do. They are well trained and experienced. But SBC, and the union members, don’t need the union. You would all be well paid, you would just fall into the same uncertainty as managers and the majority of America. It’s not that bad. SOme years are GREAT, and some are not. But every year I thank God I have a job, and I plan for tomorrow. The union’s certainty is only 3-5 years at a time, and even so, I believe it is 20,000 that have since been laid off. SOme guarantee the union got them. CWA doesn’t even want to cough up any money for the strike until you have suffered at least 14 days, then it’s only a couple days wages for a full week of strike duty.
      Had to be said.

    • I would have to agree with the assessment that union members don’t need the union. The fact is, there is no real job security in SBC. It would be naive to believe that senior Union officials know this. In my opinion it is used as a "boogey-man" tactic to convince people that they NEED to be afraid of losing their jobs at any minute and only the Union can save them. Unfortunately, that’s already happened.

    • fuck you dumbass