E-OTP UPDATE

6/22/07

Yesterday, June 21, the Company declared the expected surplus at the Holmdel facility. The Holmdel Bargaining Unit employees that had applied to job claim during the HTP offer, will have an opportunity to accept or refuse specific, lateral openings in the North Jersey Region. This movement of personnel will be followed by the remainder of the surplus Holmdel Bargaining Unit employees accepting/refusing other positions in the Northern Region that could affect positions through displacement/bumping.

With ongoing talks between the CWA and the Company, the EOTP acceptance deadline has been extended to July 6. The previous limit of 11 accepted EOTP applicants has been tentatively increased to include: 2 Chauffeurs, 2 BGMs, 2 GSOs, 1PEM, and 2 ICMs. This means that the Company has decided to accept volunteers in these numbers and titles, to make them eligible for the EOTP package, and at the same time, this additional movement will open vacancies in these same numbers and titles and allow movement into them (possibly including promotions), and also give Members who may otherwise be declared surplus, a chance to stay on role. Discussions with the Company will continue after each phase to make as many more openings available as possible.

       In order to allow promotions, eliminate a potential surplus condition in the North, to make opportunities available for both job claiming employees from Holmdel and employees from the North that may be displaced or are at risk of being displaced, there will be a number of vacancies POSTED FOR BID AS EARLY AS NEXT MONDAY, June 25, 2007. Due to overall time constraints, an agreement has been reached between The CWA and the Company, to shorten the normal POST and BID process from 7days to 2 days. I must repeat that you will have only 2 days to bid for these positions! The titles to be offered will include but may not be limited to GUW, BGM, Chauffeur, GSO, PEM, POM, & ICM. If you wish to be considered for one of the open positions,YOU MUST HAVE YOUR RCWA(REQUEST FOR CHANGE IN WORK ASSIGNMENT) FORM FILLED OUT CORRECTLY AND SUBMITTED BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS OF THE SECOND DAY OF IT’S POSTING!!! Forms are available on the LRE web site or see one of your Local Officers. They must be filled out thoroughly and correctly in order to be considered. Include ALL pertinent work experience, training, skills, and BE PREPARED FOR THE INTERVIEW SHOULD YOU BE CALLED.   You may bid on more than one job.

       The interview period has also had to be expedited. It is our own responsibility to be aware of these coming events. Let co-workers that may be interested know of the Post and Bid, form, and interview information, any questions, ask! Time is short. As employees fill job slots the Post and Bid process will continue in phases with the endpoint being no involuntary surplus (layoff). This, plus the opportunity of promotions and return to title, makes a good deal for all.

       Other stipulations in the process include: pay protection for Post and Bid downgrades, not just employees displaced, relocation compensation, and if an employee bids on a job because they believe their original spot is at risk, then he/she is awarded the bid and it turns out that the original job is not at risk, the employee may return to their to their original job.

       The Posted jobs are available to everyone. If you have any questions, please call Doug at X2843.

In Unity,

                                                                                      Doug Brown

                                                                                      President

                                                                                      CWA Local 1060

E-OTP UPDATE

6/15/07

Yesterday, Thursday, 6/14, was the close of the E-OTP Program offered to the northern locations of Murray Hill & Whippany.

During the development of the HTP and the E-OTP programs both the Union and the CREO Organization had hoped to arrive at a mutual agreement to create employment opportunities for those Bargaining Unit employees who may become affected by the upcoming force adjustment due to the closing of Holmdel. The acceptance of 57 Bargaining Unit employees in Holmdel of  the HTP was much higher than expected. That, followed by the also surprising number of 31 which applied for the E-OTP in North Jersey, took everyone by surprise.

Analyzing the HTP and the number of Holmdel Bargaining Unit Employees that wished to job claim, we established an E-OTP cap of 23 Bargaining Unit  employees within classifications that could be affected. Of those 23, only 10 of those employees (and their classifications) that applied for E-OTP fell within the identified caps.  21 were in classifications that were outside of the caps. Those 10 should have received a letter of acceptance yesterday, and since the specific language of the agreement states that those accepted by the company will be notified, I wouldn’t expect those that didn’t get accepted would be told anything. Why do the right thing when you don’t have to?

Talks continued between the Union and Representatives of the Company in order to identify those Bargaining Unit employees who had applied for E-OTP but whose classifications were outside of the caps. Acceptance of their applications required “mutual agreement”. Proposals on selection, the means or process to backfill,( including promotions), were presented.  Some of these proposals could have required an agreement outside of the contract language (a stipulation). For example; opportunities to take a downgrade that was possibly outside of the traditional contract procedures (corridors); job claiming outside usual corridors; or  promotions used to fill-in vacancies; all specifically for the purpose of avoiding  involuntary termination(s).

The processes used to make this happen were the basis of the discussions for which we could not reach an agreement.   

The Company stated that they did not have time for the usual Post and Bid process. The Union suggested and agreed to shortening the process from 7 days to 3 days. The Company refused to accept. For certain movement of employees the Company's  position was to ask the Union to sign a stipulation that named specific Bargaining Unit employees to fill certain specific openings. We could not agree on a process that would totally disregarded other Members contractual rights. Needless to say no agreement could be reached. The Union notified the Company representatives that we would be available and to contact us if they changed their position and are interested in discussing any other proposals.

The Company must now follow the contract language for Force Adjustment.

To the Brothers and Sisters that had applied for the E-OTP, and were not accepted, I am truly sorry. With the short time, extremely difficult decision of whether or not to even apply for the E-OTP, and then to have made the decision, only to have it denied, is as frustrating and painful to me as it must be to all those affected. I can say from the bottom of my heart, that the Local Presidents, Bruce Fabian from Whippanny, Brian Reilly from Holmdel, and myself, did everything possible to try and get this done. This may or may not help with the feelings of frustration but know that we feel it too. Much time, energy, and effort went for nothing.

There is some time left before the Holmdel facility is physically gone from our umbrella. Does this mean that there is time for more talks or another agreement? I don’t know. What I do know is that I will not void or usurp the rights and privileges a single Member of our Union. When all this lunacy is done and past, CWA Members will still be the world class caretakers of these historic facilities.

                                                                                      In Unity,

                                                                                           Doug

A wise man once said, “You won’t get anything that you’re not strong enough to take.” I don’t know who it was, but I believe he was indeed a wise man, even more so now.

Admittedly, it is very difficult to remove all biases, prejudices, or self serving slants from what goes on in our day to day work lives. But as much as I’ve tried, I just don’t understand why it seems so difficult for some people, when asked by the Union for support, be it only to send an email to a Gov’t Rep, or make a phone call, whatever, there’s always an excuse, usually followed by complaints about the Union. I’d like to give my own response.

First, there are a handful of people out there working VERY hard, carrying the load and doing the job, FOR ALL OF US, for OUR benefit, for OUR jobs. Right now, there are some of you that will not finish reading this, or are already mumbling to yourself about these words, but these words are the truth. Just the fact that you are upset proves that.

Second, a standard answer is, “I already pay my dues, what more do you want?!” To that I would answer that I ask nothing but for you to be honest with yourself, and to ask yourself, “what is your job worth to you? Do your dues cover that tab?”

With everything that OUR employer has put US through, is there anyone that HONESTLY believes that the salaries, benefits, etc., were given to us out of the kindness of their corporate hearts? Is there anyone that honestly believes that they are soooo valuable to the company, that were it not for the UNION presence, they would still be employed here? The company has gone out of it’s way to reduce headcount. Some of it’s debt load is due to benefits owed to the 100,000 employees they let go. The simple truth is that this company has not been able to show a profit without applying the SURPLUS OF THE BARGAINING UNIT PENSION FUND, your money, to their bottom line.

Third, I would ask that WE take an honest look at OUR history, and stop blaming the Union for what’s going on and place the blame squarely where it belongs, on chronic mismanagement by the company; mismanagement of the company, it’s technology, and it’s most valuable asset, it’s workforce. The workforce which throughout the company’s entire history, has built, carried, and endured this circus.

Fourth, and this is so incredibly important, if you are a shareholder, don’t hesitate to let YOUR Executives know how you feel about Pat Russo signing off and agreeing to allow card check and organizing in every country on the PLANET EARTH that they do business in

EXCEPT THE UNITED STATES !

What’s your job worth to you?

Landmark Employee Free Choice Act Passes U.S. House

In an historic victory for working families, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Employee Free Choice Act late Thursday night, making it clear to corporate America that workers — after years of exile by political opponents — can't and won't be ignored in Washington, D.C.

Democratic leaders kept a promise made before and after last fall's election that they would push the party's new majority to pass the landmark workers' rights legislation soon after taking office. The vote was 241-185, with 13 Republicans and all but two Democrats voting in favor.

"Congress today has recognized that collective bargaining is critical in this democracy as it is in every other democracy around the world," CWA President Larry Cohen said. "Passage of the Employee Free Choice Act by the House of Representative is a first step towards restoring the core of the preamble of the Act passed 70 years ago that commits our government to promote collective bargaining in the workplace, not an endless legal battle with management declaring war on their own employees."

CWA members and leaders joined thousands of other union activists for rallies, media events and other action last week to push for passage of the measure as members of Congress made trips to their home districts.

Members with personal stories of struggles against employers to organize and bargain were among the featured speakers at events. They include Comcast technician John Pezzano, vice president of his Pittsburgh unit of CWA Local 13000, and Local 2204 member Teresa Joyce, whose Virginia call center was only able to organize when union-friendly Cingular took over from AT&T.

Noting the high-paid lawyers and "union-avoidance" consultants fueling the corporate side of the debate, Pezzano drew a sharp line between what he called the "anti-union industry" and the workers speaking out on the other side.

"The Employee Free Choice Act would allow workers to organize when a majority at a worksite signs cards seeking representation. The law calls for first-contract arbitration if parties can't come to agreement and strengthens penalties for employers who break labor laws.

At news conferences and in testimony on Capitol Hill, workers described a similar pattern of threats, intimidation and even firings to keep unions at bay, followed by stalling tactics – when workers voted to organize anyway – to drag out contract negotiations indefinitely And even though we are half way there, we have 2 major obstacles yet to overcome. We have to force the Senate to also pass it AND THEN , OUR SUPPORTIVE PRESIDENT HAS ALREADY PROMISED TO VETO IT IF IT GETS TO HIS DESK!!!

We’re not done yet.