CWA Local 6012

CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #18
25 MAR, 2025
The Bargaining Team spent the entire day working within their own committee on our benefits counter proposal.

As we had stated in an earlier bargaining report, the Company passed a benefits proposal that includes two new tiers (Individual + Spouse and Individual + Dependents). Our bargaining team has spent a lot of time looking through the impact this would have on our current members.

Though we can’t disclose specific details at this time, we really do believe there is some real cost savings opportunities for the majority of our members. We do plan to pass our first counter proposal tomorrow morning in hopes of getting the numbers to where we believe they should be. The Company’s initial proposal had the Union’s cost share at 32%. Just to put that into perspective, as of the 2017 contract, we are currently at 29% for current employees and 32% for new hires since 2021. The good news is the new plan would eliminate separate tiers for new hires which has always hurt them out of the gate as they were likely the lowest paid employees with the highest insurance premiums. We are very optimistic we can make major improvements for all employees.

The Bargaining Team would like to personally thank everyone who has participated in mobilization activities in your workplaces. If you haven’t been around long enough to know this, the Company doesn’t just give us anything we ask for; but standing together and mobilizing in the field gives us the ability to push them at the table.

While we have every intention of trying to reach an agreement by expiration that addresses our members' issues, we must be prepared if the Company fails to address our members’ best interests. If you haven’t yet had a chance to participate in the Strike Authorization vote, please check in with your Local on how you can participate.

Please continue to get plugged in with your Locals and the mobilization efforts as we can’t afford to sit this one out. While we continue to FIGHT at the table, we need you to have our backs in the workplaces.

CWA District 6 along with the CWA Bargaining Team will be hosting an informational town hall on March 27th at 7pm. You will be able to learn:

• Key Updates & Critical Information on AT&T SW Bargaining

• How members can get involved in critical mobilization efforts in their Locals

• Direct Q&A with our bargaining team about issues impacting your future

This call does require registration, as it is only available to CWA members within District 6. You can register at the following link:

Webinar with Bargaining Team

To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates.

Regardless if we meet with the Company tomorrow or not, we will follow up with a report sharing what we worked on as a committee.

In Solidarity,

CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team

CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #17
24 MAR, 2025
The Bargaining Committee met with the Company this afternoon.

The meeting began with the Company completely rejecting our proposals on job security, expansion of work to include a guaranteed Fiber & Broadband work, and creation of new jobs. They told us that our ask was too broad and then didn’t even pass a counter to at least give us an idea of what they would be comfortable with!

Then the Company brought up the protection in the CST title and if surplussed, their ability to bump the least senior Premise Technician and keep their Group 1 pay. They didn’t reject it, but seemed to make it an item of concern that will be under attack. The Union chair pointed out that the Company’s decision to eliminate wire centers will be a direct impact on CSTs and they should be protected. Additionally, he pointed out that seniority is very important to us, and these technicians landing on their feet if surplussed is very important to the Union. Not to mention the MOA that has continued to upgrade Prem Techs to do CST work the past few years.

Additionally, the Company passed counters on a couple MOA’s we already had in the current settlement agreement for Facilities Locate Work, Retired Union Presidents, and renewal statement for Union-Management Relations. They also agreed in principle to renewal of promoting CWA/NETT Academy in which we are reviewing the TA document.

The Union TA’d Article VIII - securing Martin Luther King Day, and the MOA for electronic dues authorization.

Before the meeting ended, the Union Chair talked about the Company’s initial counter on wages amounted to a .58 an hour raise or $23.20 weekly to Prem Techs who would then turn around and have to spend this minimal raise on likely health care increases, and the Union officially rejected the Company’s 2% pay raise annually.

At this time, we are not scheduled to meet tomorrow and we will continue to work on their benefits proposal and our counter.

Please continue to get plugged in with your Locals and the Mobilization efforts as we can’t afford to sit this one out. While we continue to FIGHT at the table, we need you to have our backs in the workplaces.

CWA District 6 along with the CWA Bargaining Team will be hosting an informational town hall on March 27th at 7pm. You will be able to learn:

• Key Updates & Critical Information on AT&T SW Bargaining

• How member scan get involved in critical mobilization efforts in their Locals

• Direct Q&A with our bargaining team about issues impacting your future

This call does require registration, as it is only available to CWA members within District 6. You can register at the following link:

Webinar with Bargaining Team

To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates.

Regardless if we meet with the Company or not tomorrow we will follow up with a report after tomorrow and what we worked on as a committee.

In Solidarity,

CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team

CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #15
21 MAR, 2025
The Bargaining Committee met with the Company this morning and passed the following proposals:

Article VIII (adding MLK Day) and making sure the other sections remained unchanged, Counter proposals of Sup Statement #1 (Classification of Employees) dropping to 30 months from 36 months, Sup Statement #12 (force adjustment) increasing surplus notification from three weeks to eight, and increasing the layoff allowance for employees with more than 96 months (8 years).

We tentatively agreed to the following proposals:

Removing $3000 cap on incentive plans with notification to the Union on new incentive plans for discussion as they are developed.
Union Notification when the Company plans to use contractors, how long the duration will be, location, expected duration, and number of personnel being used.
Appendix J - Sup Statement 4 (Holidays) - Adding MLK Day
Appendix J - Sup Statement 9 (Promotional Pay Treatment) - current language unchanged
Our next scheduled meeting with the Company is tomorrow afternoon, and we will follow up with a new bargaining report afterwards.

CWA District 6 along with the CWA Bargaining Team will be hosting an informational town hall on March 27th at 7pm. You will be able to learn:

• Key Updates & Critical Information on AT&T SW Bargaining

• How members can get involved in critical mobilization efforts in their Locals

• Direct Q&A with our bargaining team about issues impacting your future

This call does require registration, as it is only available to CWA members within District 6. You can register at the following link:

Webinar with Bargaining Team

To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates.

In Solidarity,

CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team

CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #14
20 MAR, 2025
The Bargaining Committee spent a big portion of today going through data and working on counter proposals. The Company and the Union did meet this evening at the main table.

The Company passed the following proposals: Appendix J - Sup Statement 10 (Relief Differential) to keep the language the same, Appendix J - Sup Statement 4 (Holidays) to add MLK day, Appendix J - Sup Statement 9 (promotional pay treatment) to keep the language the same, and Article VIII adding MLK day meeting the Union’s proposal. However, the biggest movement came from a proposal in Appendix J - Sup Statement 2 (Basis of Compensation) in which the Company lowered the assigned OT to 12 hours (originally 14), agreed to double time (still working through the hours to trigger it), and night differential (still working on hours that trigger it). These would all be improvements on the current language!

The day ended with the Company agreeing to the Union proposal to keep the Article XIX Grievances the same and reaching a T/A.

Finally, on day 14 we have begun to see some positive movement on some of our key issues! We have a very long way to go on many items in the core contract, job security, benefits, and wages; however the Union team was able to smile a little bit after today’s session.

Our next scheduled meeting with the Company is tomorrow morning, and we will follow up with a new bargaining report afterwards.

CWA District 6 along with the CWA Bargaining Team will be hosting an informational town hall on March 27th at 7pm. You will be able to learn:

• Key Updates & Critical Information on AT&T SW Bargaining

• How memberscan get involved in critical mobilization efforts in their Locals

• Direct Q&A with our bargaining team about issues impacting your future

This call does require registration, as it is only available to CWA members within District 6. You can register at the following link:

Webinar with Bargaining Team

To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates.

In Solidarity,

CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team