DIRECT TV BARGAINING REPORT #4

DirecTV Unity

Bargaining Report #4
AT&T/DirecTV Tech, Warehouse and Admin

Southeast/Southwest/Midwest

On Wednesday, September 14, 2016, the Communications Workers of America Bargaining Committees for Districts 3, 4 and 6 continued to study the Company’s package proposal and to prepare a response to that proposal.

The Union Committee and the Company Committee have agreed to transition the DIRECTV Technician title into the Premise Technician title in Districts 4 (Midwest) and 6 (Southwest) and to place them in the appropriate Appendixes.  In District 3 (Southeast) the two parties have agreed to transition DIRECTV Technicians into the Wire Technician title and to place those Technicians into the Addendum.

The Union Committee and the Company Committee will reconvene today, so that the Union might present a package counter proposal.  We will send out an update on the negotiations after that meeting.

In Solidarity – Your CWA Bargaining Committee

*CWA’s Districts cover technicians in these states:

District 3 – Southeast: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee
District 4 – Midwest: Illinois, Ohio
District 6 – Southwest: Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas

CWA/AT&T Mobility Bargaining 2016 Tentative Agreement Highlights

National Bargained Benefit Bargaining 2016 Tentative Agreement Highlights  
Four documents (posted at cwa-union.org/mobility-nbbp) make up the new Agreement covering about 43,000 employees of Mobility that AT&T Mobility CWA members will soon be voting on. 1. National Bargained Benefit Plan for Employees of AT&T Mobility Services LLC Benefit Outline Summary This is the main document that is in the same format as previous NBBP Agreements, but has new options.  
• The “new hire” date will be moved to January 1, 2017. All employees who were hired or transferred into Mobility after January 1, 2014, who currently are considered “new hires” for benefits purposes; will become “current employees” for benefits. 
• Eligibility for the Company subsidy for the individual employee will begin in the month in which the employee has 90 days of service. 
• New Option 2 High Deductible coverage will be available. 
• Four coverage tiers are now available: o Individual o Individual + Child(ren) o Individual + Spouse o Family
• For members who live in Puerto Rico, new healthcare options will be available: o Negotiated caps on the HMO costs o Medical incentives available with new plans o Lower costs to align with the healthcare market costs in Puerto Rico
• Tobacco Surcharge: A surcharge of $50 per month will be charged to smokers.  Smokers will selfidentify in open enrollment, and the surcharge will be waived it the employee enrolls in a smoking cessation program, the cost of which is covered. 
• Spousal Surcharge: A surcharge of $100 per month will be charged unless the employee attests that his or her spouse/legally recognized partner does not have access to medical coverage; in which case it will be waived.  
2. Letter to Patricia Telesco dated June 7, 2016:  
• This letter has details of the Puerto Rico capped HMO contribution rules and is part of the Agreement.  
3. Excise Tax Memorandum of Agreement to the National Bargained Benefit Plan for Employees of AT&T Mobility Services, LLC:  
• This is language for plan year 2020, when the healthcare tax is scheduled to begin. 
4. Conditional Unwind Memorandum of Agreement tothe National Bargained Benefit Plan for Employees of AT&T Mobility Services, LLC:  
• This is the document that “unwinds” the National Bargained Benefits Plan Agreement and puts the benefits back together with the Regional Agreements beginning with the next rounds of bargaining.
The CWA set goals of putting the healthcare bargaining back together with the contracts in order to bargain the plans with our wages and have leverage to make plans more affordable, and this Agreement will do this.  We also set a goal to “fix” what we discovered was a very high number of Mobility workers who opt out of the insurance.  This new Agreement will address this problem in several ways:
Contributions for almost 20,000 employees hired or transferred into the unit during the last agreement will be lowered to match those of more senior members.
A new plan will be offered to all employees with lower contributions in addition to the traditional PPO Plan. 1. Contributions for about 1,000 employees in Puerto Rico will be lowered to reflect the lower price of healthcare in their area. 
2. Savings for dependent coverage:  
a. Under the current agreement, one contribution rate is charged for an employee covering any number of dependents. A single parent covering one child paid the same rate as employees covering a spouse and multiple children. 
b. The new plan charges lower monthly contributions for members only covering dependent children and also for members covering a spouse and no other dependents. Over 5,000 employees will pay less in monthly contributions as a result of the new contribution tiers. 

CWA/AT&T Mobility Bargaining Report #13

CWA/ AT&T Mobility National Bargained Benefit Bargaining

Report # 13 May 27, 2016

 

This week the Committee made progress towards a deal that will provide better affordability and more healthcare options for our members at Mobility; including Puerto Rico.  The Committee is currently making plans to travel to New York City to meet with AT&T and finalize details of our understanding at the District One office.

By now you have heard of the victory at Verizon and Verizon Wireless.  Nearly 40,000 striking Verizon workers have big gains to celebrate this weekend that include a first contract for Verizon Wireless retail store workers!  Remember that their victory is ours as we build our Union in the wireless industry.

Have a safe and happy weekend as we honor all our veterans.

In Solidarity,

The CWA 2016 Mobility NBBP Bargaining Committee

Kelvin Banks, D3; Luis Benitez, D3 Puerto Rico; Holly Sorey, D4; John Richie, D6

Pat Telesco, D1

CWA/AT&T Mobility Bargaining Report #12

CWA/ AT&T Mobility National Bargained Benefit Bargaining

Report # 12 May 18, 2016

 

The CWA Bargaining Committee continues to wait for AT&T to counter us with a fair deal that we can all support.  We remain available and ready to meet.  

Brothers and Sisters, while we fight for fair healthcare at AT&T in this bargaining, and while in our daily fight against injustice on the job; please support the over 40,000 CWA and IBEW Union workers who are on strike for justice and fairness against Verizon in the Mid-Atlantic, NewYork, New Jersey and New England.  Their fight is our fight for the future of the new Telecom and Wireless industry.

In Solidarity,

The CWA 2016 Mobility NBBP Bargaining Committee

Kelvin Banks, D3; Luis Benitez, D3 Puerto Rico; Holly Sorey, D4; John Richie, D6

Pat Telesco, D1

CWA/AT&T Mobility Bargaining Report #11

CWA/ AT&T Mobility National Bargained Benefit Bargaining

Report #11 May 6, 2016

 

We end the week not much further along than we were in our last report.  AT&T has yet to make a proposal that we can work with to fix the unfair contribution costs being paid in Puerto Rico.  We still have not agreed on contribution costs in the final years of this agreement, and have not seen a formal proposal with the language we need to “unwind” this NBBP agreement that prevents us from bargaining our wages and healthcare together.  The CWA Bargaining Committee remains available to meet with AT&T in hopes of getting a fair agreement to take to our membership.

 

In Solidarity,

The CWA 2016 Mobility NBBP Bargaining Committee

Kelvin Banks, D3; Luis Benitez, D3 Puerto Rico; Holly Sorey, D4; John Richie, D6

Pat Telesco, D1

CWA/AT&T Mobility Bargaining Report #10

CWA/ AT&T Mobility National Bargained Benefit Bargaining

Report #10 May 3, 2016

 

The CWA Bargaining Committee met via phone conference this week along with the CWA Research Department in assessing the latest company numbers for contribution costs. As we reported previously, AT&T has moved our way on items that make the healthcare insurance more affordable for more of our members; but AT&T has not offered anything that CWA considers fair for our members in Puerto Rico: members who do not have access to the fully insured AT&T healthcare plan.  We continue to be available for the Company bargainers.  

In Solidarity,

The CWA 2016 Mobility NBBP Bargaining Committee

Kelvin Banks, D3; Luis Benitez, D3 Puerto Rico; Holly Sorey, D4; John Richie, D6

Pat Telesco, D1

CWA/AT&T Mobility Bargaining Report #9

CWA/ AT&T Mobility National Bargained Benefit Bargaining

Report #9 April 28, 2016

 

The CWA committee met with AT&T this week in Austin, Texas in hopes of reaching a fair agreement.  While AT&T did make forward movement on a couple of issues that are important to our members we are still apart on employee contributions, the cost situation in Puerto Rico and unwinding the National Bargained Benefit Plan.  The committee is traveling back home today.  We will continue to meet tomorrow via phone conference in hopes of reaching a fair and equitable agreement.  

 

In Solidarity,

The CWA 2016 Mobility NBBP Bargaining Committee

Kelvin Banks, D3; Luis Benitez, D3 Puerto Rico; Holly Sorey, D4; John Richie, D6

Pat Telesco, D1

CWA/ AT&T Mobility National Bargaining Report #8

CWA/ AT&T Mobility National Bargained Benefit Bargaining

Report #8

April 22, 2016

 

CWA and AT&T bargainers exchanged proposals via phone conference this week. While we made some progress, AT&T continues to demand that Mobility worker’s pay a larger share of healthcare costs. The Committees will return to Austin, TX next week to meet face to face again with hopes of reaching a fair agreement.

In Solidarity,

The CWA 2016 Mobility NBBP Bargaining Committee

Kelvin Banks, D3; Luis Benitez, D3 Puerto Rico; Holly Sorey, D4; John Richie, D6

Pat Telesco, D1

Report #7 CWA/AT&T Mobility National Bargained Benefit Bargaining

CWA/ AT&T Mobility National Bargained Benefit Bargaining

Report #7 April 15, 2016

 

The CWA bargainers met with the Company via phone conferences this week and we continue to pass proposals and review information to find a way to keep costs down for our members. While we have made progress in getting more options and healthcare choices on the table, we are very far apart on the costs; especially for how AT&T prices the HMOs. Our committee remains available for AT&T to meet with us next week.

In Solidarity,

The CWA 2016 Mobility NBBP Bargaining Committee

Kelvin Banks, D3; Luis Benitez, D3 Puerto Rico; Holly Sorey, D4; John Richie, D6

Pat Telesco, D1

Report #6 CWA/AT&T Mobility National Bargained Benefit Bargaining

CWA/ AT&T Mobility National Bargained Benefit Bargaining

Report #6 April 7, 2016

 

The CWA bargaining committee has been meeting with AT&T this week in Austin, Texas. After three long days, we are making progress. The Committee passed proposals that make the healthcare more affordable and give our members healthcare options that meet their needs for the next four years. CWA is moving closer to unwinding this National Bargained Benefit Plan and when the four regional contracts expire, we will be able to bargain our compensation, pensions and savings plans, work rules, and benefits together. The Committees are traveling back tonight and will continue to meet via telephone conferences next week. Keep telling your manager that you need healthcare you can afford!

 

In Solidarity,

The CWA 2016 Mobility NBBP Bargaining Committee

Kelvin Banks, D3; Luis Benitez, D3 Puerto Rico; Holly Sorey, D4; John Richie, D6

Pat Telesco, D1