Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1992 02:58:33 -0500
From: Phillip.Dampier@f228.n260.z1.fidonet.org (Phillip Dampier)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Agreement Reached At Pacific Telesis
Reply-To: phil@rochgte.fidonet.org
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 635, Message 1 of 7

AGREEMENT REACHED AT PACIFIC TELESIS; BELL ATLANTIC TALKS CONTINUE

HIGHLIGHTS OF PACIFIC TELESIS TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

WASHINGTON -- Union and company negotiators at Pacific Telesis reached
a tentative contract agreement late on Tuesday night, August 11, for
38,500 workers represented by the Communications Workers of America in
California and Nevada.  Highlights of that agreement follow.

Negotiations continue with Bell Atlantic for some 52,000 union workers
represented by CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Major stumbling blocks to an agreement at Bell Atlantic include
retiree health care, wages, pensions, sales commissions, employment
security, and the company's demand for telecommuting, according to
union negotiators.  The talks were recessed at 5:30pm yesterday and
will likely resume at noon today.

"We are still very far apart on the major issues," said CWA spokesman
Pat Shelor, "and nowhere near reaching a settlement. But we will
continue to negotiate as long as progress is being made."


CWA - PACIFIC BELL/NEVADA BELL REACH TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Communications Workers of America (CWA), Pacific
Bell and Nevada Bell announced that they reached tentative agreement
last night on a "progressive" three-year labor contract which provides
greater employment security and enhanced wages and benefits to
approximately 38,500 employees represented by CWA in California and
Nevada.

The new pact must be ratified before it becomes effective.

"These weren't easy negotiations, but they have resulted in a contract
which is fair to employees, customers and shareholders," said Mike
Rodriguez, executive director - Human Resources and chief bargainer
for the companies.

"I'm especially pleased with the progressive aspects of the contract,
including the establishment of several joint committees which will
enable the companies and CWA to mutually tackle difficult issues
early-on," he said.  "This will benefit employees while giving the
companies more flexibility to serve customers faster and meet the
competitive challenges faced in today's telecommunications industry."

According to Lorraine Wetle, assistant to Vice President Janice Wood
of CWA District 9 and chair of the CWA bargaining team, the
negotiations were tough.  "However, the collective bargaining process
has been tested and, in the end, we think it has met the test of
producing a fair bargain -- a contract which makes winners out of both
sides."

"We are pleased that this tentative agreement achieves the major
objectives set by our members and the union's bargaining committee,"
she said.  "First, we achieved a compensation package which reflects
the contributions that our members have made to the profitability of
the company.  Second, it greatly enhances the employment security of
union members.  Third, it provides a series of improvements and
protections for current and future retirees."

The wage package -- including job upgrades and special adjustments --
exceeds 12 percent over three years.  It also offers an annual
incentive award of 5% of an employee's yearly wages if the companies
meet their financial and service goals.

In the area of pensions, there will be a 13 percent increase effective
October 31st, 1992.  Employees will also be able to choose between
receiving a monthly payment check or receiving a cash-out upon
retirement, which could be rolled over into the companies' savings
plan or an IRA.

In another enhancement to pensions, Pacific Bell employees who are
eligible for a service pension as of November 30, 1992 will have the
option to retire with a pension computed with an addition of four
years to their service and no age-related discount.

Greater Employment Security:

The new settlement includes several features which will enhance
employment security.  To help alleviate surplus conditions so that a
formal surplus declaration might be avoided, the contract provides the
following: involving the union earlier in decisions regarding
potential surplus, rearranging potential surplus employees into groups
with vacancies, and offering a voluntary early retirement incentive to
eligible employees.

To give employees and surplus work groups greater access to other
jobs, the companies will implement an automated job posting and
bidding system.  A centralized database will identify available jobs,
match employee resumes to current or future jobs, and report back to
employees periodically on the status of their job request(s).  Surplus
employees will also be given priority placement status for jobs, wage
protection if placed into a downgraded job, and relocation expense
reimbursement if the new position is non-commutable.

To further help employees prepare for new jobs, the companies will
provide up to $9 million over the life of the contract for
training/retraining programs, which will be created and jointly
administered by the CWA and the companies.  The program may include:
training to help employees increase in skills and competitiveness for
jobs they wish to apply for; pre-paid tuition, books and fees;
retraining for employees who leave the company and want to transition
to other employment; and low interest loans for educational expenses.

Work and Family Life:

In recognition of the increasing challenges involved in combining work
and family life today, the contract provides for the companies to
spend approximately $2 million to help employees locate practical help
in four important personal areas: child care, elder care, adoption,
and education for school-age children.  By calling an 800 number,
employees will be able to access a resource and referral service which
can provide advice, consultation, and referrals to services in an
employee's area and price range.

Also in the area of work and family life, the companies will combine
into one comprehensive leave of absence their Care of Newborn Child
and Care of Immediate Family leaves.  Under the renamed Family Care
Leave, Pacific Bell employees will be able to take off up to 12 months
in increments within a 24-month period.

Life Insurance:

To help terminally ill employees who are often faced with
extraordinary medical and living expenses, the new contract offers
early access to funds normally paid to their estate or beneficiaries
upon death of the employee.

Joint Union-Company Efforts:

To promote increased teamwork between the companies and the CWA, the
contract provides for joint committees in several important areas,
including: technological change, training and retraining, career
planning, monitoring, time off from work, health care plans, safety
and health, and national health care reform.

In addition, the companies and the union will establish two Workplace
Innovation Councils (one in California and one in Nevada) to address
issues of concern to employees and the companies as they face
continuing change in the areas of technology, market demands, and in
regulation and legislation.

Health Care:

In addition to continuing the companies' current comprehensive medical
benefits, the new pact offers increased coverage of certain
prescription drugs, modification to the mail order drug program, and
increased coverage for mental health prescription drugs and various
diagnostic and laboratory services.  It also provides for increases in
dental expense fee schedules.

The companies and the union said that further details of the agreement
will be available after employees have had a chance to be covered on
the contract.  Ratification results are expected around mid-September.