The shared goals would be to further the success of the company and to address concerns of workers and their unions.
Participants hope to redefine labor relations and develop a positive model for the future.
He noted that GTE could have taken the low road in labor relations, trying to cut wages and benefits, and having a real fight on its hands. But instead, he noted, the company chose to move along the path of partnership. CWA and GTE have worked together in other areas, including telecommunications policy and concerns over the megamerger of MCI and WorldCom. T.O. Moses, CWA's vice president for telecommunications, and Dina Beaumont, executive assistant to Bahr, also made presentations to the group. In addition to MacDonald, top GTE officials at the meeting included Kent Foster, president of GTE, John Appel, president of GTE Network Service and Richgard Esquivel, vice president for labor relations.