ND&CA Final Bargaining Report

Wages, Incentives and Bonuses 

Basic wages will be increased at the top rates of pay according to the following:

Effective                                      Percent Increase

November 7, 2010                                  2.75%

November 6, 2011                                  2.25%

November 4, 2012                                  2.50%

There will be no change in the start rates of pay and the progression steps will be exponential between the existing start rate and the new top rate.

We were able to save the annual incentive plan, and it will be funded at the standard award level of 1% for award years 2010, 2011, and 2012.

We were able to save the retention bonus award of $150.00 for all employees who have four (4) or more years of net credited service on the date of the general wage increase as listed above.

There will be a ratification bonus of $200.00 (less taxes and other withholdings) to all employees on the active payroll on the effective day of the agreement.

Continue the match rate of 35% for the BellSouth Savings and Security Plan.

Benefits Highlights

Medical

The agreement aligns the ND&CA unit with the BST unit for health care. It also provides that the Medical plan premiums will now flow through to this agreement if they are changed in 2012 BST bargaining. 

Monthly health care contributions will be $10 for Individual coverage and $25 for Family coverage in 2011.  This is actually lower than the Family premium that ND&CA members pay today.  Spousal carve-out premiums are eliminated.

The contributions will increase to $35 for Individual and $75 for Family per month for 2012.

The 2013 premiums will be negotiated in 2012 BST bargaining and will flow through to the ND&CA unit.

New Hires will have monthly contributions of $35 and $75 in 2011 and 2012.

This will make the ND&CA unit the same as the BST bargaining unit for active medical benefits.

We added two new plans for ND&CA which were previously unavailable to the members.

Flexible Spending Accounts

FSAs allow members to set aside money on a pre-tax basis to help with health care expenses.

CarePlus

This plan allows members to purchase additional medical coverage for specific treatments and conditions which are not covered under the health care plans. 

We also added a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) for those employees covered by the 5-year look back letter who retire. 

OTHER CHANGES:

Article 1D — Employee Classification

3. Temporary employee – one whose term of employment is intended to last more than 3 weeks, but not more than 12 months.  (Moved from Article 9C).

Article 1E — Entity

For the purpose of force movement, an entity is defined as BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., Bellsouth Advertising & Publishing Corp, AT&T Southeast Billing, LLC, Utility Operations, BellSouth Internet Services, and National Directory and Customer Assistance.

Article 3L — Pay/Basis of Compensation

The effective date of progression increases shall be at 6-month intervals, or at such other intervals as may be specified in the applicable wage table.

Article 3K — Pay/Basis of Compensation

Employees will be carried on biweekly payrolls.  An employee may be paid by direct deposit into a bank or credit union account, or the check mailed to the employee’s home address.  The pay check stub will be made available to employees in the most efficient manner possible.

Article 4B — Holidays/Vacations

7. An employee who leaves the service of the company, for reasons other than misconduct, before his/her vacation is completed shall be granted pay in lieu of such vacation as he/she was otherwise entitled to receive during the remainder of the current calendar year.

Article 5 — Absences from Duty

Language changes to add Household, and to add Stepbrothers and Stepsisters to the list of immediate family.  Household of employee means persons who regularly make their home with the employee as part of the family.

Article 6 — Force Reduction

A2.  The changes that reflect the contract: The parties agree that prior to forcing layoff in inverse order of seniority, the company may allow senior-qualified volunteers within title and exchange to be paid a layoff allowance and separate from the company.

B1.  Laid off employees will have recall rights after the filling of vacancies under Article 8.  An employee may submit (6) requests in their title in the state.  These requests will remain active for a period of 4 years from the date of layoff.

C.   Temporary hiring of laid off employees.  As a general practice, the company will endeavor to offer laid off employees any temporary vacancies for which they are qualified. 

Article 8 — Promotion and Transfer Plan

D.           Language was changed from (10) future requests for transfer to unlimited requests for transfer.

Article 13 — Grievance/Arbitration and Mediation

B.          Arbitration/Expedited

4.         The cost of transcripts shall be shared equally by the company and the union.  The total costs and fees of transcripts for non-expedited arbitrations will be borne 75% by the company and 25% by the union.

Article 19 — Non-Discrimination

C.       Language reads:  In a desire to restate their respective policies, neither the company nor the union shall discriminate against any employee because of such employee’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, creed, gender, gender identity, marital status, military status, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

Appendix B — Employee Development

3.           Language to add textbooks in addition to tuition and fees.

Video Display Terminal Eyewear (VDT)

We were able to save and to get Gloria Reese to present the union with an updated letter for these VDT glasses.  The glasses are for employees that experience discomfort with their vision while looking at a computer monitor.  The letter states that the company will pay the basic cost of frames, lenses, and fitting fees, and the employee shall be responsible for any other costs or fees.

CVS Caremark Letter

We were able to secure a new benefit with CVS Pharmacy.  This new benefit will allow employees to purchase 90-day prescriptions at a lower mail order rate.

Contracting Out Letter

We were able to save the Contracting Out Letter in Appendix B from the previous contract.

Pension Look Back Letter

We were able to save the Pension Look Back Letter in Appendix B from the previous contract.

Movement of Employees

We have expanded the National Transfer Plan to include the ND&CA unit.  This gives our ND&CA members the same rights as the other Southeast bargaining units.

In Unity,

Your CWA Bargaining Team

M.M. Smith, Chair
Thelma Dunlap, Co-Chair
Angila Rogers, AVP-Local 3212