WASHINGTON-The Communications Workers of America signed a contract with employees of the newly formed Cingular Wireless Inc. in Illinois, Massachusetts, New York and Maryland.
“The negotiations between several CWA regions and Cingular management were very positive and a good effort. Both sides were determined to reach an agreement that would improve conditions for workers and build on Cingular’s success as an industry leader,” said Larry Cohen, CWA executive vice president, who coordinated the negotiations with CWA district bargainers.
CWA last year announced its intention to go after wireless-and New Economy employees-as it negotiated contracts with Old Economy” companies such as the Baby Bells.
Contract negotiations with Verizon Communications broke down last summer resulting in an 18-day strike. One of the key issues in the strike was whether Verizon would allow union organizing in its wireless units. In the end, CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers were largely successful in being allowed to organize. Verizon agreed to union-organizing of wireless employees without interference from management. A minimum of 55 percent of the employees must sign a form agreeing to union representation.
Cingular was formed last year by the merger of the wireless properties from SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp.
The four-year contract with the Cingular employees establishes, for the first time, a pay progression system from starting pay to the top rate, a total wage increase of 15.3 percent, establishes grievance, mediation and arbitration procedures, maintains existing retirement, health care, education, and other benefits and safeguards seniority protections. CWA hopes the agreements will improve working conditions by allowing flexible schedules and advance notice of work hours and scheduling changes.
CWA had previously organized 5,700 Cingular workers-all former SBC employees. Contract negotiations were halted Dec. 22 for SBC employees. The contract for these employees expires on or about April 1.
“We regret that we didn’t meet our self-imposed deadline, but we did make substantial progress in several key areas, and that should put us ahead of the game when we resume the talks later on. … We still have a long way to go, but there is no reason that we can’t get back together and reach a settlement well before contract expiration,” said CWA President Morton Bahr.
It is unclear whether CWA is attempting to organize employees in the BellSouth region. A Cingular representative said the company is not aware of any organizing efforts in the that region.
“Nothing has changed for those employees post-joint venture, ” said Lew Walker, Cingular vice president of human resources operations and labor. Specific comment regarding the BellSouth region from CWA was not available by RCR Wireless News press time.
IBEW is formulating plans to organize Verizon Wireless employees but no specific plans have been made regarding Cingular, said IBEW spokesman Jim Spillane, noting that IBEW has no members at BellSouth or SBC.
Qwest Communications International Corp. was able to emerge from the union negotiating table on Oct. 31 without agreeing to allow CWA to have access to its wireless employees.
