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May 15, 2009
Volume 09 NO 20
MEMBERSHIP MEETING
"Tuesday, May 19, 2009"
6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Local Office—920
11th Street SE
(Walking Distance from Potomac Avenue Metro
Stop |
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AVAYA
"Strike Vote"
CWA is taking its strike vote at Avaya in
anticipation of this ’09 round of bargaining. This strike vote will
send a clear message to this employer that we are serious and
committed to achieve a successful contract.
The Union has stated many times before that good contracts are
not bargained at the bargaining table—they are bargained in the
work place. It has always been our willingness and commitment to
support our own issues that has allowed us to achieve good
contracts.
Strike authorization ballots have been sent to each of our Avaya
members, at their homes, with a response cut-off time and date of noon,
Wednesday, May 20, 2009.
VERIZON SELL-OFF
"Spin-off and Merger"
On Wednesday, May 13, 2009, in a move that will further
accelerate the company’s focus on wireless, broadband and global IP,
Verizon announced plans to divest its local wireline operations
serving residential and small-business customers in predominantly
rural areas in 14 states, and that these operations will be acquired
by Frontier Communications.
The operations Frontier will acquire include all of Verizon’s
local wireline operating territories in Arizona, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South
Carolina, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. In addition, the
transaction will include a small number of Verizon’s exchanges in
California, including those bordering Arizona, Nevada and Oregon.
The acquired operations will be spun off into a new entity, which
will be immediately merged into Frontier.
The transaction does not include the services, offerings or
assets of Verizon Wireless, Verizon Business (former MCI Inc.), and
Federal Network Systems LLC, Verizon Network Integration Corp.,
Verizon Global Networks Inc., Verizon Federal Inc. or any other
Verizon businesses in these states. Verizon Business is retaining
contracts with its customers in these states and will purchase local
exchange services from Frontier in order to serve these customers
Approximately 11,000 Verizon company employees—those who
primarily support the local phone business that is being
acquired—will continue employment with Frontier after the merger.
In preparation for the spin off and merger, the Company announced
that wireline operations in these states will be organized into a
fifth Area—the North Central Area. Over the coming months Corporate,
Telecom and VSO resources necessary to support these states will be
reorganized into North Central Area.
CWA DISTRICT 2
"Fighting Back"
 On
Wednesday, May 13, 2009, the Union learned of Verizon’s plan to sell
off access lines in fourteen (14) states including West Virginia.
CWA is currently analyzing the situation and working to develop a
plan of action. That plan of action will be revealed to all of our
members in the next few days—and will require everyone’s
involvement.
At the present time, Frontier is saying that they will honor the
standing union labor agreements in the 14 states, and expects to
work constructively with union leaders.
However, District 2 Vice President Ron Collins stated that, "we
will be doing everything to stop this sell-off which can only be
done because of lucrative tax loopholes." |
