August 14, 2009

Volume 09 NO 34

VERIZON COMMMUNICATIONS

The Potomac Area Regional Operations organization under Mary Jane Johnston (covering Directors Wiesel, Ketterer and Sanders in Washington, D.C.) has a need to reduce force and intends to offer EISP. Volunteers will be accepted as necessary to meet business needs.

Packages will be mailed to employees beginning August 10, 2009. The volunteer period will begin on August 16, 2009. Volunteers whose applications for EISP are accepted will have a last day worked of October 31, 2009.

This is an update from the Union’s meeting with Verizon on Wednesday, August 5, 2009 regarding the pending Article 35's.

All of the post 08/03/2003 NCSD employees covered under the current Article 35 Force Adjustment that do not choose to accept the voluntary EISP offer that includes the Voluntary Termination Bonus, will be canvassed to make job picks beginning August 23 and they will have until August 31 to make their selections. If an employee doesn't qualify for a first pick, or if a more senior employee picks the employee's first choice, the Company will assign the employee's next pick... and so on.

This information will be communicated on Monday, August 10, 2009. Affected members will be requested to prioritize jobs they may consider.

Anyone who elects to pick and qualifies for jobs on the attached Job Vacancies sheet will be required to report to their new assignment sometime on or about October 22. Article 23 - Transfer and Reassignment provisions will apply for anyone who is assigned a job that is at least 35 miles farther from his/her residence than the distance between their residence and current reporting location.

There are 71 affected members who have NCS dates after August 2003 in the Article 35's declared on July 24. There are four (4) employees impacted by forced adjustment in Washington, D.C. who are members of Local 2336.

Eligible members represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) will receive a general wage increase (GWI) of 3.5% with an effective date of August 2, 2009 in the basic weekly wage rate which will be applied to all steps on the wage schedules.

The GWI will be reflected in August 14^th paychecks.

The hearing date for the arbitration case addressing the implementation of Workplace Attire Guidelines by Verizon has been set. It will take place on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 in Washington, D.C.

This case was initiated back in February of this year as an executive level grievance on behalf of all Verizon members represented by District 2.

The Executive Board of Local 2336 would like to take this opportunity to extend a hearty welcome to Vivian Schmitter—the new attorney for CWA District 2. Vivian will start on Monday, August 17^th and will report to the CWA District 2 office located in Bowie, Maryland.

Vivian is a former member of CWA-AFA and we are excited that she will be able to combine her legal training with the hands-on experience of being a union member.

There is an organized movement to spread lies and distortions about health care reform.  Legislation pending in the U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 3200, is endorsed by President Obama and strongly supported by CWA. This bill will:

The insurance industry and other special interests are trying to derail reform by making false and misleading claims about health care legislation. Don’t be fooled by their propaganda.