---

****************************MOST RECENT (2011-2010):****************************

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______________________________________________________________________________________

Christmas Caroling at

 

Sandra Moose's House!

(Verizon Board Member)

Thursday, December 15^th

 

 

Time: 6pm

Location: Meet @ Millenium Park

398 Gardner St, W. Roxbury, MA

______________________________________________________________________________________

Melissa A. Morin Scholarship Application Deadline: December 15, 2011

Click HERE to print the Application

(or see your Chief Steward/DVP for an application)

Union Plus Scholarship application deadline: January 31, 2012

The Union Plus Scholarship Program has awarded more than $3.2 million to students of over 2,100 union families since launching in 1992. Make sure your members get plenty of time to apply by getting word out about the program: Applications are now available online and must be received on or before 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. Apply online for the 2012 Union Plus Scholarship at UnionPlus.org/Scholarship

___________________________________________________________________

 

The PS3 Bundle drawing was held at CWA Local 1400 on Thursday, December 1st.

And the Winner is... SARAH WATSON!!! - Fairpoint, South China, ME

(Sarah has graciously donated the PS3 Bundle to the Lanciani family)

 

Thank you to everyone who contributed! 

*All donations (minus expenses) will go to CWA Local 1400 Member Shawn Lanciani, who has not been allowed back to work since the strike against Verizon ended.

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Run-off Election Notice

 

The Run-off election will be a secret ballot by mail for the following position:

Treasurer, CWA Local 1400

 

Full notification - CLICK HERE

 

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November 29, 2011

Verizon
Workers' Rights
Speak Out

Make Your Voice Heard!

Current proposals from Verizon will affect workers and their communities.  Come hear workers speak out on Verizon's actions in the workplace, Verizon's retaliation against workers and lack of responsibility to wider public.

Tuesday, November 29^th, 2011

6:30PM

St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral,

138 Tremont St, Boston

For more information visit www.massjwj.net or email jennife@massjwj.net

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October 28, 2011 - CWA Local 1400 Officer Election Results:

A Runoff Election for Treasurer of CWA Local 1400 will be held by mail within the next couple of weeks. There is a Runoff Election because no candidate received 50% plus one votes to be the winner. The (2) candidates that received the greatest number of votes will be in the Runoff Election.

Dates for the Election will be broadcasted to Members as soon as the information is available.

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Sept 30, 2011

Secret Ballots for Officer Elections have been mailed to all

CWA Local 1400 Members in Good Standing. If you have not received

a Ballot, please call the American Arbitration Association @

617-695-6037

*Ballots MUST be received by 5pm October 27, 2011*

 

Click HERE to view the CWA Election and Campaign Rules

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9/16/11 - Oakland, Maine:

T-Mobile Workers Fight Downsizing

___________________________________________________________________

Struggling FairPoint to Lay off 400 Workers

 

By CLARKE CANFIELD Associated Press

 

PORTLAND, Maine September 8, 2011 (AP)

Telecommunications Company FairPoint Communications is cutting 400 jobs, or about 10 percent of its work force, as it continues to struggle financially after emerging from bankruptcy.

Company officials notified employees Thursday that about 130 people will lose their jobs in Maine, 190 in New Hampshire and 55 in Vermont in the coming months. Another 25 jobs are being cut in the other 15 states where FairPoint operates.

"We're matching our work force to our workload," said FairPoint Maine President Mike Reed. "We're under pretty heavy competition and everyone knows we've lost some access lines."

FairPoint is based in Charlotte, N.C., and provides telephone and high-speed Internet services in 18 states, with nearly 1.4 million access lines.

The company filed for bankruptcy in the fall of 2009, 18 months after buying Verizon's northern New England landline telephone and Internet operations for $2.3 billion. It has continued to struggle since emerging from bankruptcy in January.

In its last earnings report, FairPoint reported losing $27.1 million for the April-June period while seeing the number of its access lines decline 6.4 percent from a year ago. Its stock price has fallen from over $24 a share after emerging from bankruptcy to about $6, where it was trading Thursday afternoon.

The jobs now being cut include about 100 management positions and 300 union-represented jobs. All eligible employees will receive severance packages expected to total between $7 and $13 million.

The smaller work force will result in annual savings of about $34 million, FairPoint said.

The job cuts show the company still hasn't worked out its problems, said Peter McLaughlin, chairman of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers council overseeing locals in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

"We just barely have the people now to get done what we have to do and now they're going to cut another 400 heads," McLaughlin said. "Our residential customers, our business customers and our wholesale customers are going to suffer. And that's going to drive the company into the ground even further."

All the union layoffs involve IBEW members. FairPoint workers in the Communications Workers of America union, who work at FairPoint's call centers, have a separate contract and are not affected by the job cuts, Reed said.

While FairPoint continues to lose money, Reed said the company is meeting its goals for customer service and expanding broadband Internet throughout northern New England.

FairPoint has about 4,000 employees, nearly 3,400 of which are in northern New England.

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Thursday August 4th (6:00pm)

Join Us For The

2 Days to the Contract Expiration Rally!!

Location: 185 Franklin Street, Boston, MA @ 6:00pm

Marching from Bowdoin Square T-stop @ 5:45pm and South Station @ 5:50pm

Led by Bag Pipers!
Motorcycles are meeting @ 5:30pm: 649 Summer Street

Buses Going to Boston August 4^th, Departing at 4:30-5:15pm:

Buses are being filled on a first come first serve basis!

Buses will be leaving Boston no later than 8:30pm

Fitchburg: Kmart 140 Whalon Street, Fitchburg, MA

Worcester: Price Chopper 72 Pullman Street, Worcester, MA

Marlboro:  251 Locke Drive, Marlboro, MA

Milford: Kmart 124 Medway Road, Milford, MA

Taunton: (No Bus) Meeting at the Braintree T-Station @ 4:30pm

**Limited Seating on (1) Bus leaving from Lawrence Elk's @ 5:30

PLEASE CALL CWA LOCAL 1400 TO PUT YOUR NAME ON A LIST FOR BUSES!

* Please give us your name, CBR, office and location you want to get on the bus: (603) 436-4388

 

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July 20, 2011

Local 1298

Communications Workers of America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: President, William Henderson 860-908-8680

Against All Odds

T-Mobile CT Technicians Vote to “GO UNION”

Hamden, Wednesday, July 20, 2011 – Fifteen T-Mobile technicians voted in an election supervised by the National Labor Relations Board yesterday to join CWA Local 1298. They are the first T-Mobile workers in the nation to win a voice in their workplace.

The workers endured a withering anti-union campaign by T-Mobile management, including forced “captive audience” anti-union indoctrination sessions, stepped-up monitoring and other intimidation tactics, and an unusual 4 day NLRB hearing where high-priced T-Mobile attorneys tried to challenge the workers’ petition.

William Henderson, President of the Communications Workers of America, Local 1298 said, “This is a great victory for telecommunications workers in general, and especially T-Mobile workers. These workers had the guts and the wisdom to step up to protect their own interests. With the AT&T / T-Mobile merger coming, all T-Mobile workers should consider whether they want to go it alone – or have a voice in what happens. That’s why these Connecticut workers voted ‘Union.’ It’s a smart move.”

Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1298 represents almost 5,000 workers working at at&t, at&t Mobility and other workplaces in Connecticut and throughout New England. One of the biggest union locals in the region, CWA Local 1298 is based in Hamden, CT.

___________________________________________________________________

Rhode Island and Massachusetts

telecom workers and community supporters

are invited to:

Rally for good jobs

and quality services

at Verizon!

More than 50,000 Verizon workers on the East Coast are campaigning for a new union contract that would ensure good wages, quality health care and secure pension benefits. Our contract expires at midnight on August 6.

Union members are also fighting to provide quality services in the jobs of the future. Verizon has transitioned from a traditional "phone company" to a high tech provider of video, Internet and wireless communications. But management has "walled-off" union members from the new jobs in wireless and much of the Internet.

Through more than 35 years of collective bargaining, telecom workers have achieved secure jobs with good wages. These are the good jobs our communities need. We won't go backwards!

"We Are One" Rally

June 16, 2011

5:30 - 7:30 PM

Verizon Fiber Solutions Center (FSC)

234 Washington St, Providence, RI

RSVP on Facebook at: We Are One! Ready to Strike at Verizon 2011 (IBEW-CWA)
IBEW T6: www.ibew2222.org or call (617) 929-6000
CWA Local 1400: www.cwalocal1400.org or call (603) 436-4388
WE'RE PROVEN - WE'RE UNION - HANG TOUGH
www.ibew.org
www.cwa-union.org

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June 2, 2011

Maine - Rally against the Right-To-Work Bill:

___________________________________________________________________

June 1, 2011

New Hampshire - Fighting the Right-To-Work Bill:

___________________________________________________________________

May 25, 2011

H202 bill signing at the VT State House

___________________________________________________________________

May 1, 2011

Single Payer Health Care Rally, Montpelier, Vermont

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April 14, 2011

Verizon Work & Family Committee -

SUMMER CAMP REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM 2011

DEADLINE FOR ENROLLMENT: JUNE 30, 2011

Click HERE for Summer Camp Reimbursement Info & Enrollment Application

___________________________________________________________________

April 13, 2011

Taunton CSSC/SRC - Welcoming Verizon COO, Lowell McAdam!

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April 12, 2011

District 1 held a high level meeting today and AT&T has agreed to honor the Arbitration decision!

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April 6, 2011

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April 4, 2011

National Day of Action Photos - CWA Local 1400

 

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April 1, 2011

Dear Colleagues:

This is a reminder that applications are now being accepted through April 30 for the CWA Joe Beirne Foundation's annual scholarship offerings for the 2011-2012 school year.

The Foundation's Board of Directors has approved the awarding of fifteen (15) partial college scholarships of up to $3,000 each, and the winners also will receive second-year scholarships for the same amount, contingent upon satisfactory academic achievement.

Eligible for the scholarships are CWA members, their spouses, children and grandchildren, including the dependents of retired, laid-off, or deceased members. Applicants must be high school graduates or high school students who will graduate during the year in which they apply. Undergraduate and graduate students returning to school may also apply.

Applications will be available solely online for completion and submission to the Foundation's website:

http://www.cwa-union.org/pages/beirne.


In Unity,

Larry Cohen
President

___________________________________________________________________

March 26, 2011

Second Verizon 2011 Contract Campaign and
Organizing Strategy Session

___________________________________________________________________

March 23, 2011

http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=cwa_crows_over_att_deal

When news of AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile USA broke on Sunday, the immediate reaction among progressives was one of dismay.
"Don't believe the hype: There is nothing about having less competition that will benefit wireless consumers," said S. Derek Turner, research director of the open communications advocacy group Free Press, in a statement. Other progressive consumer groups, including the Consumer Federation of America and the Center for Digital Democracy, were also quick to issue statements denouncing the deal, which, if approved, would create the country's largest cellular carrier.
However, one progressive group cheered the merger: the Communication Workers of America, a labor union whose more than 500,000 members include 150,000 AT&T employees.
"[Union members] in the U.S. will welcome this news since of all the possible partners, AT&T will mean better employment security and a management record of full neutrality toward union membership and a bargaining voice," CWA President Larry Cohen said in a statement shortly after the merger was announced. "For T-Mobile USA workers who want a voice in their workplace, this acquisition can provide a fresh start with T-Mobile management."
For over a decade, CWA has been trying to organize T-Mobile's 26,000 workers. (The American Prospect covered CWA's organizing campaign back in our November issue.) However, CWA alleges that T-Mobile has engaged in heavy-handed anti-union intimidation tactics that have prevented workers from joining a union.
"When we tried to organize a call center in Maine, they just stopped us dead in our tracks with just a brutal intimidation campaign," said New England Area CWA Local 1440 President Don Trementozzi. "They called the police on our organizers when they visited the workplace. They threatened to fire people who supported the union. It was just impossible to get an organizing committee going there."
At AT&T, the Communication Workers of America have succeeded over the decades in winning concessions from management, including an easier path to organizing and a neutrality agreement that would prevent the company from interfering with union drives. If past is prologue, the new AT&T umbrella could be good news for T-Mobile workers.
"When Unicel sold to AT&T, we were able to successfully organize Unicel workers, who had been trying to organize for years, in just 90 days and get them into the contract right away," said Trementozzi. "It's unheard of in the labor movement to organize workers and get them a contract in 90 days, but with the neutrality agreement we were able to do it. It was almost pathetic how easy it was."
The opportunity to organize T-Mobile using a similar neutrality agreement could be a great boon to CWA, which has lost nearly 50,000 members since the recession began in 2007. It could also benefit unions nationwide.
"If heavily unionized AT&T didn't buy T-Mobile, it would be tough for AT&T to compete against non-union Verizon, who had gained a greater market share," said Trementozzi. "If T-Mobile had sold to non-union Sprint, it would have made the situation even worse for AT&T. Now, at least a union company like AT&T can compete against Verizon and not drive unions totally out of the telecom industry."
Some progressive consumer advocates disagree, arguing that unions are putting their own self-interest above the interests of consumers and the country's economic wellbeing.
"It may create more dues-paying members for CWA, but does it mean it's good for overall job market and the country?" asked Free Press political adviser Joel Kelsey. "Mergers almost always result in layoffs."
This is not the first time CWA has sided with telecoms and upset progressives. Over the summer, progressive groups blasted CWA for endorsing the compromise position of the FCC on net neutrality.
But unions counter all of these charges by arguing that consumer advocacy groups are not properly balancing consumers' rights with the need to build a movement for workers' rights. "We think it's important to put the workers' rights issue on their agenda and into their analysis of positions," said CWA Senior Director of Collective Bargaining and Technology George Kohl. "The future of the labor movement is at stake?and the strength of the progressive movement as a result."
Mike Elk is a third-generation union organizer and labor journalist based in Washington, D.C. He writes frequently for the Huffington Post and In These Times and has appeared as a commentator on CNN, Fox News, and NPR. Follow him at www.Twitter.com/mikeelk.

___________________________________________________________________

March 22, 2011

CWA 1118 Picket of at&t

___________________________________________________________________

March 20, 2011 ***************** BREAKING NEWS!!! *********************

Statement by CWA President Larry Cohen

on the planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA by AT&T

___________________________________________________________________

February 25, 2011

Stand Up With Wisconsin Rally In Trenton, NJ:

(Below) Don Trementozzi, President and Barbara Finn, DVP District 5, Maine

___________________________________________________________________

February 25, 2011

Press Release

For more info contact Paul Feeney 617-930-8729 or Rand Wilson 617-803-0799

Massachusetts to Wisconsin...
Verizon IBEW members travel to Wisconsin to help build solidarity

In another important solidarity development, seven Boston-area Verizon employees who are members of IBEW Local 2222 left on Friday afternoon for an eighteen hour drive to Madison, Wisconsin to join the massive labor protests scheduled for this weekend.

Writing in a blog about the group's trip, Verizon employee and IBEW Local 2222 organizer Paul Feeney wrote, "We're making good time. We left Boston this afternoon and have heard from union members throughout the area as they send messages of support to the workers of Wisconsin. We plan to drive straight to Madison throughout the night."

I have asked each of my union brothers on the trip to reflect on how important it is to stand up at this critical time and act. Though we are but one small trip across many states that will end in a matter of days, we hope it serves as a call to action to all workers and their families. The call is urgent and the time is now!"

Steve "Smitty" Smith, another IBEW organizer and a retired 36-year lineman who is also on the trip wrote, "How important is Madison to me?  My mom and my dad (a retired postal worker) live very modestly on his pension. Yet they offered me $100 when I told them we were going to support the workers in Madison.  My mom and dad can't afford $100, but they won't stand by and see their children and grandchildren's futures disappear without getting involved."  With his years of telecom experience and history of union activism, Smitty is considered the dean of the Boston delegation.

Other IBEW Local 2222 members on the trip to Madison include Bill Crowley, John Colleran, Jeff Oreander, Pat Atwell, and Matt Lyons.

"I'm so proud of all the telecom workers who are standing in Solidarity with our union brothers and sisters in Wisconsin," said Myles Calvey, Business Manager of IBEW Local 2222 and a key leader of Verizon telecom workers in New England.  "Our unions must become part of a broad social movement to stop corporate greed in its tracks where ever it rears its ugly head!  If today that fight is in Wisconsin, then we will be there!"

Calvey will be one of the lead negotiators for the union contracts with Verizon covering telecom workers from Massachusetts to Virginia that expires on August 6, 2011.

"Our local labor movement stood proud on Tuesday, said Greater Boston Labor Council, AFL-CIO Executive Secretary-Treasurer Rich Rogers.  "To see our private sector unions rallying with our public employees demonstrated again that union solidarity is more than just a slogan in Boston."

Watch a video clip of the last Tuesday's Boston rally visit:  http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/02/23/boston-rally/

Rand Wilson
Center for Strategic Research, AFL-CIO

___________________________________________________________________

February 21, 2011

Following is Message from Chris Shelton 

 

Hello Everyone,

Labor Unions and the Middle Class are being attacked. In Wisconsin, the right wing is trying to strip away the Collective Bargaining Rights of the public workers.  Tens of thousands of people have been protesting all weekend in Wisconsin. This is not a Budget fight, this is about a Governor who wants to destroy Unions. Ohio, Indiana, and New Jersey to name a few states are also under attack. There will be rallies in State Capitals all over the country this week. We must all get off the sidelines and join in this fight.

CWA and the AFL-CIO will be having a Rally in Trenton on the steps of the Statehouse on Friday at 12 Noon. The rally will be in support of our Brothers and Sisters who are fighting for their lives and their Unions in Wisconsin. The rally will also be a demonstration to the Governor of New Jersey that his ongoing attack on Collective Bargaining for our members and all Public Sector Union Members will be met with the same vehemence as what's going on in Wisconsin. It is vitally important for the survival of the Labor Movement and the survival of the Middle Class that we all come together not only Unions but also every group that has a stake in saving the American Dream.

Make no mistake if they succeed in Wisconsin and New Jersey they will be coming for the private sector unions and the rest of the Middle Class next.

On Friday February 25, 2011 - Every Union member should wear RED and we should encourage everyone who supports the American Dream to wear RED in support of our Rally IN Trenton and the Fight in Wisconsin.

CWA will be sponsoring a Nationwide Stewards Meeting (Conference Call) on Wednesday night tentative time 7:30 pm. Every CWA Steward should be on that call. Every Local should contact their Stewards to alert them, as the details become available we will get them to you.
 
Also any Local that can send people to Trenton on Friday at 12 noon should do so to demonstrate shoulder to shoulder arm in arm with your Brothers and Sisters CWA members from the Public Sector. Tentatively scheduled to speak at the Rally are Richard Trumka President of the AFL-CIO, Larry Cohen President of CWA and even more importantly Workers from Wisconsin.

 

See you Friday in Trenton,
Chris Shelton, Vice President

___________________________________________________________________

January 30, 2011

VT AFL-CIO COPE Conference, Barre, VT

(Above, Left to Right) Mike O'Day, Lisa Heisler, Sumner Delaney / VT Governor, Peter Shumlin

(Above, Left to Right) Kris White, Mike O'Day, Jeff Gauther / Senator, Bernie Sanders

(Above, Left to Right) Congressman, Peter Welch / 2nd Row: Mike O'Day, Sumner Delaney, Front Table: Jeff Lasko, Kris White, Jeff Gauther, Gary Trivento

___________________________________________________________________

January 8, 2011

Contract Campaign and Organizing Strategy Session.

CWA 1400 President Don Trementozzi and

IBEW 2222 Business Manager Myles Calvey.

More information about mobilizations in your area coming soon!

___________________________________________________________________

All members and retirees invited!
Second Verizon 2011 Contract Campaign and
Organizing Strategy Session
It's Your Job - Join the Fight for It!

The Mobilization Team will have a second contract strategy meeting leading up to the August 6 Verizon contract expiration. We are organizing events to bring awareness and information to the membership regarding the issues involved in bargaining and our role as members to ensure a fair and equitable contract for all.

With all that has been in the news lately it is imperative that each and every member get involved. To quote Business Manager Myles Calvey, "Our success is gauged by your participation."

So participate for the good of the union!

Featuring:

• Presentations by T-6 Council Chair/IBEW Local 2222 Business Manager Myles Calvey and CWA Local 1400 President Don Trementozzi.

• Discussion of key contract issues and the context for bargaining in 2011.

• Mobilization and organization: Setting up our campaign structures and getting ready to mobilize for the future!

Saturday, March 26, 2011
8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Teamsters Local 170, 330 Southwest Cutoff, Worcester, MA
(Take exit 11; Turn left at MA-122; Turn left to merge onto US-20 W/SW Cutoff toward Auburn/Sturbridge)

For more info and to RSVP for the meeting, please contact:
CWA Local 1400, (603) 436-4388, clocal1400@aol.com
IBEW T6 Council and Local 2222, http://ibew2222.org, (617) 929-6000

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All members and retirees are invited!
This is MANDATORY for all Chief Stewards & Stewards!

"Fighting for Our Union Future and the
Good Jobs Our Communities Need"
Verizon 2011 Contract Campaign and Organizing Strategy Session

Featuring:
*Presentations by T-6 Council Chair/IBEW Local 2222 Business Manager Myles Calvey and CWA Local 1400 President Don Trementozzi.
*Discussion of key contract issues and the context for bargaining in 2011.
*Mobilization and organization: Setting up our campaign structures and getting ready to mobilize for the future!

Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
American Legion, 88 Maple St., Marlboro, MA
(Close to I-495; two exits north of I-90)

For more info and to RSVP for the meeting, please contact:
CWA Local 1400, http://www.cwalocal1400.org, (603) 436-4388, clocal1400@aol.com
IBEW T6 Council and Local 2222, http://ibew2222.org, (617) 929-6000

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December 2, 2010

Senator Bernie Sanders:

___________________________________________________________________

November 19, 2010

Maine call center workers being diagnosed with “T-Mobile syndrome”

On November 19, four CWA members visited the T-Mobile call center in Oakland, Maine. Starting at 6:30 in the morning, call center employees arriving at work eagerly spoke about some of the problems they face at T-Mobile.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

November 17, 2010

Swearing in to office, new District Vice President:

Theresa Dobson, District 2

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

November 3, 2010

Dubie concedes, Shumlin wins governor's race
Burlington, Vermont - November 3, 2010

Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Dubie conceded the race to Democrat Peter Shumlin at 9:30 this morning.

In his press conference, Dubie said he "accepts the will of the voters," and will not fight for a recount with the race currently standing at 50 percent to 48 percent.

Shumlin has a press conference planned for sometime between 11:00 a.m. and noon. Stay tuned to Channel 3 for up-to-the-minute results.

WCAX News

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

November 3, 2010

MA Governor -- 2,120 of 2,168 precincts reporting (98%)

	Deval Patrick, Dem (i)	1,083,924	49%	(X)
	Charlie Baker, GOP	930,892	42%
	Tim Cahill, Ind	178,757	8%
	Jill Stein, Grn	32,106	1%

NH Governor -- 278 of 301 precincts reporting (92%)

	John Lynch, Dem (i)	224,720	52%	(X)
	John Stephen, GOP	195,387	45%
	John Babiarz, Lib	9,681	2%

VT Governor -- 233 of 260 precincts reporting (90%)

	Peter Shumlin, Dem	103,504	50%
	Brian Dubie, GOP	100,375	48%
	Dennis Steele, Ind	1,704	1%
	Dan Feliciano, Ind	1,146	1%
	Em Peyton, Ind	797	0%

ME Governor -- 568 of 596 precincts reporting (95%)

	Paul LePage, GOP	206,149	38%	(X)
	Eliot Cutler, Ind	198,589	37%
	Libby Mitchell, Dem	103,018	19%
	Shawn Moody, Ind	27,432	5%
	Kevin Scott, Ind	5,396	1%

___________________________________________________________________

November 2, 2010

CWA-COPE Contest a Tremendous Success

CWA members were the biggest winners in this year’s CWA-COPE contest, because the big jump in new CWA-COPE contributors means that CWAers will have an even stronger voice in the political process.

CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill said CWAers should be very proud that “in the face of great challenges, a record number of members volunteered to either contribute to COPE for the first time or increase their contributions.”

Districts 1 and 6 won the contest, with District 1 collecting the most cards, 1,107, and District 6 raising the most dollars, $129,591, Hill said.

During the six month contest, 4,457 CWAers signed up for COPE for the first time or increased their contributions. That represents a 12.5 percent increase in contributions over 2009.

The hard work of CWA’s legislative/political coordinators, state coordinators and activists in every district and sector made the campaign a tremendous success. And the added incentive of the chance to win a trip to Las Vegas didn’t hurt.

On Nov. 2, eight separate drawings were held at CWA headquarters, with Hill and CWA Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Rechenbach picking the lucky winners of the trip for two to Las Vegas, including two nights’ accommodation and airfare. Watch the drawing at www.cwa-union.org/drawing, or check out the list of winners below:

Combined drawing for District 13/IUE-CWA/AFA-CWA, and media sectors

___________________________________________________________________

October 29, 2010

N.H. Governor John Lynch visits Manchester SRC, Fairpoint, NNE:

___________________________________________________________________

October 21, 2010

Press Release
For immediate release: October 21, 2010
For more info contact: Ralph Montefusco (802) 598-5613 or Rand Wilson (617) 803-0799

CWA Local 1400's New Hampshire members get the facts on key issues before Nov. 2 election

Manchester - Union leaders visited members in New Hampshire on October 20 to talk about key economic issues before voting on Nov. 2.

The Local 1400 Political Action Team distributed an educational leaflet at FairPoint's Holt Avenue Call Center in Manchester, N.H. where about 50 members work. They were joined by IBEW local union leaders who also have members at the same facility.

The educational leaflets showed where New Hampshire candidates for U.S. Senate and Congress stand on jobs, unemployment and social security.

The political education was jointly sponsored by the IBEW and the New Hampshire AFL-CIO.

Based on the candidates' records, the unions recommended support for Senate candidate Paul Hodes, District One Congressional candidate Carol Shea-Porter and District Two Congressional candidate Ann McLane Kuster.

"We don't want our members to get distracted by all of the political noise," said Don Trementozzi, president of Local 1400. "No matter what political party you are associated with, there is a clear difference between the candidates on important pocketbook issues that are the priority for working class families."

"After our members learn the facts, we hope they will vote with their economic self-interest in mind," Trementozzi added.

The response from the union's membership appeared to be very enthusiastic. More than 60 members have joined the local's political action program since union leaders visited members in Vermont on Oct. 18 and New Hampshire yesterday.

CWA Local 1400 unites more than 200 members and their families who live in New Hampshire. Local 1400 members work for FairPoint Communications, Verizon and AT&T mobility.

Rand Wilson
Center for Strategic Research, AFL-CIO

Rand Wilson
Center for Strategic Research, AFL-CIO

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 4, 2010

BI-ANNUAL
CWA LOCAL 1400
MEMBERSHIP MEETING

DATE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2010
TIME: 12pm - 2pm
WHERE: IBEW-UA HALL
3 GREGORY DRIVE, S BURLINGTON, VT 05403

We Urge ALL Members to Attend!

___________________________________________________________________

October 2, 2010

"One Nation" Rally, Washington, DC: 10/2/10

___________________________________________________________________

September 3, 2010

One of (2) Melissa Morin scholarship winners: Jennifer Aubin with her mother Danielle. Jennifer is attending Castleton State College, Castleton, VT. Her mother is a 15 year service rep in the CSSC. Mike O'Day, V.P., District 6 - Vermont, presented Jennifer with the scholarship award.

Second of (2) winners: Daniel Griffin. His mother, Patricia Griffin, has been with Verizon for 23 years and currently is in the Taunton, CSSC. Gregg Irving, VP District 3-SE Massachusetts, presented Patricia with the scholarship award.

___________________________________________________________________

September 2, 2010

"One Nation" Do Not Miss this Historical Day in Washington, DC on October 2nd!

 

There will be buses leaving Friday evening (10/1) and arriving back home Sunday Morning (10/3).

Contact us at the Local office if you have any questions.

PLEASE RSVP TO: (603) 436-4388 OR EMAIL CLOCAL1400@AOL.COM

___________________________________________________________________

August 5, 2010

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Communications Workers of America

Press Release
For immediate release
August 5, 2010

For more info contact: Rand Wilson (617) 929-6000

Telecom workers begin year-long campaign for good jobs and reliable services at Verizon

Boston-Hundreds of telephone workers united in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) rallied for good jobs on Thursday, August 5 at Verizon's New England headquarters.

"A year before our contracts expire, we're sending a message to Verizon's top management that we'll fight for the preservation of good jobs, quality health care and secure pension benefits in negotiations next year," said Myles Calvey, Business Manager of IBEW Local 2222 and chair of the New England telephone workers' bargaining committee. The current agreement with Verizon expires on August 6, 2011.

"Some very profitable companies are using the recession as an excuse to demand givebacks and concessions from their employees," added Calvey. "We want to make it clear to management that union members aren't going to fall for that nonsense at Verizon."

Other speakers at the rally included Lt. Gov. Tim Murray; Congressman Stephen F. Lynch; Rep. Marty Walsh; Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Bob Haynes; Rich Rogers, Executive Sec-Treas, Greater Boston Labor Council; Ed Fitzpatrick, President, IBEW Local 2222; Don Trementozzi, President, CWA Local 1400; John Laughlin, Painters D.C. 35; Peter Derouen, UFCW Local 791; Ed Kelly, President, Boston Firefighters Local 718; Bill McGowan, Business Manager, IBEW Local 2323; Ed Starr, Business Manager, IBEW Local 2321; Dave Keating, Business Manager, IBEW Local 2325; and John Rowley, Business Manager, IBEW Local 2324.

Verizon's second quarter finances showed $9.8 billion in cash flow from operations, up nearly 30 percent from 2009. The $108 billion company had $5.5 billion in free cash flow, up nearly 77 percent from the second quarter in 2009.

Verizon had significant job cuts in 2010. There are now 24,500 fewer employees than one year ago -- and it spent $2.3 billion in the second quarter dealing with union negotiated buyouts to avoid layoffs. "We protected our members during unprecedented job cuts," said Calvey. "But I expect that job security will continue to be a major issue in next year's contract talks."

The workforce reductions, buyouts and layoffs in recent years stem largely from landline losses, but also from Verizon's massive shift away from rural America. Despite strong union opposition, Verizon has sold off its landlines in Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and most recently in 14 other states, substantially reducing union membership.

Meanwhile, the company has focused its investments in the largely unregulated -- and as yet mostly nonunion wireless side of its business.

"Verizon's top management has built an artificial wall separating wireless and other business operations from wireline," said Don Trementozzi, President of CWA Local 1400. "Management is using this wall to block members from the high growth, high profit segments of the company."

"We are gearing up to fight for enhanced organizing rights for Verizon Wireless workers and to help them unite for wages and working conditions comparable to ours," added Trementozzi. "If we don't, Verizon will continue to use its 'divide and conquer' tactics to undermine our contracts." Local 1400 represents hundreds of Verizon workers at call centers throughout Massachusetts.

Both unions have been educating members and building support for enhanced organizing rights for Verizon Wireless employees. Members at IBEW Local 2222 and delegates to the recent CWA national convention have passed resolutions in support of the campaign.

Because customer and community support is so critical to winning good contracts, telecom workers have been building support in anticipation of the 2011 contract.

Members at both unions very actively supported striking workers at Shaw's Methuen warehouse. "I'll be there to support the telephone workers," said UFCW Local 791 member Laurie Comeau-Hunter Mahoney. "We can never repay IBEW and CWA enough for all that they have done for Shaw's workers."

Pictures from the rally may be viewed on the Picasa photo sharing website at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/randwilson.aflcio/AYearAndADayVerizonContractCampaignRally

About 8,000 Verizon workers in Massachusetts and Rhode Island are united in the IBEW and CWA.

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August 5, 2010

 

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July 27, 2010

CWA Local 1400 President, Don Trementozzi, presenting "Tear Down the Wall" (Verizon Wireless) resolution at the 72nd CWA Convention in Washington, DC on July 27, 2010. Resolution PASSED!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOvnsHg-3p4

(Resolution 72A-10-11

Tear Down the Wall at Verizon

New technologies have led to the rapid growth of wireless telephone and data applications, while wireline telephone service is rapidly declining.

Verizon's top management has built an artificial wall separating wireless and other business operations from wireline, and management is using this wall to block representation in the high growth, high profit segments of the company.

Ten years ago, 70 percent of Verizon employees were represented by a union; today it is less than 30 percent.

Verizon's management has aggressively interfered with the freedom of workers in Verizon Wireless (and other subsidiaries and divisions) to unite with unionized Verizon workers in the CWA and IBEW.

In contrast, CWA has negotiated a card check and neutrality agreement with AT&T, Verizon's major competitor, and as a result, 40,000 AT&T Mobility workers have organized into our Union and are covered by collective bargaining agreements.

Resolved: It must be a top priority to tear down the artificial wall that separates non-union Verizon wireless from the mostly union wireline side of the business. Organizing for this fight is preferable now while our unions are still a strong force within the company.

Resolved: Every CWA local must make it a priority to engage and educate Verizon members and Verizon wireless employees regarding the critical importance of building worker-to-worker unity to achieve collective bargaining to gain a strong voice for the good jobs that our communities need.)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

July 24 - 28, 2010

CWA National Convention, Washington, DC

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

July 24, 2010

Appeals Committee, CWA National Convention, Washington, DC

(Don Trementozzi)

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June 18, 2010

** Special Thanks to all the Members and Friends who came to support our Kickoff Party!

50% of the Profits were donated to the Egan-Wood Family!

(Pictures are on the "In The Spotlight" page)

CWA UNITY COMMITTEE

Proudly Presents:

Party Like A Rock Star Fundraiser!

Date:     Friday, June 18, 2010
Time:     7pm-1am (DJ & Cash Bar)
Location:  Lawrence Elk’s Ballroom
                652 Andover St, Lawrence, MA
Theme:   "Party Like a Rock Star!"

Admission: $10.00 per person

Entertainment by DJ Sean O'Toole:

http://themusicexplosiondjseano.webs.com/

Silent Auction & Prize Raffle Donations by:

CWA Local 1400 Members, Stewards, Friends

Daddy's Junky Music, Legal Sea Food, 99 Restaraunt, Fireside Restaraunt, Amoskeag Airport Service and MORE!

(2) $50 door prizes
50/50 Raffle
Dress like your favorite Rock Star!
Prize for best dressed!
Plus many other exciting activities!

 

Partial Proceeds to benefit the Egan-Wood Family

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June 4, 2010

IBEW Local 2222 membership joins CWA Local 1400 and adopts a "Tear Down the Wall" Resolution to expand organizing rights at Verizon

06/04/2010 - 1:00pm

Boston -- Hundreds of telecom workers voted unanimously at IBEW Local 2222's regular membership meeting on Wednesday, June 2 to support a grassroots campaign to make "tearing down the artificial wall separating the non-union Verizon wireless from the mostly union wireline side of the business" a top priority in negotiations for their next contract in 2011.

The resolution was advanced on the floor of the membership meeting by two leaders of the local's new "Futures Committee," which was established to develop new leadership at Local 2222 and within the larger labor movement.

"This is about all of our future as employees of Verizon," Pat Atwell told members. "Verizon is rapidly moving into the high growth, high profit areas of the telecommunications industry. But as they do so, top management is intent on leaving us – the union workers who built this company – behind.

"We can't let that happen," he continued. "Not if we want a future in this company for us, our children and our communities." Atwell, a Verizon splice service technician, works out of the company's Woburn garage.

Chris Morgan, another Verizon technician from South Boston, seconded the resolution. "Five years ago union membership at Verizon was about 70 percent of the company. Today we are less than 30 percent. Nothing is more important than reaching out to Verizon Wireless employees regarding the benefits of collective bargaining. We need to educate them and build unity in our company to achieve a strong voice for the good jobs that our communities need."

A similar resolution was also adopted by CWA Local 1400 at its May executive board meeting in Portsmouth, NH.

Local union leaders hope that the "Tear Down the Wall" resolution will spread to other telecom locals in both the IBEW and the CWA. 

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May 21, 2010

A MARCH FOR JUSTICE @ SHAW’S

    MONDAY, MAY 24TH @ NOON
         ON SHATTUCK ROAD

(PHOTOS FROM 5-24-10 ARE ON THE 'IN THE SPOTLIGHT!' PAGE)

300 FAMILIES 60 MILES 5 DAYS MARCH WITH THE SHAW'S WAREHOUSE WORKERS Shaw's, and their parent company Supervalu, have forced the workers to go on strike since March 7 over unfair demands for workers to bear ALL the burden of increasing health care costs. On April 1, Shaw's unilaterally cut off the workers' health care. Workers and supporters are marching to urge Shaw's to come to the bargaining table with a proposal that keeps good jobs in the community, instead of a regressive proposal that lowers workers' living standards. WHAT: 300 families, 5-day, 60-mile march for justice at Shaw's WHEN: Kick-off event on Sunday, May 23 at 12 p.m. WHERE: Shaw's Perishable Distribution Center 100 Danton Drive, Methuen, MA 01844 WHO: Striking Shaw's warehouse workers, their families and supporters STAND WITH SHAW'S WORKERS TO SAVE GOOD JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY! See below for details on march route. Contact Megan Pierce at (781) 864-6285 or mpierce@ufcw.org to find out how you can join the march or how you can help the marchers along the way. Join the striking Shaw's Methuen warehouse workers, their families and supporters, as they begin a 5day, 60miles march from the Methuen warehouse to the State House in Boston. 300 FAMILIES 60 MILES 5 DAYS DAY 1:Sunday May 23rd-Methuen Warehouse to Lawrence Common Start/Rally: 12 p.m. Shaw's Distribution Center (100 Danton Drive, Methuen) Rally/Stop: 3 p.m. Lawrence Heritage Park (1 Jackson St, Lawrence) DAY 2:Monday May 24-Lawrence Common to Reading on Route 28 Start: 8:00 a.m. at Lawrence Heritage Park (1 Jackson St, Lawrence) Rally: 11:30 a.m. at the Verizon Call Center (20 Shattuck Road, Andover) Sleep/Stop: 6:30 p.m. at Old South United Methodist Church (6 Salem St, Reading) DAY 3:Tuesday May 25-Reading to Medford Start: 8:00 a.m. at Old South United Methodist Church (6 Salem St, Reading) Rally: 12:00 p.m. at Shaw's (99 Main St, Stoneham) Rally: 1:00 p.m. at Stop & Shop (259 Main St, Stoneham) Sleep/Stop: 6:30 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church (147 High St., Medford) DAY 4:Wednesday, May 26th-Medford to Cambridge Start: 8:00 a.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church (147 High St., Medford) Rally: 9:30 a.m. at Shaw's (61 Locust, St, Medford) Rally: 1:30 p.m. at Shaw's (14 McGrath Hwy, Somerville) Rally: 6:30 p.m. at Centro Presente! (17 Inner Belt Road, Somerville) Sleep/Stop: Temple B'nai B'rith (201 Central Street, Somerville) DAY 5:Thursday March 27th-March into Boston! Start: 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Community Breakfast at Temple B'nai Brith (201 Central St. Somerville) co-sponsored by the New England Jewish Labor Committee & Temple B'nai Brith Social Action Committee, RSVP at: BostonJLC@aol.com. For questions call 617 227-0888 Start: 9:00 a.m. at Centro Presente! (17 Inner Belt Road, Somerville) Rally: 12 p.m. at Star Market/Central Square (20 Sidney Street, Cambridge) March: 1 p.m. to State House (24 Beacon Street, Boston) Rally: 3:00 p.m. at State House March/Rally: 4:00 p.m. at Shaw's Prudential (53 Huntington Avenue, Boston)

New England Jewish Labor Committee 18 Tremont Street, Suite 320 Boston, Massachusetts 02108

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May 7, 2010

Verizon exec, union square off at meeting - Landline sale to Frontier upsets workers

 

By Toby Manthey

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/may/07/verizon-exec-union-square-meeting-20100507/?subscriber/business

 

LITTLE ROCK — New York-based Verizon Communications Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg on Thursday faced union workers upset about his company’s pending $8.6 billion sale of rural landline assets to Frontier Communications.

 

The exchange was at the Peabody Little Rock hotel at Verizon’s annual shareholders meeting, which about 200 people attended. Verizon said last month that it varies the gathering’s location each year to make it convenient for shareholders around the nation.

 

Several dozen members of the Communications Workers of America union - at the meeting and on the nearby sidewalk in front of the Statehouse Convention Center - spoke out against Verizon layoffs nationwide, as well as those they said will come from the sale of rural phone lines to Frontier.

 

Verizon, which has about 220,000 employees, laid off 7,413 in the fourth quarter, The Associated Press reported in late January. The company said at the beginning of the year that it expects about 13,000 positions to be cut on the wireline side of the company this year, about the same as in 2009, the AP said.

 

No mention was made during the meeting of the cuts that Verizon Wireless, which is co-owned by Verizon Communications and Vodafone, has made in Arkansas. About 600 people have lost jobs in the state since Verizon bought Little Rock-based Alltel Corp. in January 2009. (Verizon has said layoffs at the Little Rock headquarters will be less than originally thought.)

 

Mark Franken of Austin, Texas, one of the protesters outside the meeting, said Frontier’s deal to buy the rural assets in 14 states is bad for Verizon workers and affected communities.

 

“Anytime these companies merge, they cut jobs,” Franken said.

 

The protesters - who Franken said were from Arkansas, Texas and the East Coast - also were on hand Wednesday, protesting other issues at Little Rock-based Windstream Corp.’s annual meeting, also in downtown Little Rock.

 

Union representatives said they also opposed the sale of rural landline assets because Frontier will take on a large amount of debt and, they said, be unable to invest in their broadband network, which is necessary for the economic growth of communities.

 

Companies that bought lines from Verizon in the past have gone into bankruptcy, they said, such as FairPoint Communications, which bought Verizon lines in New England, as well as Hawaiian Telecom, which bought Verizon lines in Hawaii.

 

Seidenberg said at the meeting that he wouldn’t address every point on the Frontier deal made by the workers.

 

“You guys don’t like it; we like it,” he said. “We already know that.”

 

But he said he thinks affected communities will see better broadband service through the sale, which was announced a year ago and is to close in mid-2010.

 

Frontier is focused on rural landline service, while Verizon concentrates on urban wireless service, he said.

 

Seidenberg said Verizon has no plans currently to sell any more of the landlines.

 

Arkansas is not one of the states affected by the Frontier sale.

 

All proposals introduced by Verizon shareholders were voted down by majorities. Among the measures were a proposal for a policy to prevent discrimination based on sexual identity; a shareholder right to call special meetings, and a proposal that would tie the vesting or paying out of stock awards with company performance.

 

Verizon’s board of directors had opposed the proposals.

 

Several of the proposals achieved more than 30 percent support by shareholders in preliminary results. One, a proposal to require shareholder approval for agreements or policies that would pay benefits for executives after death, garnered more than 40 percent.

 

The Firefighters’ Pension System of Kansas City, which sponsored the proposal, said executives could pay for such benefits themselves, such as by buying life insurance.

 

Also at the meeting, Verizon’s 13 directors were elected; Ernst & Young was approved as the company’s independent auditor; and shareholders approved Verizon’s overall pay-for-performance policies.

 

This article was published today at 3:36 a.m.
Business, Pages 29 on 05/07/2010

Copyright © 2010, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc

 

 

 

Rand Wilson
Center for Strategic Research, AFL-CIO

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April 29, 2010

What a weekend! 1,200 amazing troublemakers descended on Detroit. There was so much energy and knowledge on display. You blew us away. Share your experiences We're already planning how to make Labor Notes events even stronger. You can help by sharing your experiences with us. Four simple questions; just press reply and send us your thoughts. What stood out the most to you, good or bad? Who was the most interesting person you met? Story you heard? What could you have lived without? How are you going to use what you learned? What plans are you making with people you met at Labor Notes? Photos, videos, tweets: lots of action online Click over to labornotes.org to see an amazing set of conference photos from Jim West and Jon Flanders. Check out our Twitter feed or join our Facebook page to see what everyone had to say. We've got videos of the locked-out California miners receiving their Troublemaker Award, as well as the actions to support the fired Hyatt 100 housekeepers in Boston and the Restaurant Opportunities Center's picket against a wage-thieving restaurant just a mile down the road from the conference. Let's take it further We're eager to spread the conference spirit and deepen the Labor Notes network through Troublemaker Schools, one-day mini-conferences we're holding throughout the country in between the big national events. Didn't have a chance to make it to the planning session for these schools during the Saturday lunch? Let us know if you want one in your town, especially if your local could host. Keep in touch Website: www.labornotes.org Phone: 313-842-6262 Email: conference@labornotes.org Eblast updates: Get on the list at www.labornotes.org/eblast. Facebook: www.facebook.com/labornotes  Help us fund the low-wage workers who came from across the country to the conference: www.labornotes.org/donate

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April 24, 2010

CWA/Verizon - California -Bargaining Bulletin: Tentative Agreement Reached 4-24-10

BARGAINING BULLETIN #54

The Union and the Company bargaining committees have reached a tentative agreement today. Brief highlights of the Core agreement are:

*Wage increases of 2.75% for each of the 3 years.

*Sales Incentive Compensation Plan remains voluntary! 7A wage schedule increased.

*New MOA on Contractors, requiring the Company to report the contracting of “bargaining unit work” on a monthly basis.

*Verizon Business and Video Hub work moved into the Core agreement.

*No employee medical contributions.

*New Medical PPO plan effective Jan 2011 for all employees.

Brief highlights of Regional Wire Service agreement are:

*Additional holidays

*Wage increases of 2.75% for each of the 3 years

More details to follow!

Many “Thanks” to all of the members who actively participated in the bargaining process through your support and mobilization.

In Solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee

Lisa Shafer, David Goodwin, Mike Frost, Ellen West, Ed Venegas, Gregg Gibson

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April 18, 2010

Thank you to all who attended the Bi-Annual CWA Local 1400 Membership Meeting.

We had 70 Members in attendance !

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April 29, 2010

This is a link to a YouTube video of our organizing efforts in Maine for T-Mobile last week.   Tim Dubnau is our CWA District 1 Organizer (recording the video).  Local 1400 Organizer Sheila McGillicuddy can be heard in the background!  Great job everyone!

(No one was arrested...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEBgvCMCPYc

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April 6, 2010

 

Don Trementozzi, President, CWA Local 1400, has been appointed by Larry Cohen, President of CWA, to serve on the 2010 Appeals Committee at the CWA 72nd Annual Convention.  He is one of four Presidents that will serve on this Committee.

*The Appeals Committee is charged with the responsibility of hearing and acting upon any matter that may be referred to the Committee prior to or during the Convention and will make a report to the Convention.*

Congratulations, Don!

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CWA Takes on Verizon Over FMLA Abuses

CWA has filed a lawsuit charging Verizon Communications with denying workers the rights and protections of the Family and Medical Leave Act. The class action lawsuit covers Verizon workers in Districts 1, 2 and 13. (Local 1400 is District 1)
CWA and individual workers have laid out extensive complaints against Verizon. “Verizon has created a number of arbitrary administrative procedures that it requires workers to follow if they want to be certified for FMLA, but these procedures are not a part of the FMLA law. They shouldn’t be used to deny workers their rightful FMLA benefits, but that’s exactly what Verizon is doing,” said CWA General Counsel Mary O’Melveny.
FMLA provides workers at companies with 50 or more employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for the birth or adoption of a child; care of a spouse, parent or a child under 18 for a serious health condition; care of a child over 18 with mental or physical disabilities, and an employee’s own illness.
Verizon’s policies are a real Catch-22:
If a worker followed verbal instructions from the company’s absence reporting center, and those instructions were wrong, though the worker didn’t know it, the claim is denied.

If a worker couldn’t file the full report on time, because her doctor was on vacation or unavailable, the claim is denied. If another physician in the same office completed the report, but didn’t spell out the relationship between the two medical providers, the claim is denied.

If information was missing from the claim, for example, the doctor’s office didn’t complete an item, the claim is denied.

If a supervisor makes an error in reporting a workers’ claim, it’s denied.
At Verizon, as far as FMLA is concerned, once a claim is denied twice, a worker loses her FMLA rights.

---

*************************************** 2009: ****************************************

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Local 1400 Verizon Members,
Verizon has announced another surplus in our Local and many other locals in New York and New England. CWA National and Local Leaders don't agree that we have a surplus. Our work is being moved around the country and vendors are doing our work in violation of our contract. Verizon has laid off CWA members in NY and IBEW members in NE, in violation of our contracts. Make no mistake Verizon is declaring war on us and we will be fighting back! CWA National Union Dist-1 is coordinating an all out attack. We have filed National Labor Relation Board charges and law suits and grievances. We need volunteers to help leaflet Verizon Wireless customers and other planned actions. Please call the local union office 603-436-4388 or email at clocal1400@aol.com to volunteer. Thank you for your support.

Don Trementozzi
CWA Local 1400
President

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A Day in the Life of a Telephone Man Click the video to play it

Requiem For A Heavyweight, Telephone Labor Division

Twenty years ago this December, the large Dorchester, Massachusetts, clan of Jerry "Judgie" Leary was, like many other telephone worker families in the Northeast, not exactly flush with cash for Christmas presents.

Jerry and 60,000 other members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the Communications Workers (CWA) had just spent four grueling, impoverishing months on the picket line battling NYNEX, the regional telecom giant now known as Verizon.

Memories of that strike include first-time-ever visits to food banks, the loss of job-based medical benefits because NYNEX cut them off, and the dismissal, suspension, or arrest of hundreds of union activists in New York and New England. In Westchester County, New York, a CWA picket captain with several young children was hit by a car driven by a scab and died of brain injuries; in New Hampshire, an IBEW striker was killed in an industrial accident while trying to do an unfamiliar factory job to feed his family...
Read the full article here

 

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Hell No!  Zero Givebacks!

Yesterday and today over 700 members showed up for a joint IBEW / CWA meeting in Bangor and Portland Maine. The message to FairPoint members is we did not cause this problem. The overwhelming 2.5 billion dollar debt and organizational chaos is the reason. The members response to the $30 million annual concessions is "Hell no! Tell them "0" givebacks.  We have given and continue to give them our blood, sweat and tears!"

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The U.S. Senate is threatening to pass a health care reform plan that would
tax our health care benefi ts! This plan would force Verizon to cut benefi ts
and shift costs to workers and retirees to avoid this tax.
Average ANNUAL TAX on Verizon East Health Plans:
$5,500 for workers with families
$2,000 for single workers
$3,200 for early retirees with families
$ 500 for single early retirees
President Obama promised health care reform that lets us keep our health care
benefi ts. CWA supports that plan, and the Senate should too.
There’s a better way. All employers should cover their workers and the wealthy
should pay their fair share too.
Call your Senators today! 1-888-580-0792
Tell them: Taxing health benefits is not health care reform

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Verizon is trying to save money by not sending the books describing the benefit plans that they are offering this year.  EVERY MEMBER should be calling to request these books due to the plan changes!!!  1-877-489-2367 Verizon Benefit Center

We filed a Board Charge on the changes the Company made to the HMOs and the Company’s refusing to bargain the new plan (National EPO NYNE). We will continue to pursue these legal options. The company has decided to move forward and there will be many HMO plans that will be terminated. Those members must decide on a new plan during this enrollment period.