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May 1, 2010
Effective May 1, 2010 the guidelines for CWA Dependent Care Reimbursement are:
New Guidelines
No Income Cap
Up to 2 dependents per household
Up to $10 a day per dependent
Please contact NNE Work & Family with any questions
Julie Dawkins – Work & Family Coordinator
1 Davis Farm Road
Portland, Me. 04103
207-648-3421
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April 25, 2010
Joint Leadership Committee Communication
FairPoint/IBEW/CWA
Joint Communication
Union leaders from IBEW and CWA recently joined senior FairPoint managers to begin a collaborative process to identify $25 million in operational savings. The joint process was agreed to in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the company and the unions in March.
The MOU was developed during collective bargaining related to the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. The MOU calls for a Joint Leadership Committee (JLC) to identify opportunities for cost savings or increased revenue. They will then set up task forces made up of managers and union employees to investigate and analyze the opportunities, jointly problem solve how to find the gains, and make a recommendation to the JLC. The JLC will review the recommendations and make the final decision whether to proceed.
The Joint Leadership Committee consists of the following members:
Brian Lippold |
Sr. Vice President Eng. and Network Planning |
Karen Mead |
Sr. Vice President Operations |
David Calale |
Manager Financial Planning and Analysis |
Diane Winton |
Business Agent IBEW Local 2327 |
Don Trementozzi |
President CWA Local 1400 |
Gary Garvey |
Sr. VP, Human Resources |
Helio Medina |
Sr. Director HR Business Partners |
Jeffrey Richards |
Manager Area Construction |
Jeffrey Allen |
Executive Vice President Northern New England |
Jenn Nappi |
Business Agent IBEW Local 2327 |
Keri Evinson |
Executive Vice President CWA Local 1400 |
Marie Samson |
Director Engineering and Planning Support |
Mary Peters |
Sr. Director Organizational Planning & Perf Mgt |
Mike O'Day |
V.P., CWA District 6 - VT |
Paul Bouchard |
CWA Staff Representative |
Peter Mclaughlin |
Chairman, System Council T-9/
Business Manager IBEW Local 2327 |
Randy Barber |
IBEW/CWA Financial Consultant |
Robert Chien |
Sr. Financial Analyst |
Steven Rush |
Sr. Vice President Consumer Bus. Whl. Cust. Care |
Glenn Brackett |
Business Manager IBEW Local 2320 |
Mike Spillane |
Business Manager IBEW Local 2326 |
Dave O'Connor |
Business Agent IBEW Local 2320 |
From March 29-April 6, the Joint Leadership Committee completed three days of training to prepare for the collaborative process. Among the topics were communication, working in groups, interest based problem solving and analytical problem solving methods.
The training was led by Restructuring Associates Inc. (RAI), a Washington DC based consulting firm that works with unions and unionized companies, and is the mutually agreed upon third party who will also facilitate both the JLC and any task forces that are set up.
On April 19-20, the JLC held two days of meetings to begin the collaborative work to save costs or increase revenue. The committee brainstormed ideas for possible projects and made significant progress by identifying potential topics. More topics will be identified at the next meeting on May 3-4.
Once each topic is fully defined, the JLC will form a task force, develop a charter to guide its work and recruit participants to do the work. Participants will be drawn from across the organization depending on the expertise needed for the topic. Based on the required knowledge, the company will select management participants and the unions will select the union employees for each task force. Participants will first receive training similar to the JLC, and then begin the work of developing recommendations.
The work of the task forces will begin in the near future and continue over the coming months as savings are identified and new topics are prioritized.
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October
20, 2009
Unions:
FairPoint
requests are
unfair |
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Concessions
topic of talks,
leaders say
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By CHELSEA CONABOY
Monitor staff
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Two unions
representing
about 1,450
FairPoint
Communications
workers say
it is unfair
that the
near-bankrupt
company is
asking
workers for
concessions.
Union
leaders
would not
say
specifically
what
FairPoint
has proposed
but
acknowledged
that the
company has
broaced the
topic, and
the leaders
have
discussed it
with their
members.
When
FairPoint
purchased
Verizon's
landline
network in
northern New
England last
year,
opposition
from the two
unions -
Communications
Workers of
America
Local 1400
and
International
Brotherhood
of
Electrical
Workers
Local 2320 -
played a
major role
in earning
FairPoint
about $350
million in
savings on
the deal.
"To come
back to the
people that
really
helped you
get a much
sweeter deal
and say, 'We
need
concessions
now,' I
think that's
unfair,"
said Glenn
Brackett,
business
manager of
the IBEW
chapter.
FairPoint
took over
operations
of the
network at
the end of
January and
has since
struggled
operationally
and
financially.
The company
defaulted on
its bank
loan this
month but
obtained
permission
from lenders
to postpone
penalties
while it
comes up
with a plan
for
restructuring
nearly $2
billion in
debt.
Analysts say
a bankruptcy
filing seems
likely by
the end of
the month.
Union
representatives
have been
meeting
regularly with
the company.
They met last
week, and the
IBEW chapter
held a meeting
for members
statewide
Sunday. Brackett
and Don
Trementozzi,
president of the
Communication
Workers chapter,
declined to
speak about any
specifics
regarding their
discussions with
the company or
members.
The unions
will meet
again with
FairPoint
representatives
Thursday.
Trementozzi
said the two
unions are
working
together
with a team
of experts
including an
economist
and their
attorneys.
"We're not
in
negotiations,"
Trementozzi
said. "We're
in listening
mode. . . .
We will just
take it one
step at a
time, but we
won't be
pushed
around. I
can promise
you that."
FairPoint
spokeswoman
Jill Wurm
declined to
say
specifically
whether the
company has
asked for
concessions
or what they
would
entail. She
said
FairPoint
has regular
conversations
with union
leaders.
"Both union
and nonunion
employees
are
important
stakeholders
in the
future of
our
company,"
she said.
"As such,
we've kept
the
leadership
informed and
engaged with
them in
discussion
of
cost-reduction
opportunities.
. . .
There's
nothing
concrete."
The unions
would have
to agree to
reopen their
contracts
for
negotiations
in order to
make any
concessions.
The
Communications
Workers have
a five-year
contract
with the
company that
started in
April 2008,
when the
sale was
finalized.
"We believe
they can be
a successful
company if
they
restructure
their debt,
but it
doesn't mean
they have to
attack our
contracts,"
Trementozzi
said.
He noted
that, if the
company
declares
bankruptcy
and the
proceeding
changes the
contract,
the workers
have a right
to strike.
But, he
said, the
union would
not take
that option
lightly.
"The parties
are looking
to be
reasonable,"
he said. "We
need to have
a healthy
company
here."
New
Hampshire
Consumer
Advocate
Meredith
Hatfield
said the
company must
maintain its
relationship
with the
unions if it
hopes to
pull
together a
neat plan
for
restructuring.
"The fact
that the
union is
coming out
publicly now
while the
clock is
ticking . .
. is
definitely
cause for
concern,"
she said.
Hatfield
said
cooperation
from the
workers will
be critical
in
maintaining
service
during a
court
proceeding
if the
company does
declare
bankruptcy.
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FairPoint workers cool to
bid for cuts
Business 200x200 --
Business 200x200 --
MANCHESTER –
Union leaders are
unhappy with a FairPoint
Communications Inc.
request for concessions
as the company struggles
to avoid bankruptcy.
"Nickel and diming the
unions is not a way to
get the company back on
track," said Don
Trementozzi, president
of Communications
Workers of America (CWA)
Local 1400.
"Especially when we
worked so hard to get
them to this point
because they would have
been under a long time
ago if we didn't help
them," he said.
Similarly, Glenn
Brackett, business
manager for
International
Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Local 2320, said, "Our
position is that
FairPoint and the union
negotiated the contract
in good faith. Nothing
has changed as far as
we're concerned."
Neither the union
officials nor FairPoint
Communications spokesman
Jill Healey Wurm would
specify what concessions
FairPoint is seeking.
Wurm said, "We have been
exploring options to
improve our financial
position that has
included increasing
revenue, controlling our
costs and restructuring
our debt, and so we are
exploring a number of
cost-cutting measures
across every part of our
business.
"Our employees, both
union and non-union
employees, are important
stakeholders in the
future success of the
company and as such the
company has kept union
leadership informed and
has engaged them in
discussions on cost
reduction options," Wurm
said.
FairPoint negotiated a
30-day grace period with
lenders just before it
would have missed more
than $42 million in
principal and interest
payments due Sept.
30/Oct. 1.
The company has said it
needs to restructure its
debt, possibly through a
bankruptcy.
Charlotte, N.C.-based
FairPoint Communications
bought 1.6 million land
lines in Maine, New
Hampshire and Vermont
from Verizon on March
31, 2008, for more than
$2 billion.
Since changing over to
its own systems Jan. 30,
FairPoint has been
plagued by complaints
from retail, business
and wholesale customers.
The IBEW represents 975
FairPoint workers in New
Hampshire, while CWA
represents about 50.
Wurm said there have
been no layoffs and none
are anticipated in the
foreseeable future.
"Both the IBEW and CWA
told the regulators and
whoever else would
listen, they were taking
on much too much debt,"
Trementozzi said.
"They need to get rid of
at least half the debt,"
he said.
FairPoint has about $1.9
billion of bank debt and
$500 million of bond
debt.
Although unions
initially opposed the
sale of Verizon's
landlines in northern
New England to
Charlotte, N.C.-based
FairPoint, Brackett said
the unions helped
FairPoint win $350
million to $400 million
in concessions from
Verizon.
Brackett said he told
IBEW members at a
meeting Sunday that
whatever happens with
FairPoint, the union
will do whatever it has
to do to protect
members' jobs and wages.
"The state of New
Hampshire has a mess on
its hands today because
Verizon was allowed to
leave. To me, that's the
story; FairPoint is just
a result of the story,"
he said
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July 10, 2009
A message from Mike O'Day
Hello Burlington Members,
If you could not make last nights meeting here is just a recap
for you.
Pat O'Neil, from the CWA National, was an employee of, and sits
on the bankruptcy panel from IDEARC. While the papers have
printed several articles mentioning that bankuptcy may become a
possiblilty for Fairpoint in the future, Pat was able to give
many scenarios with regard with what might happen should that
come to fruition. None of those possibilities included immediate
job loss, immediate modification or liquidation of the union
contract and, as a regulated utility, they could not possibly
liquidate the phone company in its entirety.
Pat spoke at length about the current and public information
that he could compare between both IDEARC and Fairpoint. IDEARC
was saddled with 9 billion of debt when it was spun off from
Verizon and Fairpoint only inherited less than a third of that
amount. IDEARC's restructuring will likely result in 2/3
reduction of debt through the Chapter 11 proceedings and will
come out at the other side of it as a much healthier company and
they never even touched the union contracts, although there had
been concessions made voluntarily prior to the bankruptcy
filing.
Pat was asked to be there to answer questions and reassure you
that if Fairpoint does wind up filing for bankruptcy it is not
necessarily a bad thing for the long term health of the
employees and the company.
Don and Keri were also in the office yesterday for a high level
meeting in Burlington. While there were non-disclosure
agreements signed no specific information could be given. They
did want to assure us all that they have been callng to the
national for help since January 1 when they took office since
they have been concerned about all of us since the very
beginning of their administration.
Rest assured that CWA International and your local elected
officials are spending an inordinate amount of their collective
resources to insure that your long term well being is kept at
the forefront! Countless meetings with the company and
regulators have already taken place with more to come!
We were happy to have in attendance retired Chief Steward
Darlene Stone and we thanked our newly elected Chief Steward
Lisa Heisler for running. Lisa typed actual minutes of the
meeting which will be available later.
I wish to thank the Carpenters Union Local 1996 for allowing us
to use their hall for the meeting and brother Ralph Montefusco
for making the arrangements and taking the attached photos.
Please go to the local website to keep abreast of any new
developments. Below are links to informative sites regarding
Bankruptcy. Keep in mind that Fairpoint does not have a
cash-flow problem, it has a significant long term debt problem:
should it be able to restructure the debt, i.e get a more
favorable interest rate and/or reduction in debt, it will be a
stronger company afterward. As Pat said, 'Bankruptcy is not the
end of the world'.
Next week our President Don Trementozzi, EVP Keri Evinson and
the local DVP's will meet with Fairpoint regarding the status of
the 401K plan and the Pension Plan. The GetActive website this
notification was designed through is a new tool we will use to
get you updates; thanks is due to Ralph for helping us get
connected to it.
I want to thank all of the stewards, mobilizers and members who
came to the meeting after a long 10 hour tour and especially Pat
O'Neil who traveled on his own time from Maine to help us grasp
the magnitude of this situation. Brother Don also came during
his vacation week, and Keri drove up with a broken ankle. As you
can see, the local and national are not forgetting about us!
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/fsbankruptcy.html
http://www.uscourts.gov/bankruptcycourts/bankruptcybasics/discharge.html
http://www.uniteinstrength.com/
In Solidarity,
Mike O'Day
DVP D7
April 20, 2009
Northern New England Work & Family
*Enrollment Notice*
The enrollment (re-enrollment) period for the Dependent Care
Reimbursement Fund (DCRF) starts April 1, 2009. Everyone who wishes to
enroll in, or continue to be part of the DCRF program MUST submit their
paperwork. The new DCRF year begins on May 1, 2009.
You will find the Work & Family Enrollment Policy under quick links on
the Work & Family home page. You can access this by logging on to the
Employee Portal, click on Human Resources then the Work & Family icon.
You should find all the information you need on this website, but if you
have any questions please contact the Work & Family Coordinator (Julie
Dawkins) at 207-648-3421.
Please remember to include your 2008 Federal tax form and W2s.
Joint Letter from CWA & Fairpoint to
our Fairpoint Members
February 6, 2009
Dear FairPoint Members,
The transition is almost
complete and by the time cutover is finished you will have officially
become independent from Verizon. The new systems will allow the company
to become more competitive and win back the overwhelming and unexpected
line losses that they have had since April.
Verizon's greatest loss,
however, was FairPoint's gain. We know that you are the "best in class"
employees no matter what function you perform. We need you to
appreciate the enormity and the importance of the task that you are
about to undertake. We know that, as our members, you are the only ones
that can make this transition a success.
We anticipate that when the
systems come back up we will need to declare an emergency. If
necessary, this declaration will allow us to go over the 10 hours of
overtime that is allowed in February under the contract. While we do not
always agree, we do agree that we need to ensure your future with
FairPoint. This cutover has to be successful and we need to minimize
customer impact so that there is no further erosion of the customer base
to secure our jobs in the future.
Together, we are asking
that you acknowledge that the future of FairPoint's business in Maine,
New Hampshire, and Vermont lies in your hands. We understand that this
may be an inconvenience. We know that you have families and personal
lives that may be affected for this short period. We also know that we
need to get this done in order to ensure that FairPoint is successful in
this endeavor.
FairPoint's success will,
in turn, ensure your future!
In Solidarity,
Don Trementozzi
President, CWA Local 1400
Sincerely,
Paula E. Armstrong
AVP, Consumer Sales & Service
Fairpoint Communications
A Letter from Darlene Stone to our Burlington, VT
stewards:
Hello Burlington Stewards' Army,
2009 is here and with the new year there is new leadership at CWA Local
1400. They have hit the ground running!
Better communication is one of their goals for 2009. In their effort to
have better communication they are asking that we gather everyone's
email address. That way the Local can send out updates directly to our
members.
I need your help on this email gathering project done!
I'll be coming to each of you to show you what we need and to see if you
can help me in getting this big email project done.
This year will bring many things for us here in Vermont.
AT&T coming to VT (here's our opportunity to organize them to join Local
1400)
Switch Campaign ( getting our members, friends, relatives, etc to Switch
their wireless to union AT&T wireless)
Employee Free Choice Act.
Fairpoint's finances
We will have a Stewards meeting soon in Jan or Feb.
So...as you can see we have a lot going on this year. I have submitted
the Burlington Stewards' Army emails to the Local so you can start to
get the union updates. This way you can let people around where you sit
know about the latest stuff.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
In Solidarity,
Darlene
