AT&T Mobility Tentative Agreement
After almost a year of hard bargaining and unprecedented mobilization, we have
reached a groundbreaking tentative agreement for members under the Orange
contract at AT&T Mobility. Never before have we seen this level of mobilization
for a fair contract, and never before have we won so much at the bargaining
table.
This groundbreaking agreement was the result of the unprecedented pressure
you and your coworkers put on the company and you should feel very proud of
what you accomplished .
Together, we showed that we can make improvements at work when we stick
together and mobilize. If you took part in mobilization activities, walked a strike
line, wore a button or a sticker, passed out flyers, or called your managers
demanding a fair contract – this is your victory.
Our bargaining team could not have achieved this breakthrough tentative
agreement without the hard work that you did fighting for a fair contract.
We didn’t win everything of course, but we moved forward together and will keep
up the fight.
When We Fight, We Win.
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Summary of Tentative Agreement
1. Duration of Contract
The terms of the contract will become effective upon ratification and will remain
in effect until 11:59pm on February 12, 2021.
2. Wages and Other Compensation
The combined 4-year wage increase will result in a compounded 10.1% base
wage increase by the end of the contract. A bonus of $1,000 will add to wage
gains if the contract is ratified by January 12, 2018. For retail sales consultants
and Cricket COS sale advocates, base wages will also be improved by converting
a portion of commission or “at-risk” pay to base pay.
This was a major bargaining demand for the union, and a significant
improvement.
a. General Wage Increase.
The increases listed below will be applied to the top in the basic wage
schedules on the date indicated. There will be no increase at the start
rate, and all other steps will be exponentially increased:
? 2.25% retroactive to February 12, 2017
? 3.0% effective February 11, 2018
? 2.25% effective February 10, 2019
? 2.25% effective February 9, 2020
b. Ratification Bonus
$1,000 will be paid if the contract is ratified by January 12, 2018. The
bonus is available to all employees on the payroll as of the ratification
date and the payout date.
c. Relief Differential
The 10-percent relief differential for workers who assist or relieve a
manager will now apply to each hour or fraction thereof that the worker
performs these duties.
d. On Call Duty
The daily rate for on-call pay will be increased $2 per day, from $35 per
day to $37 per day. This is in addition to any compensation for the actual
duty.
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3. Employment Security
a. Job Guarantee/Employment Security Commitment for Retail and Call
Center Workers
In the event of a layoff or surplus as a result of retail store or call center
closure, or in the event the company eliminates or vacates a job title, the
company will offer affected workers positions available at any Mobility
work location covered by a CWA labor agreement within the continental
U.S.
The offer is available to specific job titles and the affected employees
must meet expectations for current job and must be qualified for the job
being offered.
Affected employees have 1 working day to accept the job offer. Testing
for the new job may be required, but the re-test waiting period is waived
for employees acting under this ESC.
The company will try to provide job offers as close as possible to the
employees current work location.
This is a new item in our contract, and a major improvement. No
wireless worker in the country has this kind of employment security.
b. Call center call share commitment
In a first-ever agreement in the wireless industry, AT&T has guaranteed the
level of calls coming into call centers covered by the Orange contract.
During the course of our negotiations, it was determined that currently
orange contract call centers handle 5 percent of all Mobility calls.
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The company agrees to bring the level of call flow to at least 7% through
2018 and to no less than 9% beginning in 2019. The company will provide
quarterly reports to CWA so that the union can ensure compliance. If the
call flow percentage should fall below the agreed upon levels, there will be
no involuntary surpluses declared unless there is an extraordinary drop in
total call volume or other adverse economic reasons for the decline.
This is a new item in our contract, and a major improvement. No
wireless worker in the country has this kind of employment security .
c. Force Adjustment Article for All Employees
Previously in the event of surplus, it was up to the company whether
employees would have the opportunity to resign and receive a severance
payment. Under this agreement it will be mandatory for the company to
offer this option. The offer is made based on seniority up to the number
needed to alleviate the surplus.
If the surplus remains, the company will eliminate temporary workers and
contractors. This step is unchanged from the current agreement. If the
surplus still remains, the company is now required to give priority
placement rights for lateral and downgrade job vacancies.
In addition, the maximum severance payments have been increased to
$18,000 from $17,000.
4. Healthcare
The terms of the health care plan for the years 2017 – 2020 were bargained and
ratified in 2016 as part of the National Benefit Bargained Plan (NBBP). It applied
to all CWA Mobility contracts across the country. That agreement included an
“unwinding” provision which returned bargaining over all benefit plans to each
mobility contract.
This agreement covers the plan in 2021 only – the last year of the contract.
Under this agreement the plan design in 2021 remains unchanged from the
previous year for both the Option 1 and Option 2 plans. Employee contributions
increased $1 – 3 per month for single coverage and $3 – 7 per month for family
coverage.
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Option 1 Plan Option 2 Plan
Ratified in 2016
under the NBBP
Proposed
Agreement
Ratified in 2016
under the NBBP
Proposed
Agreement
2018 2019 2020 2021 2018 2019 2020 2021
Monthly Contributions for Current Employees
Employee Only 88 98 110 111 44 57 70 73
with Child(ren) 150 168 188 191 75 97 120 125
with Spouse 241 269 302 305 121 156 193 200
with Sp & Ch(s) 256 286 321 324 128 166 205 212
Monthly Contributions for Employees hired after January 1, 2017
Employee Only 121 126 132 134 77 85 93 96
with Child(ren) 207 215 226 230 132 145 159 164
with Spouse 333 346 362 368 211 233 255 263
with Sp & Ch(s) 352 368 384 391 224 247 271 279
Monthly Surcharges
Tobacco Use 50 60 50 60
Working Spouse 0 100 100 0 100 100
Annual In-Network Medical Deductible
Employee Only 650 700 750 750 1,300 1,300
All Other Tiers 1,300 1,400 1,500 1,500 2,600 2,600
In-Network Medical Coinsurance
All Tiers 10% 10% 10% 10%
Annual In-Network Medical Out-of-Pocket Maximum (Includes Deductible)
Employee Only 3,250 3,500 3,750 3,750 6,450 6,450
All Other Tiers 6,500 7,000 7,500 7,500 12,900 12,900
Annual Prescription Drug Deductible
Employee Only None None Shared w/
Medical
Shared w/
All Other Tiers None None Med
Prescription Drug Copays (30-day Retail, 90-day Mail Order)
Generic 10, 20 10, 20 9, 18 9, 18
Preferred Brand 35, 70 35, 70 35, 70 35, 70
Non-Preferred 60, 120 70, 140 70, 140 70, 140 70, 140
Annual Prescription Drug Out-of-Pocket Maximum
Employee Only 1,200 1,200 Shared w/
Medical
Shared w/
All Other Tiers 2,400 2,400 Med
Tobacco Surcharge: Smokers will self-identify in open enrollment. The surcharge
will be waived if the employee enrolls in a free smoking cessation program.
Working Spouse/Legal Partner Surcharge: The surcharge will be waived if
employee attests that their partner does not have access to other
employer-based coverage.
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5. Contract Changes Relating to Retail Workers
a. Adjustments to “At-risk” Commissions for RSCs
Effective in 2018, base wages for Retail Sales Consultants (RSCs) will be
increased by $2,500 per years and the “at-risk” commission minimums are
reduced by $2,500 per year, from $12,750 to $10,250. The increase will be
applied to each step of the wage schedule. In 2018, the negotiated
general wage increase will be applied after the commission adjustment is
made.
This is a significant improvement in the standard-of-living for retail
members. This money will be guaranteed from now on and will
accumulate base wage increases in the future.
b. Adjustment to Wage Table for COS Sales Advocate
A $500 annual wage increase will be added to each step of the COS Sales
Advocate wage table effective 2018 and the at-risk target amount will be
decreased by an equal amount. The 2018 general wage increase will be
applied after this adjustment to the wage tables.
This is a significant improvement in the standard-of-living for Cricket
members. This money will be guaranteed from now on and will
accumulate base wage increases in the future.
c. Monitoring on the Sales Floor
Monitoring of employees to ensure high quality sales performance is
allowed, but the number of evaluative observations that may be observed
is limited to six per month. Management determines the method of
evaluation and what is observed.
This new agreement restricts evaluative observations members can
be subjected to, and is a significant improvement.
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d. Improved retail and call center attendance plans
The attendance policy is changed. Points will be assessed to unexcused
absences in the following manner: one point for the first day of unexcused
absence and one-half point for each subsequent day of the same
occurrence (example: for an unexcused absence of three consecutive
days, an employee will be assessed two points). This policy will remain in
effect for at least 3 years.
Individuals in stores and call centers who are on final written warning for
attendance will have their total points reduced by one point upon the
ratification of the contract in January 2018.
This will result in less points for members who take consecutive sick
days. Members who fall under these attendance policies who are on a
final written warning will have their total points reduced by 1 point upon
ratification. Big win here!
6. Contract Changes Relating to Call Center Workers
a. Call Center Monitoring
The Letter of Agreement regarding monitoring limits the number of
evaluative observations that can be observed in a month to 8. Selection of
calls to be observed will alternate between management and the
employee, with management selecting the first call. Management
determines the method of evaluation. Any additional calls observed
cannot be used for discipline except in cases of misconduct.
This is a major first-time achievement. Our contract will now restrict
evaluative monitoring in the call centers. This will mean less stress in the
workplace and an improvement in day-to-day life for call center workers.
b. Rules for Employees Performing MI60 Duties
MI60 duties will be performed by bargaining unit employees only on a
voluntary basis and subject to final selection by management. Such
assignments will be rotated quarterly and aligned with shift bids. A shift
differential will be paid. Duties will include assisting management with
floor support, chat support and handling escalations. No other
management duties are included – not coaching, observing, or any other
documentation of performance.
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c. Call Center “Mini Shift Bids”
In order to protect seniority and scheduling, when new hires are brought
into a center; management will initiate a process to place them in open
slots after existing employees have had an opportunity to bid on the open
slots based on seniority order. Any slots available after the “mini-shift bid”
will be filled with New Hires.
Preserving seniority rights has been top issue for union members.
This provision protects employees during interim shift-bidding when new
hires are scheduled.
d. Improved Retail and Call Center Attendance Plans
The attendance policy is changed. Points will be assessed to unexcused
absences in the following manner: one point for the first day of unexcused
absence and one-half point for each subsequent day of the same
occurrence (example: for an unexcused absence of three consecutive
days, an employee will be assessed two points). This policy will remain in
effect for at least 3 years.
Individuals in stores and call centers who are on final written warning for
attendance will have their total points reduced by one point upon the
ratification of the contract in January 2018.
This will result in less points for members who take consecutive sick
days. Members who fall under these attendance policies who are on a
final written warning will have their total points reduced by 1 point upon
ratification. Big win here!
7. Contract Changes Relating to Technicians
a. Trial of Small Cell Aerial Work
In 2018, the company will conduct a trial of small cell work requiring aloft
and/or bucket trucks. The trial will include training of the workers,
determining the scope of the trial, meeting with CWA to discuss
expectations before the trial and meeting quarterly with CWA as the trial
progresses. The first meeting is set for 90-days after ratification or
sooner.
b. Safety Equipment for Supply Chain Employees
Supply Chain employees are now eligible for safety glasses and safety
footwear under similar terms to Wireless Technicians: one pair of clear
lens prescription safety glasses for use indoors; or, if duties are performed
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outdoors, one pair of clear lens and one pair of dark lens or one pair of
photocromatic lens glasses; one pair of safety footwear per calendar year.
c. Protecting Seniority in Workforce Imbalance Situations
Temporary moves will be done by seniority. If a temporary imbalance lasts
for more than 6 month, the move will be made permanent with another
canvas by seniority. Anyone reassigned will have the right to retreat to
previous position if it opens up within a year of reassignment.
8. Provisions Relating to New Hires
Keeping in line with other AT&T core bargaining tables, the following changes are
made for new hires.
a. Paid Sick Time
For employees hired after January 1, 2018, the amount of paid sick leave
has been reduced to a maximum of five paid days per year. These
amounts are pro-rated for part-time workers.
b. Short-Term Disability Plan
Employees hired after January 1, 2018 will also be enrolled in a reduced
short-term disability program which will replace pay for up to 26 weeks
based on length of service, as follows:
Employee Service 100% of Pay 60% of Pay
6 mos to less than 2yrs 0 weeks 26 weeks
2 yrs to less than 5 yrs 4 weeks 22 weeks
5 yrs to less than 15 yrs 13 weeks 13 weeks
15yrs or more 26 weeks 0 weeks
After 26 weeks of disability absence, pay will be replaced under AT&T’s
long-term disability plan at 50%.
9. Other Contract Changes
a. Hours of Work Under Temporary Conditions
In the event the company determines emergency business conditions
require a change in schedules of hours worked, management may adjust
schedules on a temporary basis, but a new provision requires
management to explain the business needs and the expected duration of
the temporary condition so that workers can better prepare and plan for
the temporary schedule change.
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b. Non-Discrimination
The language regarding non-discrimination has been expanded to include
gender identity and expression among the protected classes in our
collective bargaining agreement.
c. Right to Pay for Unused Vacation or EWPs
The agreement includes a waiver for employees in States that require
payment of unused vacation time who are dismissed for Code of Conduct
violations. Currently, California is the only State that required these
payments. Under this waiver, all employees will be treated uniformly
throughout the country.
Employees who leave for any other reason retain their right to payment in
lieu of vacation. The same principle holds for treatment of cash in lieu of
Excused Days With Pay (EWP).
10. Improvements in Union Administration of the Contract
a. Time Off for Union Activities
Current language allowing paid time off for union activists and officers in
order to enforce the contract or advance union programs has been
improved to allow for up to 2 representatives per local to be paid up to 960
hours per year for union activities. If the Local Union president is also
covered by the contract, then the local may have up to three
representatives per year off for up to 960 hours each.
b. Grievance Process
In an effort to streamline the grievance procedure, the company and union
agree to implement a two-step procedure, down from three-steps. This
new procedure will be effective for grievances brought under the 2017
labor agreement.
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