Communications Workers of America Local 3804
Communications Workers of America Local 3804
Early indications are that contract negotiations could get contentious this time around. That's still a year-and-a-half away, so this is the perfect time to start putting some money away. Every time the contract comes up, some of us get caught unprepared and scared, and start thinking about leaving the union or crossing the picket line. Don't be that guy. Instead of buying that boat....save the money. Then, after the contract's finalized, use the money you saved to buy that boat. Put away your bonus check and tax refund: get everything squared away so you're ready to stand strong when the time comes.
We have not been supporting the "Just Ask" referrals, because local management has been so obstinate about giving us things like the off-day Fridays which we've been asking for for months on end. One other district which does support this program investigated and found that there is an error rate around 70% on these referrals. In other words, if you make referrals, the number which you are told is the number of sales resulting from your referrals is only around 30% of the actual figure. You are getting screwed out of an astonishing 70% of your rewards. Happy selling.
Those of you who were holding your breath wondering if there were going to be any layoffs next quarter, go ahead and breathe. There will be none for our district.
A new benefit for Union members has been introduced: the Union Sportsmen's Alliance. This is a dues-paying club with many benefits for Union members who enjoy the outdoors. One of the benefits is discounts on major-brand-name sporting goods, discounts which alone are said to make up the cost of joining. Visit their website for more information, or call them at 877-USA-2211. Also, check out their TV show, "Escape to the Wild", on the Versus network.
There are many rumors that, since AT+T doesn't have an equivalent benefit, Partnership is going away. That is a negotiated benefit, and cannot simply be eliminated. It may be a bargaining point at the next contract, however, so take advantage of it and make good use of it while it's here. There's no guarantee that you'll be able to work a 30-year career here, or even that there will be an AT+T in 30 years, so you would be wise to have an exit strategy.
While it's not going away, there will be some changes in how Partnership is run. Administration will be moving to San Antonio next year, and they will be handling things differently. If you fail a course or drop it after the refund date, the company will now be looking to be paid back. There will be some changes in the time period during which applications need to be submitted, so pay attention to that and get your paperwork in as early as possible. Managers will now be much more involved: they will be notified at all steps, since employees don't always have as much access to email. Finally, courses that are not taken for company purposes (there is a checkbox for this on the application form) are subject to taxes in some states. This has not previously been enforced, but it will be in the future. Just check that box: if anybody asks, it's for your future advancement.
The bylaws are the set of rules that determine our policies and procedures as a union local. While we don't yet have a complete digital copy of the bylaws which you can read online, we do now have two important parts of it: the duties of officers and elected officials, and the election rules.
In light of a recent incident in which management unlawfully confiscated a recording device which was a members' personal property, we have a link to a page which explains the specifics of Tennessee's laws regarding recording conversations. The bottom line is that it is legal to record conversations in Tennessee, even if the other party does not know that they are being recorded. Note also that AT+T has no policy against taking photographs.
We now have copies of both the current BST contract and the current SBC contract on our "Forms" page, as well as the contracts for Buried Utilities and Cingular. Be sure and bookmark that page, as it has a number of useful things including grievance forms.
We have what we believe to be an accurate list of which of your co-workers are receiving the benefits of membership without supporting us with their dues.