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CONTRACT HAS BEEN RATIFIED!

New contracts should be in the hands of our members in the next few months. 

Contract Highlights on the Bargaining Page!

TENTATIVE AGREEMENT 6/10/2009

The following is a message from your Bargaining Committee,

Today the Bargaining Committee met with Frontier Communications to review and finalize all individual tentative agreements.

Informational meetings are scheduled for next week to explain all of the contract changes and highlights, the informational meetings are as follows:

Metro Area Meetings will be held Tuesday June 16th, 2009 at 8:30am and 7pm at the Apple Valley Community Center at 14603 Hayes Avenue, Apple Valley.

Le Center Area Meeting will be held Wednesday June 17th, 2009 at 8:30am at the Le Center office.

Fairmont Area Meeting will be held Wednesday June 17th, 2009 at 5:30pm at Tammy's Bar & Grill in Fairmont.

Worthington, Slayton, Canby Area Meeting will be held Thursday June 18th, 2009 at 7:30pm at the Grain Exchange in Slayton.

All information will be distributed to you at these meetings.  Please make every effort to attend one of these meetings.  You can bring your current contract along if you would like so that you can to refer to it if needed.

After the informational meetings, the contract highlights will be located in the bargaining section of this website.

In unity,

IMPORTANT BARGAINING UPDATE

5/29/2009

6:55pm

CONTRACT HAS BEEN EXTENDED

UNTIL June 10th, 2009!

Your Bargaining Committee continues to make progress towards a tentative agreement with Frontier Communications.

In the interest of both parties, we have agreed to extend the contract until June 10, 2009.

The upcoming dates for negotiations are tentatively June 4th, June 8th, 9th, and 10th.

Remember to wear your red shirts on THURSDAYS and stay tuned for future calls to action.

-Your Bargaining Committee

Update! 4/26/2009

1.  The Bargaining Committee starts meeting with Frontier Communications this week to negotiate your new Collective Bargaining Agreement.  Please stay tuned here and via our voice mail (952) 985-1400 for updates and any calls to action.  We will also be updating you via your email address that you provided to our committee.  If you have not given your email address to us, you can send it to us at bargaining@cwa7270.org

2.  We have received our NEW Red T-Shirts!!!  Your Stewards should be coming to all of you in the next few days to ask you what size you desire (Small to 4XL).  These are RED and we would encourage ALL of you to wear them on THURSDAYS to show unity to the company.

3.  We are also formulating a response to the last company wide email that was distributed to our members.  We have requested more information about what locals have entered into the "furlough agreement" and other information.  We are under the impression that only 1 CWA local has actually agreed and two others have it out for a vote.  That still leaves 13 CWA Frontier locals and about 16 IBEW locals without confirmation of such an "agreement". 

For those of you not familiar with the agreement worked out with CWA Local 1170 in Rochester with Frontier Communications, they have an agreement pending a vote with their membership that would guarantee employment based on dates of hire, extend contract 1 year, guarantee NO furloughs for the length of the contract, and a few other details. 

As you know, this "agreement" is in direct conflict with what they have proposed to Local 7270.  Frontier Communications representatives have told the bargaining Committee that without the Furlough Agreement, Layoffs of up to 15% of our members could take place.

The Bargaining Committee understands that if such an agreement is reached with Frontier Communications, it will need to be voted on by the members of Local 7270. 

Your Bargaining Committee.

Together We Bargain!

Divided We Beg!

Update 3/24/2009

Denise Rother and Carson Turnquist met with Frontier Communications on Tuesday march 24^th. The topics that were discussed were the  Cross Jurisdictional agreement and furlough days with CWA 7270 and IBEW 949 representatives in attendance.

First, on the topic of  the furlough days:

CWA 7270 and IBEW 949 joined together in this meeting, and agreed the company must first commit to the following prior to any agreements with the unions.  The directive below has been given to all of the 15 CWA locals under Frontier Communications.

1.        All contractors who are performing bargaining unit work must be terminated

2.       The company must commit to a no layoff provision for all bargaining unit employees for the period of part timing

3.       The company must alter its dividend policy so the burden is equally shared by employees, officers, and shareholders (current dividend policy results in a return on investment of over 15%)

On the second topic, the Cross Jurisdictional Agreement.

This was an agreement with Frontier Communications, IBEW 949, and CWA 7270.  This agreement allowed CWA 7270 to cover in IBEW territories to cover for staffing shortages, special service work, fiber work, etc.  IBEW 949 has terminated this agreement and therefore ALL members must now follow the instructions below for ANY requests for work in IBEW 949 territories:

1.        When requested to work in IBEW 949 territory, CWA 7270 member MUST tell supervisor “No” with the explanation of the cancellation of the Cross Jurisdictional Agreement.

2.       This should end the conversation, however…

3.       If supervisor DEMANDS that you go into area, comply with request BUT immediately before or after work is performed report activity to your STEWARD.

4.       Request that Steward file a grievance for the work request.

5.       IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS!!!!

In unity, the officers of local 7270.

President's Desk

Here is a link to that page

Pictures Needed!

(Picture of Larry Cohen at Convention in Las Vegas, 2008.)

Please forward pictures of any of our Union Members in action to Carson and they will be published in our Photo Gallery.