Article 1 Preamble – Date Changes Only
Article 2 Recognition – No change
Article 3 Equal Employment Opportunity and Harassment – added Sexual Orientation and Union Activity
Article 4 Definitions – no change
Article 5 Management of Business – no changes
Article 6 Grievance Procedure – no change
Article 7 Service Interruption – no change
Article 8 Excused Absence – no change
Article 9 Sickness & Disability Benefits – increased half pay weeks from 9 to 13 weeks for individuals with 12 months of credit service but less than 5 years
Article 10 Union Business & Responsibilities – change in paragraph 10.3 – Time Off for Union Duties – section 10.3.1; add Service Requirements permitting and section 10.3.2; add for valid reasons, the company shall also have the right to cancel previously approved time off.
Article 11 Seniority – no change
Article 12 Vacation – no change
Article 13 Holidays – change floating holiday to personal holiday and the paragraph language in paragraph 13.1 – Subject to the provisions in 13.1.1 thru 13.1.4 below, new employees hired during the first quarter will be eligible for five (5) Personal Holidays, hired during the second quarter, eligible for four (4) Personal Holidays, hired during the third quarter, eligible for three (3) Personal Holidays, hired during the fourth quarter, but before November 1, eligible for one (1) Personal Holiday. New employees hired on or after November 1, will not receive Personal Holidays for that calendar year.
Article 14 Leave of Absence – paragraph 14.5 – section 14.5.1 Eligibility – change disability leaves are limited to 6 months; add NOTE: If any employee receives a full medical release after the maximum six (6) month period, the Company may consider the employee for an existing vacant position which the employee held immediately prior to the disability.
Article 15 Work Schedules – no change
Article 16 Productive Work by Supervisor – no change
Article 17 Overtime Pay Treatment – no change
Article 18 Travel Expenses – paragraph 18.1 and 18.2 change to:
18.1 Any employee required to remain away from home location overnight on Company business will be compensated the cost of meals and lodging. Meal allowance will not exceed thirty-one dollars ($31.00) per day. Partial days not requiring consumption of all meals will be reimbursed in accordance with the appropriate Section 18.1 or 18.2.
Breakfast only $6.75
Lunch only $8.75
Dinner only $15.50
18.2 School Allowance. Employees attending schools will be furnished transportation to school. Mutually agreed upon lodging will be furnished by the Company. All meals and incidental expenses not to exceed thirty-one ($31.00) per day will be paid by the Company while the employees are attending school. In lieu of the thirty-one ($31.00) per day allowance, the employee may elect to submit actual receipts for meal expenses not to exceed reasonable and ordinary costs for the area. Meal allowances or actual expense option shall be selected prior to travel. The employee must select one option only.
Article 19 Subcontracting and Transfer of Bargaining Unit Work – no change
Article 20 Telephone Service – no change
Article 21 Insurance and Pension Programs – paragraph 21.2, Pension Plan – change.
21.2.1 Pension Plan. The company will provide the CenturyTel, Inc. Union 401(k) Plan and Trust for all eligible employees, and a separate defined benefit plan (formerly titled, “CenturyTel, Inc. Plan for Hourly Paid Employees’ Pensions”) to be known as the “CenturyTel Retirement Plan.” For employees entering the bargaining unit on or after June 13, 2008, the CenturyTel Retirement Plan shall provide benefits that will be the same as CenturyTel’s non-bargaining unit employees in the state. For employees in the bargaining unit prior to June 13, 2008, the benefits shall remain the same.
Article 22 Safety and Health – delete “When off duty” from Article.
Article 23 Force Adjustment – paragraph 23.4, add Qualified shall have the meaning in Article 26, section 26.2.1
Article 24 Payroll Deductions of Dues and COPE Contributions – no change
Article 25 Rate of Pay, Night Differential & Job Classification- sections 25.1.2 and 25.1.3 – change to the company shall notify the International Representative; section 25.9.1.1 – On Call Differential for non scheduled days to $25.00 from midnight to midnight; section 25.10 Night Differential. A night differential of one dollar ($1.00) per hour shall be paid for all scheduled hours worked after 9:00 p.m. and prior to 6:00 a.m.
Article 26 Job Vacancy – paragraph 26.1 Bidding Procedures, sections 26.1.1 and 26.1.2, changes:
26.1.1 The Company shall post a notice of vacancy, via the Company’s electronic application system stating the classification of the vacancy and the initial reporting location. A copy of the notice will be sent to the local president of the union.
26.1.2 The vacancy notice shall be posted for a period of ten (10) working days. Employees desiring to be considered for the vacancy must submit a signed internal application form and must apply electronically via the Company intranet, within this ten (10) day period. The company shall notify the bidding employee(s) upon receipt of their bid. The company agrees to notify the local president of the Union of its selection to fill the vacancy no later than two (2) weeks after the date of the vacancy is filled. Bids received from within the bargaining unit will be considered first.
26.2 General Provisions – section 26.2.1 change
26.2.1 The company shall fill the vacancy from those employees submitting a job bid request. In order to be considered a candidate for selection, the employee must successfully pass any validated tests used by the company for the positions. If the candidate passes such testing, or if the company elects not to use validated testing as part of the selection process, qualifications shall be determined by the total circumstances including work experience and performance (and any performance evaluations), applicable technical education and attendance. The company may use other forms of testing, interviews and/or other reasonable methods of determining qualifications as herein defined. The position will be filled by the most qualifiable candidate, with seniority to govern in the event multiple candidates are deemed equally qualified. All candidates will be treated equally in regards to criteria for selection used.
Article 27 Conflict of Interest – no change
Article 28 Duration of Agreement – change dates to 3 year agreement
Wages Wage Increase for all groups will be as follows:
1st year – 2% to the base wage rate;
2nd year – 2% to the base wage rate;
3rd year – 2.5% to the base wage rate.
Memorandum of Agreements
Renewed the following MOAs with no change – except dates:
- Home Dispatch
- Four-day Work Week
- CenturyTel, Inc. Plan for Hourly Paid Employees Pensions
- Relocation Allowance
Revised or Deleted MOA:
- Team Performance Award – changes in paragraphs 3 – Awards & 7 – Overtime
- Lump Sum Pre-Retirement Death Benefit – change in paragraph 6 – add which is now part of the CenturyTel Retirement Plan.
- Lump Sum Payment Option – change in paragraph 1, CenturyTel of Northwest Arkansas, LLC will provide lump sum option as provided in the CenturyTel Retirement Plan (Plan). For employees in the bargaining unit prior to
June 13, 2008, the lump sum payment option shall remain unchanged. For employees entering the bargaining unit on or after June 13, 2008, any lump sum option will be as provided in the CenturyTel Retirement Plan.
New Memorandum of Agreement:
Memorandum of Agreement that recognizes the employee’s pension benefit for which they are currently eligible, if they move between the Arkansas Central and the Arkansas Northwest labor Agreements. The movement must be a result of lay-off or an active employee being selected for a job opening and must occur within 30 days of leaving their former bargaining unit. Pension benefit includes the applicable lump sum benefit and the pre-retirement lump sum death benefit. The retiree medical benefit that the employee is eligible for at the time of the move will also be recognized. This memorandum does not supersede the respective MOA for Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) set forth in the respective Labor Agreements (See Attachment).
-Letter of Understanding
Provide letter that states employees who have lost seniority after 6 months as a result of disability and do not qualify for LTD benefits will have the reminder of their eligible sick leave benefit paid out in a lump sum.
The majority of the Union Committee recommends ratification of the above listed items.
