Internet Services Inc. Final Bargaining Report
March 12, 2008
COMPENSATION
Tier 1 (Customer Assistants)
Wage schedules that were effective for Customer Assistants beginning March 2007 will result in wage increases amounting to more than 20% over the life of the contract.
$600 Lump Sum for active Tier 1 employees upon ratification. This is an improvement from the first tentative agreement.
Tier 2 Wage Increases
· 2007 – 3%
· 2008 – 2.5%
· 2009 – 2.5%
$500 Lump Sum for active Tier 2 employees upon ratification.
General wage increases for all wage schedules in Tier 2 are retroactive to July 22, 2007. Payment of retroactive wages for wage schedule increases will occur within 30 days following ratification.
Tier 2 employees can expect retroactive pay up to as much as $2,300 depending on title and wage step.
Tier 2 - Team Award
Effective 2008, the Team Award will be modified for titles that currently have an 11% Team Award Target as follows:
· Create new wage schedules for those titles by adding 5% to the base
· Lower the Team Award Target to 6%
· 5% will go into the base wage and no longer be at risk leaving the remaining 6% as a Team Award.
Discretionary Lump Sum Payments
Discretionary Lump Sum Payments are eliminated. The money was converted into lump sum payments for all titles.
UNION DUES
Union dues will continue to be deducted in a prorated amount from the Tier 2 Team Award. (This was a language change only).
COMPANY/UNION RELATIONS
Increase the time off limit for unpaid Union activities from 200 hours to 250 hours per calendar year for each union representative and increase the number of Union representatives allowed to take up to 560 hours per calendar year of unpaid time off for union activities from 5 to 10. This provision will increase availability of union representation for employees on the job.
CLASSIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES
Add part-time classification.
TIER 2 - TITLE CHANGES
Effective July 22, 2007, the following changes will occur:
· Upgrade the WFM TSR II, (WS 11) to Support Administrator II (WS 13);
· Upgrade the NCG TSR II, (WS 11) to a new title, NCG Representative (WS 15);
· Upgrade Dispatcher (WS 4) by $50 per week to the top step, increasing all steps in the schedule by an average of 3.8% This is an improvement from the first tentative agreement;
· New title and wage schedule – Internet Assistant (WS 2);
· Place Surveillance Administrator on (WS 4);
· Place Surveillance Technician on (WS 13).
DEATH IN AN EMPLOYEE’S IMMEDIATE FAMILY/HOUSEHOLD
Definition for immediate now includes other persons living in the same household for purposes of granting paid time off.
ILLNESS ABSENCE
Change unscheduled time off to illness absence and increase paid illness absence from 5 to 6 paid days for employees with 7 or more years of Net Credited Service.
MEAL ALLOWANCE
Increase overnight travel meal expense reimbursement cap from $25 to $30 per day.
WORK SCHEDULES AND SENIORITY
When assigning work schedules, Net Credited Service will be the deciding factor. This is an improvement from the first tentative agreement.
SHIFT DIFFERENTIALS
Effective 1/01/09, modify the hours during which more than 50% of the time worked must fall for shift differential eligibility from 6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m. This is an improvement from the first tentative agreement.
LAYOFF
In the event of surplus and possible layoff of employees, the Company will meet with the Union to obtain input on its proposed layoff process prior to notifying affected employees.
Increase the notice to surplus employees designated for layoff from a minimum of 2 weeks to a minimum of 4 weeks.
Increase the amount of layoff allowance maximum from 4 weeks to 8 weeks of pay.
LAYOFF ALLOWANCE
|
LENGTH OF SERVICE |
CURRENT LAYOFF ALLOWANCE |
LENGTH OF SERVICE |
NEW LAYOFF ALLOWANCE |
|
0 -12 Months |
1 week of pay |
0 -12 Months |
1 week of pay |
|
13 – 24 Months |
2 weeks of pay |
13 – 24 Months |
2 weeks of pay |
|
25 – 47 Months |
3 weeks of pay |
25 – 47 Months |
3 weeks of pay |
|
48 – Months or more |
4 weeks of pay |
48 – 59 Months |
4 weeks of pay |
|
|
|
60 – 71 Months |
6 weeks of pay |
|
|
|
72 Months or More |
8 weeks of pay |
BENEFITS
Tier 1 Customer Assistants will retain their current medical plan.
The Custom Care Plan for Tier 2 will no longer be an option for Internet Services. Effective January 1, 2009, Tier 2 employees will have a choice between two medical plan options: The AT&T Medical Plan (Tier 1) and the AT&T Medical Plan (Alternative Provisions Option).
The AT&T Alternative Medical Plan highlights are:
- No monthly contributions for employee coverage only;
- Contributions for employee plus one and/or family will see a cost savings;
- Preventative care visits are covered at 100% For example; annual physicals, mammograms, colonoscopies, well visits, and cholesterol screenings are covered at no additional cost.
Below are the AT&T Alternative Medical Plan rates for Tier 2:
CONTRIBUTIONS
|
Monthly Contributions |
Current Plan
(Custom Care) |
AT&T Alternative Medical Plan |
|
Employee Only |
$38 |
$ 0 |
|
Employee Plus One |
$91 |
$61 |
|
Family |
$144 |
$122 |
The AT&T Alternative Medical Plan represents an annual savings of $456 for an employee only; $360 for an employee plus one and $264 for a family. This is an improvement from the first tentative agreement.
DEDUCTIBLES
|
Coverage |
Deductible |
Not to Exceed |
|
Employee Only |
1% of base wages |
$500 |
|
Employee Plus One |
2% of base wages |
$1,000 |
|
Family |
3% of base wages |
$1,500 |
Once the employee satisfies their deductible for the calendar year the employee will only be responsible for 10% of expenses incurred until the out of pocket maximum amount (which includes the deductible) is met. The plan will then pay 100% of expenses incurred for the remainder of the year.
OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUMS
|
Coverage |
Employees who earn $50,000 or less a year |
Employees who earn $50,000 or more a year |
|
|
Deductible Rate |
Not to Exceed |
Deductible Rate |
Not to Exceed |
|
Employee Only |
4% of base wages |
$2,000 |
4% of base wages |
$2,500 |
|
Employee Plus One |
6% of base wages |
$3,000 |
6% of base wages |
$4,000 |
|
Family |
8% of base wages |
$4,000 |
8% of base wages |
$5,300 |
This is an improvement from the first tentative agreement.
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS COPAYS
|
Prescription Drug |
Retail – Network Copays |
Mail Order Copays (up to 90-day supply) |
|
Generic |
$8 |
$17 |
|
Formulary |
$17 |
$35 |
|
Non-formulary |
$35 |
$70 |
Effective January 1, 2009, the following New Hire Plan Provisions will apply to Tier 2:
|
Net Credited Service |
Medical Plan Availability |
|
0 – 6 Months |
Access only to the Tier 1 AT&T Medical Plan |
|
6 Months but less than 7 years |
AT&T Medical Plan for Tier 1 |
|
7 years or greater |
Choice between:
- AT&T Medical Plan for Tier 1
- AT&T Medical Plan Alternative
|
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
Up to two union representatives who attend Step 1 grievance meetings will be paid by the Company.
CIVIC DUTY
The company will send a clarification letter to all managers in AT&T Internet Services within 30 days of ratification of the contract to address issues raised during bargaining regarding civic duty to ensure there is consistent application.
UNION ORIENTATION
The Local Union President will be notified in writing when an employee is hired into a job title covered under the National Internet contract and the Local Union will be allowed time to meet with newly-hired employees for the purpose of furnishing them information about the Union. A Local Union representative is permitted to participate in the orientation at Company expense. This is an improvement from the first tentative agreement.
WORKING RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Enhance the Working Relations Committee Agreement to address the following issues:
- Standards of performance
- Scheduling processes
- Mandatory overtime
- Transfer process
Increase the number of Working Relations Committee paid members to five union representatives and five company representatives. Status of the above issues will be shared with the Union and Company Bargaining Chairs. This provision will increase the effectiveness of the WRC in addressing workplace issues.
TELEPHONE CONCESSION
SBC @ Home will change its name to AT&T @ Home and will be provided to all Internet Service employees as soon as administratively possible.
DURATION
The agreement shall be effective July 22, 2007 and continue until 11:59 p.m. on July 17, 2010.
In Unity,
Donna Bentley, Chair
Penny Leytem, Mary Linhart, Linda Gonzalez, Cherie Brokaw
THE UNION BARGAINING COMMITTEE, BY MAJORITY VOTE, RECOMMENDS RATIFICATION OF THIS AGREEMENT
