Greetings,

CWA District 9 Reaches Tentative Agreement with AT&T West

August 9, 2009

Sacramento - The CWA District 9 bargaining team has reached a tentative agreement with AT&T West covering about 23,000 CWA-represented workers in California, Nevada and Hawaii.

CWA District 9 will hold contract explanation meetings with CWA locals on Aug. 17. More information will be made public following membership notification. The mail ratification vote will be completed September 1.

Bargaining is continuing for about 70,000 CWA-represented members at AT&T. These negotiations include AT&T East (CWA District 1), Southeast (District 3), Southwest (District 6), and AT&T Legacy, a nationwide unit. CWA members at AT&T Midwest, CWA District 4, overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year agreement on Aug. 7.

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Bargaining Bulletin #78 - 8/10/09

Your Bargaining Committee is grateful for your support. A tentative agreement has been reached.

Here are some of the highlights of the agreement:

Wages - 3%, 3%, 2.75% plus cola in 3rd yr retroactive to April 5, 2009

Pension – 2%, 2%, 2% plus cola in 3rd year

Health Care
Monthly Premium - $35 single/$75 family
Preventative - no deductible, no coinsurance
Deductible - $350/$700
Co-insurance - 10%/40% (Out of Network)
Out of Pocket Maximum - $1,000/$3,000
$3,000/$6,000 (Out of Network)
No Co-pays
Create New Tax-Free Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA)
Active Employees will get:
$450 single/$900 family     Year 1
$300 single/$600 family     Year 2
0/0                                      Year 3
Kaiser plan guaranteed no change for life of contract

Prescription Coverage
Co-pays - 10/20/40 twice co-pay for 3 month supply mail order
Co-pays non-network - 75%
Separate OOP max $900/$1,800
90 day prescriptions available at CVS Pharmacies at mail order prices

Team Award Replaced with SSP (Success Sharing Plan)
a) Dividend x 150 in year 3 only, year 1 and 2 amounts pay for current retiree HRA b) Appreciation in stock price, year over year x 150
$1500 to all active employees on ratification date who would have been eligible for 2008 TPA

Current Retirees - Establish Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA)
$850 single/$1700 family     Year 1
$150 single/$300 family       Year 2
Multiple health plan options for pre and post 65 retirees with an option for no premium payments

401(k) – Catch-up and Roth provision added

Relief differential and per diem - $2 increase for each

National Transfer Plan

Employment Security Plan - Extended and expanded

Premises Technician – Converted to regular employees, $0.45/hr at every step plus General Wage increase retroactive to April 5, Pension and 401(k), access to Horizons, equitable distribution of overtime, clear definition of Scope of work, resolution process for future changes.

New Leveraged title with protections for existing Service Reps

Term employees have access to AUTS and Horizons

ERB Retained

A full report will be mailed with your ratification ballot.

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Bargaining Bulletin #77 - 08/09/09

Late this evening, 127 days after expiration, we reached a tentative agreement on a new three year contract. We will provide details in the coming days. There will be a vote on ratification, by the members, to be concluded by September 1st.

Thank you for your support and patience.