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Greetings, Friday November 6, 2009 AT&T Announces Job Cuts in Illinois IBEW Local 21 was notified by AT&T that employees are being declared surplus. At 225 Randolph in Chicago, 19 Telecommunications Specialists in the NICSD- ABS Customer Service unit have been declared surplus. One Administrative Specialist position in the IT Department has been declared unnecessary. Additionally, in the Springfield Wholesale group one Technical Associate will be eliminated because of the surplus declared by AT&T. A SIPP will be offered to employees affected
by AT&T's announcement as required by Article 30 of the new
contract. On Tuesday November 10, 2009, AT&T Labor
Relations will notify all employees affected if their job is at
risk. A General SIPP is also being announced by AT&T management for employees working in the Exhibit 3 downstate/outstate areas in the I&M organization. The maximum number of employees allowed to leave the organization from Exhibit 3 will be 52 but it will be capped by location. These employees have NOT been declared surplus. No employees will be at risk if the maximum number of employees is not reached in Exhibit 3. The new IBEW-AT&T contract includes changes in the Surplus Language found in ARTICLE 30 TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT, including the addition of VSIPP language. To view the new Article 30 contract language click here.
Construction Preference to Chicago Put on Hold The IBEW Local 21 Committee dealing with AT&T's planned movement of members working in the construction C&E organization met earlier today. The movement of technicians from the C&E and I&R preference that took place has been put on hold. Local 21 will meet with AT&T management again on Monday, November 9th. Per diems and board and lodging payments will continue until further notice.
AT&T Continues to Foul Up Benefit Open Enrollment Our union's Benefits Department has been getting many calls about the information AT&T sent out to employee's homes. The documents are confusing, poorly worded, and in some cases just flat wrong. We have strongly objected to the information AT&T sent and we are in dispute with the company on several issues concerning benefits. First – AT&T sent a confirmation of coverage letter to all employees. This is NOT your annual enrollment package. The letter was sent because of the negotiated 3% increase in basic wages which in turn increases your basic life insurance amount. Any time there is a change in the amount of your life insurance, a confirmation of coverage letter is mailed to you. There is NO action required on this item. Benefit open enrollment will run from November 19, 2009 to December 3, 2009 for active AT&T employees. A two week correction period will follow. There's been much confusion concerning the Heath Reimbursement Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts. In January, 2010, HRA accounts will be credited with the $450 individual/$900 family deposit as was negotiated this year. The money in the HRA account can be used to cover expenses associated with medical expenses such as prescription drugs, co-insurance, deductibles or your monthly premiums. However if you elect to have your monthly premiums taken out of your HRA accounts you will be taxed on those earnings used to cover your insurance premiums. The AT&T benefits system automatically creates a Flexible Spending Account for each employee to cover expenses from your monthly insurance premiums. These FSA "premium" accounts are set up on a pretax basis. Your wages are automatically placed into the FSA account to cover your monthly premiums. It is an in and out transaction. Your pretax wages go into the account and then are automatically taken out to cover the cost of your monthly premium. By utilizing the FSA account to cover your monthly premiums you will see an approximate tax savings advantage of nearly $200 per year. IRS rules also allow you place additional pretax wages in "regular" FSA accounts to cover additional medical expenses. However if you want to use your HRA funds to pay your monthly premiums you must change the way the premium expense is being deducted. If you elect this option, by IRS rules, you must be taxed on these earnings. There have also been many questions regarding the information AT&T sent on the Outside Network Area Option. Rest assured that ALL members will be able to choose a health care provider within the Blue Cross-Blue Shield or the United Health Care Network. The IBEW Local 21 Benefits Department is working on a more comprehensive benefits update to more clearly explain this to you. That information should be available prior to AT&T's open enrollment period.
Chicago Safety
Update The Safety Committee gathered data based upon documented cases of robberies, threats and violent actions that occurred near employees. Based upon this information, the areas with the most documented cases have now been identified. The Local 21 Safety Committee meets next week with AT&T management and Asset Protection to put in place measures to improve workplace safety. C&E has agreed to a trial for AT&T paid private security guards to be on job sites in the targeted areas whenever technicians request them. A meeting will also take place in C&E and I&M to attempt to get technicians dispatched early into these target areas so all work is completed by noon. As soon as we have more information to report, we will pass that on to you. Remember, no job is so important and no service is so urgent that in can not be performed safely. Solidarity!
If you have any questions about this update please call your Business Representative or Chief Steward. They can be reached by calling the IBEW Local 21 Union Hall at 630-960-4466. For a complete IBEW Local 21 union staff directory click here. |
