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Attached you will find a signed agreement between the Union and Verizon to allow 4x10's and rotating weekends - Finally! As all of you know this has been a long process and has changed many, many times. Some of those times I wasn't sure we would get anything.
This process started with the company saying that they were willing to negotiate over 4x10's which they had cancelled years ago. After the company created schedules that had everyone working weekends it created an opportunity to try something different. The fact is that the schedules have sucked for 7-8 years now. They are not getting better and that is true all across the board. In every group, more and more organizations are forcing weekends and late tours. The contract has always given the company the ability to set schedules as they see fit. We have never had language that says anything different. We have attempted to fight for better schedules over the years with varying degrees of success but overall most technicians have not seen a better work/life balance.
This agreement will allow for the opportunity for 4x10's, but not forced, and will also have rotating weekends. This is the best chance we have had to get time off to be with our families. I know that not every technician wants rotating weekends, but in talking to the crews and the feedback I've gotten, it is clear that the vast majority of techs are for this. It is because of this that I believe we have to look at the bigger picture and see where we are at and what we can realistically do to get time off for everyone and why I have actively pursued this agreement. In Southern Virginia we have something called the Baird Agreement. This comes from a grievance out of Roanoke many years ago and basically says that we get to pick a consistent schedule over the 4-6 week period. In Northern Virginia and the rest of Potomac, under the same contract, the company has had the ability to rotate days for a while and not have consistent schedules. This agreement will relax the Baird agreement but is stronger in that it rotates weekends while maintaining the ability to choose the schedule by seniority.
This agreement has been agreed to by every Local in Virginia. I have been told that schedules will be out as soon as tomorrow to start picking for a start time around July 21st. I would ask that if anyone has any questions to please call the local or call me directly at (804) 337-5846.
In Solidarity,
Richard Hatch
President
Communications Workers of America
Local 2201
(O) 804 266-2201
(M) 804 337-5846
rhatch@cwa2201.org
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