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ALLTEL Forces a Strike at Lexington and Ashland, Ky., Operations
ALLTEL workers in Kentucky, members of Communications Workers of America Locals 3371 and 3372, are manning picket lines in Lexington and Ashland, Ky., locations, focusing public attention on the company's demands to cut jobs and to slash health care coverage for workers and retirees.
The 450 ALLTEL workers were forced to strike on June 8, after the company refused to temporarily extend the contract while negotiations continued.
Both Phil Coldiron, president of CWA Local 3371 in Ashland, and Mike Garkovich, president of Local 3372, said the union approached the company in good faith, "to extend the agreement and resolve our differences, but ALLTEL refused."
ALLTEL's demands to shift health care costs and jeopardize workers' retirement security by eliminating a company match on contributions to the 401k plan would cost workers far more than the 2 percent wage increase the company has offered, the union locals said.
ALLTEL also is jeopardizing workers' jobs – and quality service -- by seeking to eliminate technicians, lineworkers and other jobs and contract out that work, they added.
Union members also want their communities to know that maintaining quality service is a big part of their fight. ALLTEL wants repair workers to "sell" services to customers while making repairs, taking away from the time technicians need to get the job done right.
ALLTEL has a positive cash flow stream and reports other positive financial findings, including $7 billion in revenues last year from its communications operations. "That this company comes to the bargaining table with such draconian demands is outrageous," said CWA Vice President Jimmy Gurganus.
"ALLTEL gave retired executive Joseph Ford a monthly pension of $208,000 plus fully paid medical coverage for himself and his wife. But ALLTEL wants to slash its contributions for retired workers' health care, so that many retired families would end up paying more than $700 a month for coverage," he said.
ALLTEL workers are committed to reaching a fair settlement and to do what's right for their customers, said Gurganus, adding "It's up to ALLTEL now to do the right thing."
The 450 ALLTEL workers were forced to strike on June 8, after the company refused to temporarily extend the contract while negotiations continued.
Both Phil Coldiron, president of CWA Local 3371 in Ashland, and Mike Garkovich, president of Local 3372, said the union approached the company in good faith, "to extend the agreement and resolve our differences, but ALLTEL refused."
ALLTEL's demands to shift health care costs and jeopardize workers' retirement security by eliminating a company match on contributions to the 401k plan would cost workers far more than the 2 percent wage increase the company has offered, the union locals said.
ALLTEL also is jeopardizing workers' jobs – and quality service -- by seeking to eliminate technicians, lineworkers and other jobs and contract out that work, they added.
Union members also want their communities to know that maintaining quality service is a big part of their fight. ALLTEL wants repair workers to "sell" services to customers while making repairs, taking away from the time technicians need to get the job done right.
ALLTEL has a positive cash flow stream and reports other positive financial findings, including $7 billion in revenues last year from its communications operations. "That this company comes to the bargaining table with such draconian demands is outrageous," said CWA Vice President Jimmy Gurganus.
"ALLTEL gave retired executive Joseph Ford a monthly pension of $208,000 plus fully paid medical coverage for himself and his wife. But ALLTEL wants to slash its contributions for retired workers' health care, so that many retired families would end up paying more than $700 a month for coverage," he said.
ALLTEL workers are committed to reaching a fair settlement and to do what's right for their customers, said Gurganus, adding "It's up to ALLTEL now to do the right thing."