Letter to Installation Employees

Dear Installation Presidents and Members:

With the current loss of members and officers through the recent SVTP offer, it is imperative that we begin to prepare for the future and the challenges it brings.  Bargaining with Alcatel-Lucent in 2012 isn't far away, and we must work hard between now and then to maintain and increase our bargaining power.  

First, to keep our members fully employed, they must take a realistic look at their education and training.  There will be promotions to higher titles available as those who took the SVTP leave payroll.  The on roll members should be aware of the Skill Review Plan and how to take advantage of this negotiated benefit.

Secondly, The Alliance for Employee Growth and Development has been working with the Installation CIG to provide pertinent training for our members in addition to providing industry certifications.  Installers should take advantage of any and all training, whether it is Company-provided or not.  Alcatel-Lucent Router training through The Alliance enabled more than 44,500 hours of installation work to be in-sourced.  We need more success like this.

Members who elected the SVTP and have left or are leaving the payroll should be reminded of what their Union Membership provided for them in their working lives.  If not for the Union, the SVTP, pensions, retiree healthcare and the 401(k) would be nothing but a dream.  Make sure the retirees are connected to a CWA Retired Members Council in their area. 

Finally, we know we are faced with the challenge of non-union competitors.  Organizing those companies should be front and center in our plans for the future.  Some of our former members may find themselves working for one of these companies.  We should enlist their help in bringing about union representation.  We cannot expect to survive if we allow these non-union companies to steal our work, surround and isolate us.  As they continue to grow, our work will diminish and we will dwindle and die.

The Installation Unit has a long, rich history of never backing away from a fight.  Now is the time to prepare ourselves for the challenges ahead and exploit these unique opportunities.  We should not let a chance like this pass us by.  Our survival depends on us. 

In Unity,

Jim Cosgrove
Staff Representative

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