Since CREDO Mobile has launched advertising campaigns attacking AT&T, many union activists have raised questions about why we offer union member discounts on wireless service with AT&T instead of CREDO. AT&T is the one and only nationwide unionized wireless carrier, with some 45,000 members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) working as technicians, customers service representatives and retail store personnel. And union members receive a 15% Union Plus discount off regular AT&T wireless plans. Also, AT&T remains neutral during organizing campaigns. CWA President Larry Cohen says, "For progressives who care about workers' rights, AT&T is the clear choice for wireless service." While CREDO does promote itself as the politically progressive alternative for wireless service, you should be aware that: CREDO is a non-union company that repackages and resells Sprint wireless service -- a non-union competitor of AT&T. Sprint aggressively opposes union organizing and has a long record of outsourcing significant parts of the work it performs, which have lead to lower pay and worse benefits for its workers. Now more than ever we need to stand together, support decent jobs, and support union companies that respect workers' rights. With the nation's largest wireless provider, Verizon Wireless, also being non-union and have resisted employees' efforts to organize a union; AT&T is the one and only nationwide unionized wireless service provider and offers a 15% discount for ALL union members. You're not likely to find a big company that doesn't donate to candidates that labor opposes. AT&T's donation history, according to Fast Company, is "roughly split down the middle between Republicans and Democrats." That's why as CWA's President Cohen says, "For progressives who care about workers' rights, AT&T is the clear choice for wireless service."

"The Ampersand Diaries is more than just a book about a failed telecom. It is about you and me; and anyone who has ever toiled within the walls of corporate America. It is a book that relates to many people - including thousands of past and present AT&T employees, millions of consumers, countless shareholders and, most importantly, the American public. Citizens have taken note that AT&T is often at the heart of what ails our country: anti-competitive business practices, illicit sales and marketing tactics, destruction of consumer privacy, poor diversity relations, opposition to net neutrality, and an anti-labor history that includes continued downsizing and the outsourcing of desperately needed American jobs. In addition to its army of lobbyists who pressure lawmakers, allowing it all to happen. Public relations represent a billion dollar industry that carries significant influence over government, media and public opinion. And it is largely why AT&T is accustomed to describing everything about it in its own particular terms. The carrier's public relations executives are skillful wordsmiths whose duty it is to make sure their employer's deceit is observed and construed through rose-colored glasses. Hence, The Ampersand Diaries was written to prove that AT&T's priorities and underlying intentions - seldom, if ever, public friendly - are not suited to lead a communications revolution in the United States. If our government continues to afford AT&T the unmitigated size and power it covets, it will lead to a disaster of biblical proportions. This book will energize, empower, entertain, and mobilize readers who may be disgusted with the behavior of America's largest communications corporation; perhaps enough to fight back in protest. And it will provide much of the intellectual ammunition needed to help win this decade's most imperative social and political conflict: The war against AT&T's runaway corporate power." To purchase the book and read about the author, click MORE below:

The State of Working America has been the Economic Policy Institute’s flagship publication since 1988. The comprehensive economic data that has in the past been in book form is now available on this Web site for the first time in a searchable and highly user-friendly format. The data will be more accessible than ever before to academics, policy makers, the media, and the public. Unlike in the past, this year's The State of Working America will not be published in book form (the next biennial print edition will appear in January 2013). The State of Working America Web site presents data in eight broad issue areas: income, economic mobility, wages, jobs, wealth, poverty, health, and international comparisons. Providing a comprehensive examination of critical trends and economic measurements, the data on this site is presented to give readers a deep understanding of the effect of the economy on low- and middle-income American workers and their families. Go to the new website below:

01/01/12- So many Americans are having their dreams crushed by corporations that place greed over the interests of their workers. We cannot let that happen at AT$T. CWA members/retirees at the AT$T companies have worked hard over many years to win the good wages, benefits and working conditions we enjoy today. Our wages were not "given" to us by generous management. They were won piece by piece over years of negotiations with AT$T and all the companies which have preceded it. Our contracts insure that we have a solid base of wages and working conditions which work for us every day. Experience tells us that good contracts are won in the workplace and in our communities, not just at the bargaining table. The power we have at the negotiating table flows directly from our members/retirees and is a direct result of the information and education our members/retirees receive about the bargaining issues, along with their solidarity and their activity in the workplace and local communities. To win the kinds of improvements we will need in coming years, and to improve upon the benefits and employment protections we have now, we will need to mobilize all of our members/retirees and community activists with all the determination and solidarity we can.

This is to remind you that it is not too late to apply for the HSF/AT&T Foundation Scholarship Program. In case you missed previous announcements, the scholarship information is attached below. In Unity-There is Strength: Liz VanDerWoude, President, CWA Local 4250. (Application DEADLINE February 15, 2012)

Unions? Organized labor? The AFL-CIO? Those words were nowhere to be heard in President Obama's State of the Union address, despite labor's vital role in the economy and strong support for Obama. The continued support of the labor movement is essential if the president is to carry out the bold plans he outlined and if he is to be re-elected. The president's failure to mention one of the country's most important economic and political institutions was unfortunate. It was perhaps understandable, however, given the anti-union climate stirred up by attacks on public employee unions and their allies. Obama's failure to mention unions and their leaders was ignored in the post-speech pronouncements of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and other major unionists. They in fact proclaimed the speech a victory because of its endorsement of policies widely supported by labor.

INDIANAPOLIS — This city is in full preen for its moment in the spotlight, its first Super Bowl. Everywhere, workers sprouted from cherry pickers over the weekend, hanging football banners from signposts, windows, buildings. The constant beeping of machinery backing up filled the air as an 800-foot zip line was built in a Super Bowl Village that is emerging downtown. And right outside the Statehouse, the intersection formally known as Capitol and Washington has fancy new honorary street signs — Dolphins Drive and Browns Boardwalk. But inside the Statehouse, people are consumed by something else entirely: a partisan fight over union strength has boiled over. The standoff, three weeks old, is over whether Indiana should become the first state in the Midwest manufacturing belt to adopt legislation banning union contracts from requiring nonunion members to pay fees for representation. And it threatens to linger even as the national attention on the Super Bowl arrives — a possibility that Indiana Republicans want to avoid but that some union supporters seem to be hoping for. “It’s a forum for this to get out beyond the state of Indiana, for the world to know what’s happening to workers here in Indiana,” said Mike Gillespie, business representative of Local 135 of the Teamsters Union, who stood in a crowd of union supporters inside the Statehouse. He wore a T-shirt that bore the numerals of the Super Bowl, XLVI , with a slash through them, a message people here interpreted in various ways.

Many Americans know about the highly publicized lockouts in professional sports — like last year’s 130-day lockout by the National Football League and the 161-day lockout by the National Basketball Association — but lockouts, once a rarity, have been used in less visible industries as well. “This is a sign of increased employer militancy,” said Gary Chaison, a professor of industrial relations at Clark University. “Lockouts were once so rare they were almost unheard of. Now, not only are employers increasingly on the offensive and trying to call the shots in bargaining, but they’re backing that up with action — in the form of lockouts.”

The NABET-CWA Network Negotiating Committee has reached a tentative agreement with NBC Universal on a new contract to replace the Master Agreement which expired on March 31, 2009. This contract offer is the result of numerous bargaining sessions which took place over the past five weeks in New York, and has the unanimous recommendation of the Union’s Bargaining Committee. The new contract, when ratified, will cover approximately 2500 staff and daily hire employees working as broadcast technicians, newswriters, building, air conditioning and plant maintenance personnel, staging services personnel, and couriers at various Company Network and TV station operations in New York, Chicago, Burbank and Washington D.C., including NBC News and NBC Sports. The new contract will run through March 31, 2015.

CWA Local 4250 Solidarity Star Reward 1 Star:We’ve Made The Difference at AT&T. We Will Make The Difference in 2012! This month we celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday. At the time that Dr. King was assassinated in 1968, he was in Memphis to support the striking sanitation workers there. He believed that we all need to stand together to fight for justice. He knew that workers and their Unions are an important part of that fight. On Tuesday, January 17, 2012, we will be distributing “We Make the Difference” at AT&T. It is a summary of some of the gains we have made over the years in bargaining with AT&T. ? None of these gains was won without a fight. ? We need to fight if we want to save them now. As we saw in 2009 bargaining and in every contract the CWA (and every other Union) has bargained in recent years, employers continue to increase their profits on the backs of their workers. Whether it is shifting the cost of benefits, changing long-standing work rules, massive layoffs, subcontracting or off-shoring, their goal is clear. AT&T bargaining in 2012 will be no different. WE will make the difference in bargaining this year if we start our fight now and let AT&T know we will do everything necessary to win a fair Contract. We are fighting for the American dream. We will not let them steal it away. Liz VanDerWoude, President CWA Local 4250.

January 6, 2012- AT&T announced today it plans to further reduce headcount by eliminating jobs held by members of IBEW Local Union 21. These jobs cuts result from AT&T’s 2011 decision to close two centers in downtown Chicago. They will offer Voluntary SIPP packages to other employees in our jurisdiction. In Chicago two surpluses were declared. In the center at 10 S. Canal, AT&T is declaring seventy-eight (78) employees surplus. At the 311 S. Washington center, AT&T is declaring thirty-four (34) employee’s surplus. Employees affected at both of these locations are covered under the Surplus language contained in our current collective bargaining agreement.

After making an end run around Senate Republicans to fill the top job at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Wednesday, President Barack Obama ran the same play again a few hours later, making three recess appointments to bring the National Labor Relations Board to full strength. The president used his power to name Sharon Block, Terence Flynn and Richard Griffin to the board, which arbitrates workplace disputes and federal labor issues and has recently drawn considerable fire from Republicans after it sided with an aircraft workers’ union in a dispute with aerospace giant Boeing. When the term of Craig Becker, another Obama recess appointee, expired at the end of last month, the five-member board no longer had a quorum, threatening its continued operation. Block and Griffin are Democrats, while Flynn is a Republican. “The American people deserve to have qualified public servants fighting for them every day — whether it is to enforce new consumer protections or uphold the rights of working Americans,” Obama said in a statement. “We can’t wait to act to strengthen the economy and restore security for our middle class and those trying to get in it, and that’s why I am proud to appoint these fine individuals to get to work for the American people.”

Mike Klink: “Let’s be clear — I am an engineer; I am not telling you we shouldn’t build pipelines. We just should not build this one.” Mike Klink is a former inspector for Bechtel, one of the major contractors on TransCanada’s original Keystone pipeline, completed in 2010. Klink says he raised numerous concerns about shoddy materials and poor craftsmanship during construction of the pipeline, which brings tar sands crude from Canada to Midwestern refineries in the U.S. Instead of actually addressing the problems, Klink claims he was fired by Bechtel in retaliation. He filed a complaint with the Department of Labor in March of 2010, and made his story public last fall.

On this day, December 30th, in 1936 -- 75 years ago today -- hundreds of workers at the General Motors factories in Flint, Michigan, took over the facilities and occupied them for 44 days. My uncle was one of them. The workers couldn't take the abuse from the corporation any longer. Their working conditions, the slave wages, no vacation, no health care, no overtime -- it was do as you're told or get tossed onto the curb. So on the day before New Year's Eve, emboldened by the recent re-election of Franklin Roosevelt, they sat down on the job and refused to leave. They began their Occupation in the dead of winter. GM cut off the heat and water to the buildings. The police tried to raid the factories several times, to no avail. Even the National Guard was called in. But the workers held their ground, and after 44 days, the corporation gave in and recognized the UAW as the representative of the workers. It was a monumental historical moment as no other major company had ever been brought to its knees by their employees. Workers were given a raise to a dollar an hour -- and successful strikes and occupations spread like wildfire across the country. Finally, the working class would be able to do things like own their own homes, send their children to college, have time off and see a doctor without having to worry about paying. In Flint, Michigan, on this day in 1936, the middle class was born.

BY: Linda Bergthold.Health Policy Consultant Posted: 12/29/11 10:11 PM ET. "When so many good things have happened as the result of health care reform, I hate to end this year with a rebuttal to a viral lie about the Affordable Care Act. However, this one seems to come from a credible source but is so wrong that I can't resist. What motivates a person to misrepresent themselves while also blatantly lying about health care reform? Money? Anger? Ignorance? Hard to say. But as we say goodbye to 2011 and anticipate even more kooky and mean-spirited accusations about health care reform, I hope you will all bookmark and consult websites like politifact.org, factcheck.org, or snopes.com before you pass along any of these lies and distortions. Follow Linda Bergthold on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lab08"

By: Kathleen Sebelius on December 28, 2011 at 12:06 PM EST.(Kathleen Sebelius is the Secretary of Health and Human Services) As we ring in the New Year, we also want to take a minute to reflect on the progress we made in 2011. I’m proud to say that we had a very productive year for protecting the health of all Americans, especially those who are least able to help themselves. From strengthening Medicare to expanding access to preventive services to holding insurance companies accountable – young adults, families, and seniors have begun to see benefits from the health care law that took effect in 2010. Here are eight important ways that you or your family might have benefited from the health law in 2011:

The portion of American families living in middle-income neighborhoods has declined significantly since 1970, according to a new study, as rising income inequality left a growing share of families in neighborhoods that are mostly low-income or mostly affluent. The study, conducted by Stanford University by the Russell Sage Foundation and Brown University, uses census data to examine family income at the neighborhood level in the country’s 117 biggest metropolitan areas. The findings show a changed map of prosperity in the United States over the past four decades, with larger patches of affluence and poverty and a shrinking middle. The study comes at a time of growing concern about inequality and an ever-louder partisan debate over whether it matters.

AT&T said Monday it has ended its bid to purchase T-Mobile and will pay $4 billion as a penalty for not completing its deal. The decision puts an end to a rocky nine-month quest by the nation’s second- and fourth-largest wireless operators to become the leader in an industry feeding America’s insatiable appetite for smartphones, tablets and other wireless services. After being rejected by federal regulators, AT&T and Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of T-Mobile, said it tried to find other options to salvage its deal. But they ultimately chose to end their agreement. AT&T disagreed with the government’s findings, saying in a statement that theirs “is one of the most fiercely competitive industries in the world.” “The AT&T and T-Mobile USA combination would have offered an interim solution to this spectrum shortage. In the absence of such steps, customers will be harmed and needed investment will be stifled,” the company said in a statement. Chief Executive Randall Stephenson called on federal regulators to stay out of the way of the free markets and to make more airwaves available to companies to bolster thier networks. “The mobile Internet is a dynamic industry that can be a critical driver in restoring American economic growth and job creation, but only if companies are allowed to react quickly to customer needs and market forces,” Stephenson said.

"UNLESS something changes in Washington, American workers will, on New Year’s Day, effectively lose their right to be represented by a union. Two of the five seats on the National Labor Relations Board, which protects collective bargaining, are vacant, and on Dec. 31, the term of Craig Becker, a labor lawyer whom President Obama named to the board last year through a recess appointment, will expire. Without a quorum, the Supreme Court ruled last year, the board cannot decide cases.... Mr. Obama needs to make this an election-year issue; if the board goes dark in January, he should draw attention to Congressional obstructionism during the campaign and defend the board’s role in protecting employees and employers. A new vision for labor-management cooperation must include not only a more powerful board, but also a less partisan one, with members who are independent and neutral experts. Otherwise, the partisan morass will continue, and American workers will suffer."

A general SIPP is being offered by AT&T management to employees working in the ABS and GNFO organizations. A surplus has NOT been declared. The off payroll date for this SIPP will be January 27, 2012.

Diane Bradley, AT$T AVP, notified CWA C&T VP Ralph Maly of the following AT$T SURPLUS announcement.

As a parent, nothing gives us more peace of mind than knowing that our children can pursue their dreams without unfair limitations. This is why I’m excited to announce that millions more young adults in America now have health insurance coverage thanks to the health care law – enabling them to pursue their goals without worrying about what will happen if they get sick. The provision in the law allowing young adults to remain on their parents’ health insurance until age 26 has resulted in 2.5 million young people gaining coverage, according to analysis based on new data released today by the National Center for Health Statistics.

American troops have served in Iraq with honor and distinction since March 19, 2003, but the cost to our nation has been great. December 2011 marks the end of our mission in Iraq, and the fulfillment of a promise Barack Obama made to the American people even before he became President. Now, President Obama has made another promise to the troops and their families: We will fight as hard for them as they return home as they have done for us these past nine years. View Timelines Below:

Our government should address anti-trust concerns as part of the AT&T/T-Mobile deal and move to seize the real opportunity of increased jobs, investment and economic development. The AT&T/T-Mobile merger will be a real source of quality jobs, returning outsourced jobs from Asia and supporting economic development, especially in rural areas. Jobs, employment and workers’ rights matter. We hope that the government will not overlook important opportunities for employment, investment and economic security.

Nov 29, 2011 4:40 PM The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has allowed AT&T to withdraw its application to buy the mobile licenses owned by T-Mobile USA, as AT&T had requested, but the agency has also released a staff report that disputes many of the benefits the two mobile carriers claimed the merger would produce. AT&T and T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom withdrew their application to the FCC to transfer the mobile licenses after the agency announced on Nov. 22 that staff there had found the US$39 billion acquisition to be contrary to the public interest. The FCC on Tuesday granted the request to withdraw the license transfer application, but released the 157-page staff report on the merger despite opposition from AT&T. AT&T and T-Mobile "have failed to meet their burden of demonstrating that the competitive harms that would result from the proposed transaction are outweighed by the claimed benefits," the staff report said. "The potential loss [of T-Mobile as a] competitive force in the market is a cause for serious concern." The public and groups with interest in the merger have a right to see the staff report, said FCC officials who asked not to be named.

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year you can give the gift of genuine concern for all Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. OH...YES THERE IS!!!!!! Following is a list of things you can do as a part of CWA Local 4250 December's "Labor of Love" project:

The Officers and Executive Board of CWA Local 4250 would like to wish all of our members, retirees and their families a safe and Happy Thanksgiving Holiday. With the start of the holiday season we encourage you to shop union when purchasing gifts and groceries. The AFL-CIO has declared the ten days following Thanksgiving as “Buy Union Week.” Given the volatile state of the economy—marked by huge job losses, declines in take-home pay and increased costs—it makes sense to focus the purchasing power of union families on the goods and services those families create. Supporting union made products and services help keep good jobs in the community. For more information on Buy Union Week visit the AFL-CIO’s Union Label Trades Department’s website and go to “Find Union Made Products and Services” in the yellow box near the top of the page to find ideas for those on your shopping list. In Unity There Is Strength: Liz VanDerWoude, President CWA Local 4250

With more employers shifting the burden of health care costs to employees the cost of health insurance premiums sky rocketed by 63 percent between 2003 and 2010. A new study by the Commonwealth Fund found that the cost of providing a family insurance plan jumped by 50 percent during those eight years. The study researched state-by-state cost and found across the board out-of-pocket premiums increases. The highest premiums paid by workers were in Maine, Texas, Florida, and Virginia while Michigan, Montana, and Vermont had some of the lowest. The highest was Wyoming where workers pay on average $1,479 for health care premiums. In 29 of the states surveyed the out-of-pocket costs broke the $1000 mark. The Commonwealth Fund said that if costs continue to increase at the current rate by the year 2020 the premium for a family plan could reach $24,000.

In the last decade, the country's biggest companies have raided worker benefits for profit. America is in the midst of a retirement crisis. Over the last decade, we've witnessed the wholesale gutting of pension and retiree healthcare in this country. Hundreds of companies have slashed and burned their way through their employees' benefits, leaving former workers either on Social Security or destitute -- and taxpayers with a huge burden that, as the baby boomer generation edges towards retirement, is likely to grow. It's a problem that is already affecting over a million people -- and the most shocking part is, none of this needed to happen.

President Barack Obama signs the Veterans Opportunity to Work to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (VOW to Hire Heroes Act), that will provide tax credits to help put veterans back to work. First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden attend the ceremony in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building South Court Auditorium, Nov. 21, 2011.

On Veterans Day, our nation recognizes and honors the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans and their families - past and present. It is fitting and proper that we hold these men and women in our hearts, in our prayers, and in our minds for all time. We must continue to be steadfast in demonstrating an unbreakable commitment to our veterans once their service has concluded. That commitment is especially needed with post-military veterans employment and career training opportunities. Assisting our veterans in a time of great need is not a Democratic responsibility or a Republican responsibility, it is an American responsibility. Download entire message from Union Veterans below:

Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that the Justice Department is “ready and eager” to lay out its case against the AT&T/T-Mobile deal. But AT&T and its business rivals are already going at it in the court of public opinion — and they’re both using the politically potent issue of jobs to plead their case. The Communications Workers of America, which supports the deal, also jumped into the fray Tuesday. The labor union released its own analysis backing up AT&T’s job claims and attacking the Sprint study for “sloppy research.” CWA reasons that T-Mobile, “which is already in a downward spiral,” would end up losing jobs as it sputters out of business on its own, so the marriage of AT&T and T-Mobile would save more jobs, especially in light of AT&T’s job commitments. “In these types of mergers, this level of agreement is unprecedented, which shows that this merger is different from others,” said Ken Peres, a CWA economist. “We think there should be benchmarks and penalties for all these conditions so that they are serious and enforceable.” Download entire article by clicking MORE Below:

Washington, D.C. – A new analysis by the Communications Workers of America confirms that the AT&T/T-Mobile merger will bring back 5,000 net quality jobs from overseas and create as many as 96,000 additional quality jobs in the buildout of high speed wireless broadband to 97 percent of the population. The report will be filed today with the Federal Communications Commission. Read the full report by clicking MORE below:

Dear Local 4250 Brothers and Sisters: We are pleased to announce that all local 4250 members and retirees now have new benefits at NO COST TO YOU or your union. These benefits are jointly sponsored with American Income Life Insurance Company, a 100% union company servicing working families for more than 50 years. American Income Life currently has over 365,000 CWA members covered under AD&D policies at no cost. To date, over $18 million in life, health, and no-cost AD&D benefits have been paid to over 6,000 CWA members and their families.In Solidarity: Elizabeth R. VanDerWoude, President Local 4250

One of EPI’s earliest critics was economist Paul Krugman. Before he became a newspaper columnist and won the Nobel prize in economics, Krugman wrote a book, “Pop Internationalism,” in which he belittled those “policy entrepreneurs” at “Economic Whatever” institutes who, in the name of competitiveness and income equality, wanted to restrict trade and institute a government-led industrial policy. Among his explicit targets was the EPI crew, including Faux, Thurow (then his colleague in the MIT economics department) and Reich (then secretary of labor in the Clinton administration). Krugman chided the group for peddling “economic nonsense” and analysis that was “crude and uninformed.” He called Thurow’s handling of numbers “eerily inept” while dismissing Reich as a “brilliant coiner of one-liners but not a serious thinker.” He portrayed himself as “playing the role of defender of civilized economics against the intellectual barbarians.” Obviously a lot has happened in the past 20 years, in politics as well as economics, that might explain why views on globalization and economic policy have evolved. But it speaks to EPI’s foresight and steadfastness, as well as the respect it now has in economic and policy circles, that the keynote speaker at EPI’s anniversary gala on Tuesday night will be none other than Paul Krugman. Download entire article by clicking MORE below:

Pursuant to the Local By-Laws, as amended on October 26, 2011, a General Membership Meeting was conducted on Wednesday, October 26, 2011, for the purpose of Nominations and Election of Officers and Executive Board Member(s). The following Officers/Delegates and Chief Steward/Executive Board Member were unopposed and elected unanimously by acclamation: Download entire Notice of Election Results by clicking MORE below:

A General Membership Meeting will be conducted on Wednesday, October 26, 2011. The agenda will include nominations and elections of Local 4250 Officers/Delegates and Chief Steward/Executive Board Member. Local By-Laws Changes will also be voted on at this meeting. Download below for time , location, proposed By-Law changes and order of nominations and elections.

The 1st Annual CWA Local 4250 Unity Picnic was a big success attended by over 150 Members, Retirees, Family and Friends. Local 4250 Officers and Retired Members' Chapter Officers thank all who attended and look forward to next year. Download picnic pictures below:

A striking example was Lucent, which inherited about 100,000 retirees when it was spun off from AT&T. From the beginning, Lucent kept saying, "We are crippled by these retirees," but the truth is, they also received more than enough actual money from AT&T to pay every dime of benefits for all the current and future retirees. Bit by bit, they cannibalized these benefits. They eliminated a death benefit, which is a very simple thing that says, if you work for us for 25 or 30 years, and you die, your widow will get $50,000 dollars or whatever per year. Lucent said they couldn't afford that. So they took it away and saved $400 million that had been set aside physically in the pension plan for these folks. At the same time, they awarded more than $400 million in bonuses to executives.Download article by THOMAS ROGERS. • Thomas Rogers is Salon's Deputy Arts Editor.

CWA VP Ralph Maly received the following SURPLUS and VTP Announcement from Diane Bradley, Assistant VP AT$T Legacy T Labor Relations. Download PDF file below for more information

By: Andrew Fieldhouse, Josh Bivens, Lawrence Mishel and Ross Eisenbrey "The unemployment rate in the United States has been at roughly 9% or above since the spring of 2009, and if the federal government does not take action, unemployment will remain above 8.5% through 2012 and around 8.0% through 2014. In a new Economic Policy Institute briefing paper, Putting America back to work, Ross Eisenbrey, Lawrence Mishel, Josh Bivens and Andrew Fieldhouse outline key criteria by which job creation proposals should be judged and present a list of proposals that would create a significant number of jobs. This list is not exhaustive, but it does illustrate the types and scale of policies needed to put a real dent in joblessness in the near term." Download EPI breifing report below:

"To most Americans, the first Monday in September means a three-day weekend and the last hurrah of summer, a final outing at the shore before school begins, a family picnic. But Labor Day was born in a time when work was no picnic. As America was moving from farms to factories in the Industrial Age, there was a long, violent, often-deadly struggle for fundamental workers' rights, a struggle that in many ways was America's "other civil war." It was a war fought when 12-hour days and six-day weeks were routine. Wages were low; there were no sick days, pensions or holidays. There was certainly no unemployment insurance. Any attempts at organizing were met by the combined wrath of business and government. The business of America was business. That conflict, a period in which thousands of workers died in America's unsafe and unsanitary factories and mines, and hundreds more died in riots and pitched battles over workers' rights, is the little-noted history behind this holiday." Download entire article by Kenneth C. Davis,the author of "Don't Know Much About History: Anniversary Edition" and "A Nation Rising." His website is www.dontknowmuch.com.

Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 By Ralph Nadar "The CWA workers went back to their jobs on August 22, 2011. Verizon had threatened to cut off their medical, dental and optical benefits by August 31.Their 2008 contract continues until ongoing negotiations with the company are concluded for a new contract. Verizon keeps saying that what they’re doing just “reflects the changing times.” The times are changing – skyrocketing executive pay packages and corporate profits – slashing benefits for the workers and their families – shredding of all moral authority by example from the top. If negotiations break down in the coming weeks and the CWA goes out on strike again, consumer advocates and their organizations should make it explicitly clear that Verizon can’t excuse what they’re doing to workers in order to better “serve our customers.” Verizon is going increasingly wireless. They are also going increasingly shameless!" Download entire Op-Ed by Ralph Nadar below:

Federal regulators should stop thumbing their noses at a year-old law and enforce limits on excessive speculation in oil markets, Sen. Bernie Sanders said on Tuesday. He urged the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to hold an emergency meeting. Secret data collected by the commission showed that Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and other banks and hedge funds dominated oil markets in 2008 when prices rose sharply and to more than $140 a barrel. The records - first made public by Sanders - shed light on the role of speculators at a time when oil prices soared and the pump price for gasoline spiked to around $4 a gallon.Download Senator Sanders letter to the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission below;

Following is a statement by the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: For release 1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011 Washington, D.C. – Members of CWA and IBEW at Verizon Communications will return to work on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at which time the contract will be back in force for an indefinite period. We have reached agreement with Verizon on how bargaining will proceed and how it will be restructured. The major issues remain to be discussed, but overall, issues now are focused and narrowed. We appreciate the unity of our members and the support of so many in the greater community. Now we will focus on bargaining fairly and moving forward. CWA and IBEW represent 45,000 workers at Verizon covered by this contract from Virginia to New England. Download press release and New York Times article below:

All CWA Local 4250 & CWA Local 4250 Retired Members' Chapter members and families are invited to our Unity Picnic on Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 1:00PM 'til 8:00PM. Food, beverages and entertainment will be provided. Please R.S.V.P President Liz VanDerWoude at evp4250@sbcglobal.net or call 708-757- 4065 BEFORE September 8, 2011 to let us know how many adults and children under the age of 12 will attend. Download flyer below for MORE information.

HISTORIC PULLMAN / CHICAGO 111th and Cottage Grove Avenue Monday, September 5, 2011 2 pm till 5 pm Exhibits, Presentations, Music, and Food Sponsored by Illinois Labor History Society Download flyer below:

45,000 Verizon workers are now on strike to stop the attack on the middle class. The reason? Despite record profits, Verizon is refusing to bargain and is demanding that its workers add to those profits from their own pockets. In the last four years alone, Verizon made more than $19 billion in profits and compensated their top five executives more than a quarter of a billion dollars. But apparently that’s not enough. Now they’re refusing to bargain. Starting on June 22 Verizon pushed proposals that would let them outsource more jobs, including sending jobs overseas, slash sick days, eliminate benefits for workers who get hurt on the job and cut the healthcare benefits they promised retirees. And they haven’t budged. That’s why 45,000 CWA and IBEW members walked out on Sunday August 7th. To force Verizon to abandon its Wisconsin-style tactics and come to the bargaining table and negotiate. America has had enough of corporate greed. Now is the time for Verizon to do the right thing and come to the bargaining table in good faith instead of trying to kill the American dream for 45,000 middle-class workers. Send a letter now to tell Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam to stop Verizon’s attack on the middle class and share his company’s success with those who made it possible. SIGN THE PETITION BELOW:

"You know how at the holidays, someone gives you a gift and you didn’t buy anything for them, well you scramble and find something you already had in the closet and wrap it up quick to present. Well, think of the combs on your tables as my unexpected gift to you, I bought these with my own money just days before as my wife reminded me I will be going on a fixed income, and I hope that you will think of that bald guy who used to drone on about money when you look at it. But now you are on the hook to get me something. And here is what I want. I want all of you to respect and celebrate each other. I want you to remember what brings us together. It is what we all in this room, hold in common; the desire to make things better for our co-workers and our nation, to gain respect on the job and dignity in the workplace, to bring economic security to the homes of our members. Our willingness to stand up together as we build this union to make sure that get a fair return on the sweat of their brows. As a gift I want you to remember that leadership in this union, as evidence by all those here in attendance today, is not measured by the color of your skin or the God you pray to. It isn’t measured by your gender or the gender you want to spend time with. It is only measured by the size of your heart. And we need not just diversity of race, sex and religion, but diversity of views as well. And so when from time to time you are angry at one of your union colleagues, remember that it is a common desire to improve the lot of our co-workers that brings us to this hall, and that animosity within our ranks is the prescription for success to our enemies. Give me those gifts and I can promise you in retirement I will continue the fight beginning in my home state of Ohio as we fight to take back collective bargaining rights. Finally as my fellow Clevelander Bob Hope was so famous for saying, thanks for the memories." Download complete copy of Jeff's farewell to CWA in PDF format. Jeff is truly a "Union Man!"

CWA President Larry Cohen was elected to a third term in office by delegates to the 73rd CWA Convention last week, and Annie Hill, formerly the union's executive vice president, was elected as secretary-treasurer. "I am so proud to be standing here today and will be working hard with all of you to make our union and our country the best it can be," Hill said. "We will not just fight back, but we will fight forward." Hill was elected with 276,769 votes; Don Trementozzi received 94,733 votes. Hill's former position will not be filled. Under a change to the CWA Constitution approved by delegates at the 2011 convention as a cost-savings measure, CWA will no longer have an executive vice president. Download complete election results below:

The battle has resumed in Wisconsin. The state supreme court has allowed Governor Scott Walker to strip bargaining rights from state workers. Meanwhile, legislators in New Hampshire and officials in Missouri are attacking private unions, seeking to make the states so-called “open shop” where workers can get all the benefits of being union members without paying union dues. Needless to say this ploy undermines the capacity of unions to do much of anything. Other Republican governors and legislatures are following suit. Download viewpoint by Robert Reich below:

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In Chicago, it's the sale of parking meters to the sovereign wealth fund of Abu Dhabi. In Indiana, it's the sale of the northern toll road to a Spanish and Australian joint venture. In Wisconsin it's public health and food programs, in California it's libraries. It's water treatment plants, schools, toll roads, airports, and power plants. It's Amtrak. There are revolving doors of corrupt politicians, big banks, and rating agencies. There are conflicts of interest. It's bipartisan. And it's coming to a city near you -- it may already be there. We're talking about the sale of public assets to private investors. You may have heard of one-off deals, but what we'll be exploring with the Huffington Post is the scale and scope of what is a national and organized campaign to shift the way we govern ourselves. In an era of increasingly stretched local and state budgets, privatization of public assets may be so tempting to local politicians that the trend seems unstoppable. Yet, public outrage has stopped and slowed a number of initiatives. While there are no televised debates around this issue, there is no polling, and there are no elections, who wins it will determine the literal shape of modern America. The Dylan Ratigan show is teaming up with the Huffington Post to do a three part series called "America for Sale", showing the pros and cons, and the politics and economics, of a new and far more privatized government. Download complete article below:

"Forewarned is Forearmed" Download at$t Press Release from LAST year. ALSO,(June 1, 2005)"I believe the shortsighted policies of the U.S. government and corporate America are dedicated to bottom-line profits, more CEO pay and perks at the expense of America's middle class. If and when a CEO job is outsourced, perhaps then government and corporations will come to their senses and finally address this critical issue." By: Steve Tisza, President Emeritus, CWA Local 4250

While at$t continues to OUTSOURCE JOBS to Slovakia, Phillipines, India and other countries, CWA VP Ralph Maly received the following SURPLUS Announcement from Diane Bradley, Assistant VP AT$T Legacy T Labor Relations. Almost 900 at$t union jobs, nationwide, will be be terminated on August 19, 2011. Of which, a total of 90 Legacy T Members will terminated. Download PDF file below for more information.

Why are workers taking home such a reduced share of the pie? Opinions differ, but many experts think that the trend has to do with a number of factors, including a decline in the bargaining power of labor, and increased competition from foreign workers. Similarly, over the last year or so, U.S. companies have made record profits, while unemployment has stayed high and wages have barely risen. The chart jibes with other data, which show that since the 1980s, income for the richest 1 percent of Americans has exploded, while hardly budging at all for everyone else. Download article By Zachary Roth and chart below.

A new study shows that miners in unionized coal mines are far less likely to be killed or injured on the job than miners in nonunion operations. The independent study funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that “unionization predicts an 18-33 percent drop in traumatic injuries and a 27-68 percent drop in fatalities.” The comprehensive study, conducted by Stanford University law professor Alison D. Morantz, the John A. Wilson Distinguished Faculty Scholar at Stanford Law School, looked at coal mine fatality and injury statistics from 1993 to 2008. Download article by Mike Hall and copy of the full report. Mike is a former West Virginia newspaper reporter, staff writer for the United Mine Workers Journal and managing editor of the Seafarers Log. He came to the AFL- CIO in 1989 and has written for several federation publications, focusing on legislation and politics, especially grassroots mobilization and workplace safety. When his collar was still blue, he carried union cards from the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers, American Flint Glass Workers and Teamsters for jobs in a chemical plant, a mining equipment manufacturing plant and a warehouse. He has also worked as roadie for a small-time country-rock band, sold his blood plasma and played an occasional game of poker to help pay the rent.

This past week CWA finally convinced ATT that they were absolutely wrong in their interpretation of Medcall & Outpatient Rules as it relates to Emergency Room claims.Download email from CWA D4 Rep. Kristie Darling for more information.

Local 4250 members & retirees are in the process of receiving a CWA Local 4250 Member/Retiree Personal USB Flash-Drive that will provide them with quick access to various AT$T contracts, Wage Schedules, Benefit Plans/Programs and a Personal Storage Folder for future updates. It also provides a live link to the Local 4250 Website and Local 4250 RMC Webpage. Click MORE below for more information about this handy device.

The Republican agenda to kill Medicare, trample workers' rights and cut millionaires' taxes at the expense of everyone else took a well-earned beating in upstate New York on Tuesday, as a Democrat comfortably won the special election for a U.S. House seat the GOP has held for generations. The special election was held to replace Republican Rep. Chris Lee, a married congressman who resigned earlier this year in a scandal over his shirtless photo and personal inquiries on an Internet dating site. Republican Jane Corwin was widely expected to win the seat until she joined other members of her party in embracing a scheme to privatize Medicare. As proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), seniors would get a government voucher and attempt to buy health insurance on the open market, instead of Medicare. Download complete article in PDF format.

The Communications Workers of America today released a research paper documenting in detail how a merger between AT&T and T-Mobile will better serve consumers, workers and communities than the only other alternative: A Sprint/T-Mobile merger. “Sprint or AT&T, The Real Story Behind the Proposed AT&T/T-Mobile Merger” reveals how T-Mobile’s owner, Deutsche Telekom (DT), had determined to stop investing in T-Mobile and the only two serious contenders for merger were AT&T and Sprint. AT&T is by far the best match according the detailed analysis. “There are four facts that are brought to light here,” said CWA Senior Director George Kohl. “First, DT was seeking a buyer. Second, AT&T or Sprint were the two leading suitors. Third, merging with Sprint would be technologically and financially burdensome and finally, AT&T is the best option for consumers and workers.” The fact that Sprint carries a BB - or “junk” credit rating and a merger would have added billions in debt to the highly leveraged company are discussed, as well as the fact that a merger would have brought major operational and technological problems. Further, a Sprint/T-Mobile merger would only exacerbate Sprint’s long history of outsourcing work outside the U.S. and trampling labor rights here in America. “AT&T is financially strong and has the resources to build out broadband to 97 percent of American homes and businesses, a key to our national competitiveness in the years to come,” Kohl said. “Finally, AT&T allows its workers to make their own decision about whether or not they wish to join a union – the way every company should.” Download the full research paper below:

It's time to pivot, President Obama. Given three-quarters of the American public - including the majority of Republican voters - what they have said they want: a substantial withdrawal of US combat troops from Afghanistan this year. Announce a real end date for US military withdrawal from Afghanistan, as Senators Barbara Boxer, Dick Durbin, Kirsten Gillibrand, Sherrod Brown and Tom Harkin have demanded. The single greatest contribution you can make to peace in Afghanistan now is to make it clear to Afghan actors that the US is really leaving, not trying to maintain troops and bases in Afghanistan past 2014. Make clear that the US is really leaving, so that peace talks can proceed. Download article by: Robert Naiman, Truthout in PDF format.

A study released this week found that if the nation's largest low-wage employer, Walmart, were to pay its 1.4 million U.S. workers a living wage of at least $12 per hour and pass every single penny of the costs onto consumers, the average Walmart customer would pay just 46 cents more per shopping trip, or around $12 extra dollars each year. Download full report in PDF format.

In 2010, chief executives at some of the nation’s largest companies earned an average of $11.4 million in total pay — 343 times more than a typical American worker, according to the AFL-CIO.The AFL-CIO has been operating the website highlighting executive pay since 1997, but it recently posted new data to emphasize the pay disparity between those at the top and the rest of the work force. The union group even has a Facebook application that allows users to plug in their own salary and see how much they make compared to CEOs.Download entire article in PDF format.

Following is a statement by CWA President Larry Cohen on the planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA by AT&T: "Today’s announcement of the acquisition of T-Mobile USA by AT&T is a victory for broadband proponents in both the U.S. and Germany. For the U.S., it means that T-Mobile customers will get quick access to the AT&T network, soon to include LTE or data speeds of at least 10 megabits downstream. More important, as part of the deal, AT&T is committing to build out to nearly every part of the U.S. within six years. Both AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM technology so there will be the immediate benefit of shared spectrum. Other reported deals involving T-Mobile would have joined incompatible networks; not only would that have forced a rebuild but would have required new phones for T- Mobile customers." Download complete statement by clicking MORE below:

CWA VP Ralph Maly received the following SURPLUS and VTP Announcement from Diane Bradley, Assistant VP AT$T Legacy T Labor Relations. Download PDF file below for more information

Sen. Tom Coburn issued a cryptic warning about a Government Accountability Office report that will be released Tuesday morning, saying it will make “all of us look like jackasses.” The Oklahoma Republican, who’s read the GAO report, refused to elaborate or say what led him to that conclusion. But the report, which was later leaked to several news outlets, identified billions of dollars in waste from overlap and duplication in federal agencies, offices and programs. For example, there are about 80 federal programs across several agencies aimed at promoting economic development, according to the Wall Street Journal, which received a copy of the report. And there are 20 programs that seek to address homelessness. “Read the report that comes out tomorrow from the GAO that looked at the government that we put in the last debt-limit extension – makes us all look like jackasses. …” Coburn told reporters at the Capitol on Monday night. “Go study that. It will show why we are $14 trillion in debt.” The report, required by federal law, likely will be discussed at a Tuesday hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, on which Coburn serves. He also is a member of the “Gang of Six,” a bipartisan group of senators negotiating to implement the recommendations of President Barack Obama’s debt and deficit reduction commission. “I will let the report speak for itself,” Coburn said. “And anybody that says we don’t look like fools up here hadn’t read the report.” Download summary of report and full report below:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today released a new report showing that the Affordable Care Act provides states with significant flexibility and resources to improve health care benefits and protect consumers. Already, the law has provided or offered $2.8 billion in funding to states. This is a fraction of the total funding available under the law to help states implement new consumer protections, expand health coverage, and improve health care quality. “The Affordable Care Act is built on the foundation of providing states with the resources and flexibility they need to build a better, more affordable health care system,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “This report shows that states have what they need to continue putting comprehensive health insurance reforms in place.” Prior to the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, the fractured health care system placed tremendous financial burdens on states. In 2008, for example, states spent $17.2 billion on uncompensated care due to the large number of Americans without health insurance. Rising health care costs have also had a significant impact on state budgets. The Affordable Care Act builds on ongoing state efforts to reform health care, and provides states with new tools, flexibility, and resources to provide their residents with health care benefits and consumer protections at an affordable price. At a time when states are struggling with budget deficits, these resources are providing governors, state legislators and regulators, and the people they serve, with vital assistance to improve lives and reduce costs. The law also empowers states to choose a variety of implementation strategies to reflect their different insurance markets, provider networks, and the needs of their residents. Under the law, states receive substantial flexibility and financial support to cover the cost of creating new competitive insurance marketplaces and extending coverage to more Americans. The report can be found by clicking MORE below:

"Let's be clear. The attacks are concerted. Wisconsin, historically an important place of unionized workers, is an important battleground. If the public unions can be broken there, using an artificially created deficit as an excuse to attack them, no union -- of workers public or private -- will be safe from attack. Without unions, workers will lose many of the protections against abusive employers. Wages for all will be depressed, even as corporate profits soar. The American dream will be destroyed for millions. And we will have a government of the corporations, by the already powerful, for the wealthy. I think Lincoln and most of our other great presidents would be ashamed to see what is happening." The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Kenneth Bernstein. Download entire article below:

"What is particularly troublesome about the message currently being presented in the media, and espoused by some politicians, is the conscious effort to avoid, rather than address and correct, the real problems that we face. Selling the public on a notion that public-sector benefits and wages cause local and state financial shortfalls is disingenuous. The common thread in local and state budgetary shortfalls is dwindling tax revenue, job losses to the community, municipal investment shortfalls and home foreclosures. Eliminating frontline workers and civil servants who provide critical services to the public will not provide the solution promised. Often it is a promise of future prosperity that never materializes but instead results in less service and accountability to the taxpayers. It is hard to understand how the egregious and criminal acts of the banking industry, insurance giants, mortgage sector and Wall Street corporate gamblers have been so quietly swept under the rug, while principalities of greed spotlight public employees and their middle-class wages as bankrupting the country." Download letter by Brien Bellous, President, CWA Local 4502

"There's a place on the Far South Side of Chicago that's gone through some very hard times and some rather good times. It's pulled through when so many other places have passed into history. I'm talking about the plant that Henry Ford built. It wasn't always a place that the United Auto Workers represented, but it has become a bright symbol of organized labor for not only this city but the nation. The first contract was signed in 1946. The base hourly rate agreed on was $1.40 per hour. Through the years we have seen many benefits added to the contracts. Thanks to negotiations we have received everything from higher base hourly rates to good insurance coverage. Also, we've earned many benefits for our family members." Download entire opinion article by Dave Schoenecker, a UAW member and Ford employee for more than 30 years, all spent at the Chicago Assembly Plant. He's also a former UAW secretary-treasurer and an International UAW Constitutional Convention Delegate.

Feb 11, 2011 To: AT&T Local Presidents We have received the attached letter regarding 2011 Cost -of-Living Allowance from Labor Relations. In Unity, Ralph V. Maly Vice President

Late yesterday, IBEW Local 21 leadership reached an agreement with AT&T that should minimize the negative impact on members from AT&T’s early January, 2011 Surplus announcement. After getting the latest information to you as fast as possible, and after fielding questions from members, we realized some information needs to be clarified and/or corrected. These changes will be in red italics. Following are several major areas of the agreement. Download more informtion below, in PDF format

So, why have unions? Because the persistent problem of unlimited corporate power requires an effective counterbalance. The need for such a counterbalance is clear. We saw the effect of increasing corporate power in the 2010 elections. We see it in virtually every law considered by Congress and state legislatures. And we saw it in the period leading up to the 1929 stock market crash and the Great Depression. As corporations grow mightier, they are able to amass even greater power. Then, just as now, Supreme Court decisions made corporations unaccountable to their societies by removing limits on corrupting and destructive power wielded by corporations. Download entire opinion article below:

Prior to the Affordable Care Act, in the vast majority of states, insurance companies in the individual market could deny coverage, charge higher premiums, and/or limit benefits based on pre-existing conditions. Surveys have found that 36 percent of Americans who tried to purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual insurance market encountered challenges purchasing health insurance for these reasons. A number of protections are already in place thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Insurers can no longer limit lifetime coverage to a fixed dollar amount or take away coverage because of a mistake on an application. Young adults have the option of staying on their parents’ coverage up to the age of 26 if they lack access to job-based insurance of their own, and insurers cannot deny coverage to children because of a pre-existing condition. Download entire News Release in PDF format.

The Robert D. Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund, administered by the Cleveland Foundation, is now accepting applications for the 2011-2012 academic year. Applications must be postmarked by April 30, 2011. Awards will be announced by June 15, 2011. Download letter from President VanDerWoude for more information and a copy of the 2011-2012 Application Forms in PDF format

Greetings and Happy New Year to you all! Our office has received questions regarding how HRAs will be funded and whether the funds will be available to employees leaving the payroll as a result of this last VTP/Surplus declaration. I hope the following information will be helpful and that you will pass it along to your members. As the off-roll date is in January 2011, all employees will receive the 2011 HRA deposit before leaving the payroll. SSP monies were deposited shortly before the end of last year and accounts were established for employees enrolled in HMOs. As long as an employee remains in the AT&T medical plan, including COBRA, out of pocket expenses can be submitted for reimbursement. Once coverage is discontinued, no new expenses can be submitted. However, those expenses incurred while still in the medical plan can be submitted through the end of the first quarter (March 31st) of 2012. Medical expenses incurred in 2010 can be submitted through the end of the first quarter (March 31st) of 2011. If any HRA funds remain in employees’ accounts after all eligible claims have been submitted and costs reimbursed, those funds will revert back to the Company. Should you or your members have any questions, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I can be reached by phone at (202) 434-1291, or via email at mflagge@cwa-union.org. In Unity, Martha Flagge CWA Representative, T&T Download below:

One year ago today I took an oath to serve as your President. In keeping with my commitment to keep you informed I have scheduled a membership meeting for Tuesday, February 8, 2011. Your Executive Board will be at 717 S. Wells from 10am - 11 am and 10 S. Canal from 11:30am - 5pm Please check your Union Bulletin Board to obtain information on CWA Local 4250 "LABOR OF LOVE" projects for 2011. February 2011 project: Bring a non perishable food item to our February meeting and help contribute to food pantry's in DuPage and Cook Counties. I hope you will join me in making a difference in 2011. In Our Unity....There is Strength Elizabeth VanDerWoude President CWA Local 4250 Download**Post**Distribute

"President Obama said Wednesday that he intended to install six appointees — including James Cole, his controversial pick for the No. 2 spot at the Justice Department — while Congress is in recess. The move will allow them to serve without confirmation by the Senate, where their prospects will only grow dimmer once Republicans gain strength in January. Mr. Obama’s action will allow Mr. Cole and the other nominees — four ambassadors, as well as the official who runs the Government Printing Office — to serve for one year." Download entire article in PDF format.

The following AT$T Labor Notice is with regard to the CarePlus and MedPlus list of Covered Procedures and Services effective January 1, 2011. Download below:

CWA VP Ralph Maly received the following SURPLUS and VTP Announcement from Diane Bradley, Assistant VP AT$T Legacy T Labor Relations. Download PDF file below for more information

The 2011 Gatt Rate is 4.19% - a decrease which you'll remember actually increases a lump sum payout. (The current 2010 Gatt Rate is 4.31%. Remember the Gatt rate does NOT impact a monthly pension annuity at all.) The January 1, 2011, Pension Band Increase is 2.0%. If at all possible; Members will obviously want to wait until January 2011, to get the benefit of the 2011 band increase, the lower Gatt Rate and their 2011 vacation. DOWNLOAD below:

The Chicago Federation of Labor will once again offer the William A. Lee Memorial Scholarship Awards to ten graduating high school students who are members of union families. The CFL will offer five academic-based scholarships and five random-drawing scholarships in the amount of $2,000. Students may only submit applications for one of the two categories, Academic Competition and Random Drawing The period for submitting applications is January 1 through March 1, 2011 Please see the following application(s) for more complete rules. Good luck Class of 2011! In our Unity…There Is Strength: Liz VanDerWoude, President CWA Local 4250 Chicago DOWNLOAD, POST & DISTRIBUTE

"Congratulations to our Members’, Laura Unger-CWA Staff Rep, Alex Roe-CWA Legal Council, Ralph Maly-C&T VP, and all of the participants that worked so diligently to make this a reality." Download letter from Roy Hegenbart President CWA Local 3250

The 10 days following Thanksgiving are designated by the AFL-CIO as “Buy Union” week to encourage union members to look for union-made goods and services when they buy for the Holiday Season. During difficult economic times it makes more sense than ever to focus the purchasing power of union families on the goods and services that those families create. Supporting union made products helps keep good jobs in the community. Download more below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, November 22, 2010 New regulations issued today by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) require health insurers to spend 80 to 85 percent of consumers’ premiums on direct care for patients and efforts to improve care quality. This regulation, known as the “medical loss ratio” provision of the Affordable Care Act, will make the insurance marketplace more transparent and make it easier for consumers to purchase plans that provide better value for their money. “Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans will get better value for their health insurance premium dollar,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “These new rules are an important step to hold insurance companies accountable and increase value for consumers.” Download entire News Release in PDF format.

“EVERY morning I wake up and go looking for dead people,” says Michael White, a computer programmer from Stone Mountain, Ga., who publishes the Web site iCasualties.org, which tracks deaths and injuries among coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is grim work of trolling through news sites and official releases about each episode, assessing the reliability of those accounts and then entering the details about the wounded and killed into a database. Mr. White, 54, has done so since the 2003 invasion of Iraq — “when everything was flowers and chocolate,” he said. Yet he had a hunch that events might not continue so smoothly. He has kept at it, even as the public and news organizations have moved on to other topics, particularly the economy. Traffic on the site has dropped by at least half since the days of the surge, when the conduct of the war in Iraq was an issue in the 2008 presidential election. Now the site gets about 25,000 to 35,000 unique visitors a day, Mr. White says. Download entire article by Noam Cohen, New York Times, in PDF format.

To: AT&T Legacy T Local Presidents We have received the attached 2011 AT&T Foundation Scholarship Program flyers from the Company, and are passing them on to you for posting to your web sites. Please note, the application deadline date is February 15, 2011. In Unity, Ralph V. Maly Vice President PS: Download PDF Flyers and Apply on-Line!

Nov 18, 2010 - We have received the attached letter regarding Surplus Declaration Windows for 2011 from AT&T. In Unity, Ralph V. Maly Vice President

“I have found another passion,” says Morty Bahr ’83, ’95 president emeritus of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), as he steers his comfortable Lincoln through streets lined with elegant townhouses and small boutique businesses on a beautiful, late spring day. We are headed to Johnson Towers, located on Upshur Street in Northwest Washington, to see an apartment complex run by the Elderly Housing Development and Operations Corp. (EHDOC), a nonprofit organization that provides housing for low-income seniors. As we turn into the drive, Bahr comments, “You would never know that poor people live here.” For the past few years, Bahr has been president of the organization that shelters upwards of 5,000 seniors, 80 percent of whom are widowed, and others who are indigent. All have Social Security of $750 a month or less and pay no more than 30 percent of their monthly income in rent. The building we’re visiting is just one in a network of 53 facilities in 14 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Download an excellent article from The Empire State College Fall Edition of Connections Magazine.

"Considering that the United States still held a federal surplus before the Afghanistan and Iraqi Wars began, common sense dictates that ending them could decrease the deficit by billions each year and over time and bring the nation back to a surplus, even if the nation continues spending elsewhere. While no one wants to begin or continue any war, the dollar amounts alone are evidence of the fact that too much is spent on them. Simply stated, if the United States reduced its spending on foreign policy, namely the wars, the nation would have had more than $1 trillion less in deficit. Considering that the current deficit is estimated at $1.3 trillion, while the nation would have still acquired a deficit, the total deficit amount would have been much less." Download opinion by Yahoo contributor JC Torpey in PDF format.

Today, our country will honor its veterans as it does every year, with parades, ceremonies, speeches and patriotic music. Schools will welcome us into their classrooms and ask us to tell our stories, and everywhere we go young and old alike will clasp our hands and say, “Thank you for serving.” On this Veterans Day, let us thank God for the gift of freedom made possible by those who served our nation with honor, courage and commitment in our armed forces during all wars that enabled so many of them to earn that coveted title of an “American veteran.” Download entire article from Jimmie Foster, National Commander of the American Legion.

On November 1, 2010 the new National Transfer Plan (NTP) will be rolled out and operational online. The site will be available to employees at work through HROneStop. The site will contain only those jobs to which NTP applies. Employees will use their ATTid and an algorithm-assigned password to access the site the first time. After accessing the site, employees can change their password to whatever they would like based on the parameters of establishing the password. Workers can also access the system from http://att.jobs.com and there will be a link at that site for NTP. After an employee leaves the payroll, their ATTid and password will not be deactivated so they can still access the site while their contractual time limit expires. Employees using NTP to transfer will have Term of Employment (TOE) apply in the receiving region. Pension will stop in the sending company and will immediately begin in the receiving company. So, for example, an employee with 20 years in Legacy T transferring to Legacy S would have 10 more years to work to achieve 30 and out with medical benefits. We have already had questions arise which we are clarifying. This is a work in progress. All Regions along with T&T have been in contact with the Company to ensure a smooth implementation. We all want the NTP to be successful because it is another tool for our members’ job security. Download below;

I've just learned that I provided incorrect information to some of you with respect to whether all eligible employees, enrolled in the Point of Service Medical Plan or in an HMO, are eligible to have the SSP money deposited in an HRA. I was first informed that only those employees enrolled in the Point of Service Plan were eligible to receive the money in an HRA. However, there is no such caveat. All eligible employees will have access to the SSP monies through an HRA. If employees are currently enrolled in an HMO and do not have an established HRA, the Company will have an HRA established for them. I apologize for my error and for any confusion I may have caused. Should you have any questions, please let me know. I can be reached via email at mflagge@cwa-union.org, or by phone at (202) 434-1291. In Unity, Martha Flagge CWA Representative

Download frequently called HealthCare providers phone numbers and links to their websites

Recent Article By American Legion National Commander Jimmie Foster: "Congress may be receiving low approval ratings from the general voting population, but The American Legion says lawmakers have done quite well on veterans issues this year. "The 111th Congress may be remembered for banner legislation such as health-care reform, financial regulation and the recovery act," American Legion National Commander Jimmie Foster said. "But in our view, the real successes were the passage of bills that affected nearly every veteran in America." Chief among the pieces of veteran-related legislation was the "Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009," which guarantees appropriations for VA health care one full year in advance. Another significant milestone for the 111th Congress was the "Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010." The bill included substantially increased VA funding for fiscal 2010 - the agency's first budget to exceed $100 billion. Download entire article in PDF format.

Remember some contracts are different. In the Mid-West Legacy (SBC) and Legacy (T) contracts, we elected to go for a tax-free contribution to the individuals HRA as an ongoing funding source, while some contracts elected to take a taxable lump sum payment. Download letter to members and retirees from President VanDerWoude

"Morty Bahr is one of the great and legendary leaders in the history of the American labor movement," said AIL President & CEO Roger Smith. "We are grateful to have had the benefit of his counsel over the years and pleased that he will remain on the Board. He was particularly helpful to me when I assumed leadership of the Company and I will always appreciate the advice he has offered me over the years." A CWA member for more than 50 years, Bahr became international president in 1985 and is credited with guiding the union through some of its most difficult days during the deregulation of the telecommunications industry, the union's basic industry at the time. Once known as a "telephone union," CWA now includes communications workers from all media industries, public sector workers, airline flight attendants and others. He also pioneered significant collective bargaining breakthroughs on family life, worker training and education, worker empowerment and health care reform. Download entire article in PDF format.

Download letter to Ralph Maly, CWA C&T VP from Diane Bradley, AT$T Labor Relations AVP regarding coverage for Legally Recognized Partners in AT$T Benefit Plans, effective April 1, 2011.

Download Slide Show (PDF) regarding The Health Care Reform Act and it's implications on collectively bargained health care plans.

Received Via E-Mail: Dear Elizabeth: I wanted to make sure you saw the great news. After over two years of hard work among all involved, the VA recently confirmed it intends to acquire parts of the soon-to-be-vacated Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet to convert into an expanded veteran's health facility. Having grown up in a military family, the needs of veterans are never far from my mind. I can remember driving my dad, a veteran, to Chicago for health care services - and for area veterans far from Chicago, this can be a long and difficult commute. For the past two years, speaking with local veterans, I've heard from them just how critical it is that we convert parts of Silver Cross into a veteran's health facility. And now veterans can expect expanded local services for to be a reality. We've worked hard over the past two years to convince the VA to acquire Silver Cross. I will continue to work on this issue and advocate that veterans in our area have full access to the medical services that they need. Furthermore, I have a full-time veterans caseworker dedicated to assisting veterans throughout the 11th District access the services they need from the Department of Veterans Affairs or other federal agencies. If you are a veteran or know of a veteran needing assistance please call my Joliet office at 815-726-4998. Also, feel free to contact me again in the future regarding any matter of concern to you and please visit my website, http://halvorson.house.gov. Sincerely, Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson Download letter below

Are you utilizing your Health Reimbursement Account (HRA)? If you are enrolled in the Company medical plan (excluding HMO-type plans) you are eligible to receive a company funded HRA to be used to reimburse yourself for eligible network or non network medical, dental, vision and prescription drug expenses that are not covered by your healthcare plans. The HRA provides participants with tax advantaged funds to reimburse qualifed medical expenses - those that would be deductible under IRS code 213(d) - such as expenses that count toward your deductibles, co-payments, and coinsurance, as well as monthly contributions (when paid for on a post tax basis) Participants are required to substantiate expenses prior to any reimbursement from an HRA by submitting reimbursement forms (obtain on line at www.shps.com) and your receipts. Any reimbursements from the HRA are not taxable. There are no forfeiture requirements, unused balances rollover. Download letter from President VanDerWoude for information on how to access your account.

AT$T notified the CWA of "Revised" numbers for the Surplus and VTP announced on September 15th. Download revised numbers below.

CWA VP Ralph Maly received the following SURPLUS and VTP Announcement from Diane Bradley, Assistant VP AT$T Legacy T Labor Relations. Download PDF file for more information

Download ratification results in PDF format.

Dear Member/Retiree: When I was young, Labor Day meant the end of summer and the beginning of school. There was to be no more lazy days of fun and games. I see Labor Day differently now. The current economic crisis has stricken many of our Brothers and Sisters who have been laid off, seen their offices closed or idled, their hours cut and homes in foreclosure. Anxieties reign, but let us remember that progress has always been made by people like us, working people working together& We, Union Brothers and Sisters are the Labor Movement. Today, after 27 years as a Union member and Officer, every Labor Day means a beginning, a new day for the Labor Movement. Let us never forget the past generation of Labor leaders who forged and lighted the path to protecting Middle Class Americans. Let us honor each other, the hard working members of our great Nation and builders of our children and grandchildren's future. Let us celebrate together, and tell our families, our friends, our neighbors - this Labor Day is the start of something we all can be proud of. This Labor Day, and every Labor Day forward, is OUR day. Happy Labor Day and Thank YOU for all that you do!!!! In Our Unity, There IS Strength: Liz Van Der Woude President CWA Local 4250 Download**Post**Distribute, in PDF format.

This communication impacts non-management employees with an active payroll deduction in elink (eCORP) for savings bonds with National Bond and Trust (NBT). Download PDF file for more information.

CWA members' solidarity during 18 long months of bargaining paid off Wednesday night in Connecticut when Local 1298 reached a tentative agreement with AT&T that includes job protection language the company had refused to include earlier. "We hung tough, the membership hung tough, we had the support of national, and AT&T knew it and finally realized that 'we're not going to get these guys to move,'" Local 1298 President Bill Henderson said. Download Final Bargaing Report in PDF format

Today, CWA is starting a new email newsletter called "CWA D4 Reality Check". In every office, garage, factory or worksite there is usually one or two members that spend all their waking hours listening to right-wing talk radio and TV and subjecting their co-workers to their extreme views. Often, union political activists don't have the facts or research to respond to some of the outrageous statements that these folks make. CWA District 4 will monitor these sources of opinion and rumor and make sure that CWA activists get the real facts in order to respond to these discussions at work. Each story will have links to more information in case you want to get more detail. Let us know if you have suggestions to make this a better newsletter. Download for more info in PDF format.

Local 4250 President/Delegate Liz VanDerWoude and two (2) other CWA District 4 Telecom Locals SUPPORTED the Constitutional change to create a Telecommunications Sector Vice-President. President/Delegate VanDerWoude also voted against the Constitutional change to have Conventions bi-annualy. As soon as the roll-call vote on these changes is available, they will be posted on this website. Download excellent LaborNotes article by Mischa Gaus in PDF format.

CWA's AT&T Internet Bargaining Team reached a Tentative Agreement with AT&T Internet Services covering 5,000 workers in Districts 3, 4, 6 and 9. The Agreement, reached July 21, improves pay and benefits, strengthens the grievance and arbitration process, and provides Internet workers with the same transfer and bidding rights as other AT&T workers have. Under the proposed three-year Agreement, some 4,000 Customer Assistants, the largest work group at AT&T Internet, will be covered by a new quarterly cash award plan. Awards will range from $100-$500 per quarter for CAs with less than two years seniority, to $150-$700 per quarter for CAs with more than two years service. Based on seniority, annual potential awards would total $2,000 or $2,800. Awards take effect when workers meet a minimum of two of five attainable standards, unlike some industry plans with unreasonable and unreachable standards. CAs will also receive a $300 lump sum in 2011 and a 2 percent wage increase in 2012. Customer Assistants also won full participation in the Success Sharing Plan and now are eligible for tuition aid. They had been excluded from these benefits before. Tier II workers will receive annual wage increases of 2.75 percent, 2.25 percent and 2.5 percent over the contract term. To offset some health care cost increases for Tier II workers, AT&T Internet will phase in those costs over three years and provide Tier II workers with an additional $1,200 payment at ratification. A $500 ratification bonus will be paid to all Tier I and Tier II workers if the Agreement is ratified by August 20. The bargaining team unanimously recommended ratification of the Agreement. This Tentative Agreement shows the value of having a union during the worst of times, said Executive Vice President Annie Hill, who heads CWAs Telecom Office. We were able to make economic gains for all ATTIS workers, thanks to members' strong support for their Bargaining Committee. A final bargaining report will be presented to Local Presidents at the CWA Convention next week, and contract explanation meetings will be held by Locals, followed by membership ratification. Download copy in PDF format

July 22, 2010- The AIL/NILICO Labor Advisory Board is pleased to welcome Barbara J. Easterling. A longtime Union official, she is President of the four million member strong Alliance for Retired Americans, an AFL-CIO-affiliated nonprofit organization of retired trade union members organized in 2000. The nation's largest such organization, the mission of the ARA is to ensure social and economic justice and civil rights for all citizens. Chosen as President of the Alliance for Retired Americans last February, Ms. Easterling is only the second person ever elected to that office. Before that, she served as the Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO and Secretary-Treasurer of the Communications Workers of America. She was the first woman to serve in all three offices. Ms. Easterling first joined CWA Local 4302 in Akron when she began her career as a telephone operator at Ohio Bell. In 1980, she was summoned to Washington and served for five years as assistant to the president of the union. In 1985, she was elected Executive Vice President. Ms. Easterling is also the auditor of the International Trade Unions Confederation and a member of the U.S. State Department Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy. Her honors include the Midwest Labor Press Association's Eugene V. Debs Award, the Ellis Island American Legend Award and the March of Dimes Salute to Labor Award. Inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 1985, she also received the International Women's Democracy Center Global Democracy Award and the Women's Equity Action League Award. Over the years, she has served on numerous charities' advisory committees and boards of directors. Download copy in PDF format.

Recently AT$T implemented the Intellectual Property Program with a kickoff that included a raffle for ideas with a prize of a Kindle to each weekly winner. CWA is opposed to the Program as a whole, and we have filed a National Labor Relations Board charge on this matter. We are looking for anyone who has received emails announcing the winners of Kindles, or anyone who has had a conversation with a boss regarding this program. If you fit either category, please contact me ASAP! Thank you for your attention to this matter and for any help you can provide. In Our Unity....There is Strength: Elizabeth R. VanDerWoude President CWA Local 4250 evp4250@sbcglobal.net CC: Local 4250 Executive Board Download, Post & Distribute!

Baseball fans, take a good look at some of the players in tonight's All-Star Game. You may not see them at next year's classic if they are Latino. A growing number of Latino players, including such perennial all-stars as Albert Pujols and Adrian Gonzalez,have said they would not participate in the game if it is played as scheduled next year in Phoenix. The Latino players are calling on Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig to move the 2011 game out of Phoenix as a protest against Arizona's new anti-immigrant law [1], which goes into effect July 29. The law requires police to stop and question anyone they have "reasonable suspicion" of being undocumented. The law does not define "reasonable suspicion," a fact that many opponents say is a carte blanche for racial profiling. Writing at Huffington Post today, Ben Walker [2] speaks with several Latino players who say the law is unfair and they cannot play if the game remains in Phoenix. He quotes Kansas City Royals closer Joakim Soria, who says: They could stop me and ask to see my papers. I have to stand with my Latin community on this. Read all of Walker's post here [2]. The Major League Baseball Players Association said in a statement [3] that the new law could have a "negative impact" on major league baseball teams, which have hundreds of players who are citizens of countries other than the United States. At least six players on the Arizona Diamondbacks roster are not U.S. citizens, and 30 percent of all Major League players are Latino. These international players are very much a part of our national pastime and are important members of our Association. Their contributions to our sport have been invaluable, and their exploits have been witnessed, enjoyed and applauded by millions of Americans. All of them, as well as the clubs for whom they play, have gone to great lengths to ensure full compliance with federal immigration law.

CWA Local 1298 has won again. AT&T in their arrogance has violated the law, and Steven Fish, Administrative Law Judge, for the National Labor Relations Board, ruled in our favor. CWA filed charges in October and went to court in February because our members were disciplined for wearing their AT&T Prisoner Shirts to work. This monumental victory supports the concerted activities that our members participated in during bargaining that are protected by the National Labor Relations Act. We thank all the members who participated by wearing their AT&T Prisoner T-Shirts to work and refusing to take them off. Thank you to all the local member activists who wore their shirts to work, the members who testified as witnesses, CWA District 1 attorneys, Gabrielle Semel and Josh Pomeranz for their help in winning this victory. This is another example of the support received by District 1 Vice President, Chris Shelton, Assistant to the Vice President, Dennis Trainor and National Representative Pat Telesco. We will have more details on how our members who were disciplined will be made whole and will have more activities to follow. The Judges statement follows: Download June 22, 2010 ruling by Judge in PDF format.

Dear Ralph: On Tuesday, June 15, 2010 Worldwide Customer Service, Business, Global Network Operations and Information Technology, and Operations will announce a surplus declarations. This surplus information is preliminary and not all-inclusive. The titles impacted are attached. Regards, Diane Bradley

Dear Ralph: This is to advise you that Worldwide Customer Service, Customer Information Services, Global Network Operations and Information Technology, and Operations will be offering VTP on June 15, 2010. The attached file will list the titles, locations and cap information. This VTP information is preliminary and not all-inclusive. Regards, Diane Bradley

June 10, 2010 CWA HAS CHARGED THAT AT&T East has been engaging in unfair labor practices as set forth in the National Labor Relations Act. The NLRB has issued a Complaint (Attached) and Notice of Hearing and alleges the following: AT&T changed job performance targets relating to employees that are classified as "Premise Technicians" which resulted in greater discipline for those employee's. AT&T implemented a new discipline policy relating to violations of its "OP78" policy. AT&T engaged in the conduct described above without affording the Union an opportunity to bargain with them. AT&T has failed and refused to furnish the Union with information requested that is necessary for and relevant to the performance of its function as the exclusive collective bargaining representative of our members. Once again, CWA has to force this company to do the right thing and that is bargain with the Union not just do as they please. This complaint by the NLRB in Region 34 has been filed, and a hearing will be scheduled to take place in Connecticut CWA 1298 has been very successful at the Labor board on multiple occasions and we can add this one to the list. As an update to the hearing that was heard last year on the charges filed regarding Workers Compensation and Information request on Sedgwick, CMS, AT&T has been ordered to: "Bargain collectively with the Union, over any decision to change past practices and procedures relating to the Union's dealings with Sedgwick CMS , including changes in the manner of requesting and type of information that the union may receive relating to workers compensation claims and issues "Provide the union with information requested related to workers compensation claims or issues, which is relevant and necessary to the Unions' duties as statutory representative The Company has appealed this decision, and we have been waiting for a ruling from the NLRB in Washington since. Just recently President Barack Obama used his constitutional powers to appoint attorneys Craig Becker and Mark Pearce to fill two vacant seats on the NLRB. This appointment guarantees a quorum for the five (5) member NLRB, which will allow for key rulings without a legal challenge. This will hopefully bring a faster resolution to our issues. CWA Local 1298 3055 DIXWELL AVENUE, HAMDEN, CT 06518 PHONE: 203-288-5271 or 1-800-833-2889

"At the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery about 50 miles southwest of his hometown, Mr. Obama had just laid a wreath at a marker for a soldier whose remains were not recovered when the skies, sunny for hours, grew black and blustery. As he waited under a tent to take the stage, lightning cracked at the end of the Pledge of Allegiance and a downpour began. After conferring with a Secret Service agent, Mr. Obama approached the microphone holding an umbrella that the winds seemed about to snatch. He told the crowd filling 5,000 folding chairs, including disabled veterans, the elderly and infants, to seek shelter in their cars and waiting buses." Download entire article by Jackie Calmes (NYT) and additional pictures taken by Steve Tisza, CWA Local 4250 RMC President, who attended the event.

Once again management will be asking Legacy T workers to complete the CAP Survey. CWA believes it is not in our members' best interest to complete these surveys. We believe this will cost our members jobs through layoffs and transfer of work in the long run. If management makes completing the survey a job assignment, then complete the survey; as always, do not sign anything; and then file a grievance. Liz VanDerWoude, President CWA Local 4250

"Memorial Day is a time to reflect upon those fallen American heroes who have given their lives and health to keep this nation safe. Memorial Day is also the perfect time to honor those brave soldiers who are still with us, to thank them for the freedoms we enjoy every day, and to do all that we can to improve their quality of life. But, in many aspects, Memorial Day has simply morphed into the day when we kick into high gear for the summer season. Yet, I firmly believe that the men and women who died for their nation would fully understand what we do with their day - Memorial Day. Or, at least I hope they would, because if they would have insisted that it be a somber, respectful day of remembrance, then we have blown it big time. But, you know what? Some of those that I served with, and who paid the ultimate price, would have completely understood. They liked a sunny beach and a cold beer and a hot barbeque filled to the edges with hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken and ribs. They would have enjoyed nothing more than packing the kids, the jet skis, the coolers, and the suntan lotion in the car and heading for the lake or to the beach. Or, they would have enjoyed it just as much by staying at home and cutting the grass and getting together with some friends and cooking some steaks on the grill. But they didn't get the chance. They were ambushed at a mountainside outpost in Afghanistan; or killed by an IED on a road into Fallujah; or they were blown up in the Marine Barracks in Beirut; or they died in the oily waters of the Persian Gulf." Download entire message in PDF format.

In January 2008, IBEW Local 21 Business Representative Michael Kunas suddenly passed away. Brother Kunas cared deeply for the members of our union and he fought every day to make sure they were treated fairly by management, while receiving respect and dignity on the job. To honor Mike's memory and his passion for helping the members of this local, The Michael A. Kunas Memorial Fund was established. The Fund will hold an annual fundraising event with the inaugural year proceeds going to Mike's family. Download for more information and flyer in PDF format.

"The Massacre was only a part of the much larger story of the Little Steel Strike. The nationwide death toll in the strike reached sixteen as six other strikers lost their lives on a picket line in Ohio. All these incidents took place outside Republic Steel plants and involved strikers and local law enforcement agencies. The deaths, back-to-work movements, and anti-union propaganda combined to demoralize the striking steelworkers. The strike had to be called off. In this situation, the SWOC turned to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The process of filing a complaint with the NLRB consumed a great deal of time due to opposing legal action taken by the companies. In August 1941, however, Republic Steel and other Little Steel Companies agreed to cease and desist from committing unfair labor practices. The Labor Board provided for a series of membership card cross-checks and secret ballot elections which later established bargaining rights for SWOC. One year later, "Little Steel" companies signed their first contracts (under compulsion by the War Labor Board) with the new United Steelworkers of America. Little Steel had only delayed the march of unionism. The sacrifice of the workers of 1937 had not been in vain." Download chronological history of the Massacre from the Illinois Labor History Society in PDF format.

CWA Local 1298, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Mary Healy from the Office of Consumer Counsel have spent the last year at DPUC hearings advocating for better telecommunication service quality for consumers in Connecticut. Although it was proven in hearings that AT&T has violated at least one key standard, fixing 90 percent of the out-of-service phones within 24 hours since 2001, the DPUC disappointed us terribly in a decision this week by not forcing at&t to pay fines for failing to meet current service quality standards and not strengthening those standards for all telecommunication companies. Today in an unprecedented move, the DPUC imposed a Civil penalty of $1,210,000 against AT&T for "consistently failing to meet the requirement of the 90% of all service repairs received by the Telco in any given 24 hour period to be cleared within 24 hours". The result of this work and our determination is a message that even the AT&T corporate barons can hear in their executive suites- provide quality service or be prepared to pay! Our people can make AT&T the best communications provider in the state- but we need the people to get the job done! In Our Unity....There is Strength Elizabeth VanDerWoude President CWA Local 4250

Below you will find some facts regarding the Healthcare legislation provided by the CWA Research Department. In addition, a separate document providing additional information is attached.

Download copy of May 2010 newsletter in PDF format below:

We received the following Labor Notice from AT&T in regard to automatic reimbursement of Blue Cross/Blue Shield out of pocket expenses from participant healthcare FSAs that were not processed from January 1 - April 18, 2010 due to a systems error.

-"the "I Want My Country Back" slogan. A motto that would be called treasonous if uttered by throngs of blacks, Latinos or Native Americans has been deftly sculpted by conservatives into an accepted clarion call for white power. Cloaked in the proud patois of patriotism and protest, the refrain has become a dog whistle to a Caucasian population that feels threatened by impending demographic and public policy changes. As a marketing masterpiece, the slogan would certainly impress the old Madison Avenue mavens. The trouble is that as a larger political ideology, its hateful and divisive message is encouraging ever more misguided madness." Download entire opinion by David Sirota in PDF format.

Recent reports in the business press about AT&T and Verizon considering dropping employer-sponsored benefits are misleading. A recent article in Fortune (attached) suggests that AT&T and Verizon, among other employers thought about dropping benefits and instead paying a penalty that would be required under the new health care reform law. The first thing to keep in mind is that our negotiated benefits are protected by the collective bargaining agreement and the company cannot unilaterally change the benefits. CWA has not and will not agree to the company dismantling the employee health benefits package we have built over decades. Download entire Notice from Annie Hill, CWA Executive Vice President, in PDF format

Today many countries are celebrating International Workers' Day, which commemorates the social and economic achievements of the labor movement. The choice of May 1st was a commemoration for those involved in the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago in our fight for the 8 hour day. Click below to view an excellent digital history of the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago

Listed below is a brief summary of the 17 modifications which have been agreed to in the new Tentative Agreement reached on April 28, 2010.The Tentative Agreement must be ratified by May 28, 2010. The Bargaining Committee unanimously recommends ratification of the Tentative Agreement. Download Highlights in PDF format.

Each workday, it's likely that 14 workers won't come home because they will be killed on the job, according to the most recent statistics. The AFL-CIO's 19th annual workplace safety report, "Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect," also reports that in 2008, along with the 5,214, workers killed, another 50,000 workers died from occupational diseases, while at least 4.6 million workers were reported injured, unreported injuries could push that total to as many as 14 million workers. Download article in PDF format for more information

The mine explosion in West Virginia on April 5 is the worst since a 1984 accident at Wilberg, Utah. As a union safety expert, Joe Main was on the scene then; he's now the head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration at the Department of Labor, which under Hilda Solis is taking a tough stand on labor law violations. Download entire article from The Nation by: Esther Kaplan in PDF format

"Decades of struggle by workers and their unions have resulted in significant improvements in working conditions, but the toll of workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths remains enormous. Each year, thousands of workers are killed, and millions more are injured or diseased because of their jobs. We remember these workers on April 28, Workers Memorial Day, first observed in 1989. April 28 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the day of a similar remembrance in Canada. Trade unionists around the world now mark April 28 as an International Day of Mourning." Download GUEST COMMENTARY by Joe Gutierrez a retired USWA Local 1010 official

Download New Booklet updated April 2010 in PDF format for all employees and retirees (including LTD recipients) of all AT&T companies (excluding employees of AT&T Support Services Company, Inc., Sterling Commerce, Inc. and YELLOWPAGES.COM; bargained employees of AT&T Alascom, Inc. and Stevens Graphics, Inc.; and international employees not on U.S. payroll). Distributed to alternate payees and beneficiaries receiving benefits from the retirement plans. Distributed to COBRA participants, recipients of company-extended coverage, surviving dependents and alternate recipients (QMCSOs) of the populations noted above receiving benefits from the health and welfare plans.

AT&T, Verizon, and other large employers now believe the overall impacts of the Health Reform Law (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) could be beneficial, and are hopeful that some benefits of the new law will outweigh the costs. What? Download IBEW Local 21 informative news article in PDF format.

The Public Printer serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Government Printing Office (GPO), the agency charged with keeping the American people informed about the work of the federal government. GPO is one of the world's largest printing plants and digital factories and is one of the biggest print buyers in the world. Mr. Boarman is a vice president of the Communications Workers of America and president of the union's Printing, Publishing & Media Workers Sector. Download CWA Press Release in PDF format.

We were notified last week that the Legal Plan vendor has agreed to provide Legacy T employees with a new enrollment window. The attached notice was sent to employees on or around March 25, 2010, both electronically and by U.S. Mail. The enrollment period started April 1, 2010 and will continue through April 30, 2010. The Plan will become effective June 1, 2010. Download PDF flyer for more information

Their Contract Expires on April 16th! Wear something RED on April 15th - a ribbon, a scarf, a tie, a button. The Company bargainers are informed about what is going on in the worksites. Show them you're behind CWA's District 3 bargaining team! DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE PDF Flyer

You are probably getting many questions about the recent news stories about retiree health care and charges that companies took on their financial statements in response to the health care reform legislation recently signed into law. As these are somewhat complicated issues, I've attached a detailed fact sheet which lays out the policy issues and an explanation. I have also included an article by Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times. Here are the key items you should know: Download factsheets and other IMPORTANT information regarding your Healthcare and the New Healthcare Reform Legislation, in PDF format.

Download CWA flyer in PDF format.

CWA played a big part in getting health care reform through Congress, and President Obama invited CWA President Larry Cohen to the White House for the official bill signing to recognize that hard work. "After decades of working for quality health care for all, this bill moves us forward and provides a framework for future improvements," Cohen said. Through CWA's Health Care SIF campaign, thousands of CWAers called, wrote, participated in town hall meetings and visited their members of Congress. They told their senators and representatives how they worried about skyrocketing health care costs and whether they would be able to maintain their health care benefits. They talked about how being laid off meant losing affordable health care. Retired workers wondered how they would pay sky-high premiums until they were eligible for Medicare, or how they would afford their prescription drugs when they reached the "donut" hole in Medicare's drug coverage. Health care reform takes away a lot of these worries for working families. How? Keep reading by clicking MORE Below:

A Commuter Spending Account lets you set money aside for eligible commuting expenses before your employer deducts taxes from your paycheck. This means the amount of income your taxes are based on will be lower, meaning you pay less tax. In the example below, an employee with an annual pay of $40,000 contributes $230 a month ($2,760 a year) into her CSA. As a result, her taxable income goes down to $37,240, which saves her $1,104 in taxes. In other words, she received a $1,104 discount on the expenses she paid from her CSA - saving nearly 40% on expenses she would have had to pay anyway. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE. Notice contains more information and a On-Line Link to REGISTER as a First-Time User with WageWorks in order to participate in this money saving union negotiated benefit.

Like a pig in rut, AT$T CEO Randall "The Rat" Stephenson, "slops at the trough" over his recently announced 35% salary INCREASE that will be paid for by his Nationwide SURPLUS Announcements of rank & file CWA union members who will be fired in the 2nd Quarter of 2010! Download the SURPLUS Summary for CWA District 4 in PDF format.

In the last few months many hundreds of members in each of the other AT$T Contracts have been laid off. Today 271 were announced at Legacy T. AT$T Northeast (SNET) is still without a contract. Last year Stephenson, with much fanfare, turned down his cash bonus "in light of the economic environment and the workforce reductions." It looks like he has no such hesitation this year despite take-backs in bargaining, continuing layoffs, and an "economic environment" that continues to be grim for millions of Americans. According to a Business Week summation of the proxy statement filed March 11th with the SEC, CEO Stephenson's compensation package for 2009 was valued at $20.3 million. That's a 35% increase over last year. $1.45 million was salary. $12.1 million was in "performance-based" stock awards. $864,632 in "other compensation," inlcuding $215,954 for club memberships, $86,045 for personal use of the company aircraft, $76,253 for home security, $27,550 for communications, $26,591 for auto benefits, and $14,000 for financial counseling. These figures don't include any changes in the value of his pension benefits or "Retention Plan." In Unity: Liz VanDerWoude, President Local 4250 DOWNLOAD/COPY/POST Below:

Dear Ralph, On Monday March 15, 2010 Worldwide Customer Service, Business, Corporate Affairs, Customer Information Services, AT&T Consumer Markets, Global Network Operations and Information Technology, Operations, and Shared Services will announce a surplus declarations. This surplus information is preliminary and not allinclusive. The titles impacted are attached. (See list on next page) Regards, Diane Bradley Download locations, job titles and totals below:

AT$T CEO Randall the "Rat" Stephenson's compensation rose by one-third to $20.2 million in 2009. He also accumulated more than $864,000 in perks, including nearly $216,000 in club memberships and $200,000 in life insurance premiums. The calculations exclude changes in the present value of his pension benefits. Stephenson's 2009 pay exceeded the $17.5 million earned by Ivan Seidenberg, CEO at the second-largest carrier, Verizon Communications Inc. Download entire AP news report in PDF format.

CWA's union-wide campaign to improve our union's effectiveness, "Ready for the Future," is moving forward. We started this dialogue at the 2005 Convention, with the convention mandating an 11-point Ready for the Future plan. Working together, we've accomplished a lot, including a hugely successful strategic industry fund (SIF) program that has financed bold campaigns, like Speed Matters, telecom, and health care and bargaining rights. We've expanded local leader perspective on the Executive Board and built an active Stewards Army that has made a real difference. CWA's Executive Board met February 15-16, discussed next steps and adopted recommendations that continue the work begun at our 2005 convention and address the convention mandate of the Ready for the Future resolution regarding the "right-sizing" of the Board by 2011 and the effective use of resources. These recommendations need to be acted on at the 2010 convention in order to be implemented in 2011. Download recommendations below in PDF format.

This District is proud to announce that the ATT SE Contract ratified today. The results were 65% YES 35% NO. In Unity, Judy Dennis Vice President CWA District 3 Download notice in PDF format.

It is with mixed feelings that I announce and accept Executive Vice President, George Sullivan's resignation effective today, March 1, 2010. I know I speak for all of us when I say, that we are proud of George and his new position as Career Support Coordinator at AT$T and know he is looking forward to his new surroundings and the interesting challenge. George, I want to thank you for your valuable contributions and many years of faithful service to the members of Local 4250. My sincere good wishes to you, and although my acceptance of your resignation is reluctant, my best wishes go with you, In Unity, Friendship and Strength: Liz VanDerWoude President, CWA Local 4250 Download letter from President Liz VanDerWoude in PDF format.

This is a reminder that applications are now being accepted through March 31 for the CWA Joe Beirne Foundation's annual scholarship offerings for the 2010-2011 school year. The Foundation's Board of Directors has approved the awarding of fifteen (15) partial college scholarships of up to $3,000 each, and the winners also will receive second-year scholarships for the same amount, contingent upon satisfactory academic achievement. Eligible for the scholarships are CWA members, their spouses, children and grandchildren, including the dependents of retired, laid-off, or deceased members. Applicants must be high school graduates or high school students who will graduate during the year in which they apply. Undergraduate and graduate students returning to school may also apply. Download PDF flyer for more information and a link to apply.

The elected Bargaining Committee members have completed an initial draft proposal. Additional work still must be done to finalize the proposal before it can be presented to the Company. The elected committee members will continue to work this week to finalize the proposal insuring that all Union demands that are issues are included in the proposal. All of the Locals should continue to mobilize members to support the Bargaining Committee and the new proposals that will move us closer to a Tentative Agreement. Download D6AT$T bargaining reports 30 & 31 in PDF format.

CWA Local 1298 wants to report that many off table conversations have been taking place over the past few weeks. District 3 is still undecided after voting down a Tentative Agreement and a new Tentative Agreement is on the table waiting for the new vote. We wait to see what the results are in that District. In the meantime, CWA1298 still stands strong for keeping jobs in Connecticut, and will continue with off table talks this week which will center on jobs in our state. Download entire report in PDF format.

Below in PDF format is a copy of the CWA-BST Final Bargaining Report. This is a large file so it may take some time to download.

As you know, yesterday we reached a new tentative agreement with AT&T for employees in BST. The bargaining team worked very hard last week and weekend to negotiate some changes addressing the concerns you shared with us after the original agreement did not ratify. The first thing I want to make sure you know is that YOU MUST VOTE to make your voice heard. Failure to vote is no vote at all and doesnt count for or against the agreement. The second thing is that we have changed the voting process (for this vote ONLY) and have made it easier for you to vote. CWA headquarters in Washington has agreed to mail each of you a ballot to your home and to pick up the cost. Each ballot will contain a stamped envelope so you can mail your vote to us here in the District office at no cost to you. This saves both the Locals and the District considerable money and also speeds up the voting process, Locals have the right to opt out of this process. The District is paying to have a Local President, chosen from each state, to come to the District office and count the votes. Also, any other Local Presidents are free to come and observe the counting process at their expense. The last thing I need to tell you is to come back to this website often to check for updates. Every couple of days we will break down a part of the agreement so you understand what your bargaining team has agreed to. Some of the topics we will address are Wages, Healthcare, Pensions, the Success Sharing Plan, Employment Security, the Leveraged Sales Title, and more. We are your source for information so come back to the website as often as you can!! Today we will be discussing WAGES!!! Im proud of what your bargaining team has accomplished and unanimously supports. It deserves ratification. Now, help finish the job. I urge you to vote YES!!! Judith R Dennis Vice President, District 3 Download for more information on CWA D3 Tentative Agreement in PDF format.

This morning at approximately 10:00 a.m. a message was sent out to CWA Staff and ATT SE Local Presidents advising a "Tentative Agreement" had been reached. Details will follow later today and be placed on this website. The District will continue to post additional information regarding the agreement and procedure for ratification over the next few weeks. In Unity, Judy Dennis Vice President - CWA District 3 Download below:

The AT$T Advertising Solutions Tentative Agreement has been rejected by a 65% vote authorizing the President of the Union to set a strike date. Download notice below:

Members of Communications Workers of America, AT&T Southeast, did not approve a new three year contract covering 30,000 plus workers in nine states. The vote was 60% to 40%, of the votes cast, against ratification. As I stated during my campaign, "this is not business as usual". It has not been District policy in the past to post the numbers for each Local; however in order to dispel any questions surrounding the count, the numbers are attached by Local. The staff and I will begin Monday discussing strategy and contacting affected Locals to determine the next step to obtain a fair and just contact for AT&T Southeast members in District 3. Judith R. Dennis Vice President - District 3 Download local by local results in PDF format.

Nearly all apprenticeship programs across the 24 crafts affiliated with the Chicago and Cook County Building and Construction Trades Council are closed to newcomers, and it's likely to remain that way for about another year, according to Tom Villanova, president of the council. The schools are still serving second- through fifth-year students, Villanova said, but they've cut off entry into first-year apprenticeships since most of the locals are facing around a 30 percent unemployment rate. Download entire article in PDF format.

The relief effort in Haiti is less than two weeks old, and aid workers are racing against time to prevent further loss of life. CWA is partnering with Save the Children to help provide critical supplies to quake survivors -- particularly children, who are most vulnerable. Help make sure Save the Children has the resources it needs to continue these efforts. Any amount you can afford will help save lives -- click below to make your donation right now and make sure to put CWA in the Company/Organization Name field:

The Robert D. Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund, administered by the Cleveland Foundation, is now accepting applications for the 2010-2011 academic year. Applications must be postmarked by April 30, 2010. Awards will be announced by June 15, 2010. The fund was established by a unanimous vote at the 1999 CWA District 4 Meeting in memory of District 4 Vice President Emeritus Robert D. Johnson. A random drawing is used to select the scholarship awards. Applications can be downloaded from the Cleveland Foundation's website: Download notice with a link to the Cleveland Foundation's website below:

The Union and the Company met for the first time since October 8, 2009 in an effort to move forward in our contract negotiations. Discussion evolved around being productive with meaningful dialogue that will help us reach our ultimate goal. We are focused on bringing a fair and equitable contract to our members. Thank you for your continued support sides recognize that we have a long way to go, with many unresolved issues. Download report in PDF format

Please Post this Notice on Union Bulletin Boards! Download PDF File**Copy**Post**

As reported in the December 16, 2009 IBEW Local 21 Retiree update our Union is at odds with AT&T over other items we negotiated in the new retiree health care benefits in 2009 bargaining: Download entire news article below.

"Happy Holidays, America! The gift this country needs most this holiday season is an economy built on a solid foundation, one that will provide middle class, family-supporting jobs now and into the future. That present would not be another version of Monopoly for Wall Street wannabees. It would not be Barbie-goes-to-the-mall-credit-cards for youngsters in families already maxed out on their plastic and their mortgages. The metaphorical gift our economy could really use is an Erector Set -a strong steel construction kit from which the intrepid manufacture airplanes, automobiles, robots on motorized tracks, backhoes, helicopters, skyscrapers, cranes, even working Ferris wheels. That's because, most of all, this economy needs manufacturing. Enthralled by the glitz, glamour and bogus bonuses of Wall Street, we've allowed multinationals to export our grit and grimy factories overseas. Factories that made clothing, sports shoes, large appliances, tires, glass and so much more in big and small U.S. towns' now transferred to China and Indonesia and India, lured not just by cheap labor, but also by lavish government subsidies and absent environmental regulations. Manufacturing, the basis of any strong economy, has continuously declined as a percentage of the U.S. gross domestic product since its World War II peak, when it was 28.3 percent. Its new low is less than half of that -12 percent. Here's the most obvious difference between an economy based on manufacturing and one based on Wall Street: You can hold the handlebars of a Harley-Davidson in your hands, but just try grasping a derivative." Download complete blog by Leo Gerald, President United Steelworkers of America, in PDF format

CWA and IBEW union member affected by the recent AT$T Midwest Christmas Season SURPLUS and/or office closing announcement or the Legacy T VTP offer may call Tony Albertino at 630-368-1190 to schedule a FREE Independent Personal Retirement Overview designed specifically for CWA and IBEW AT$T telecom members. Tony is a member of CWA Local 6171 and specializes in the details of AT$T Pension and Savings Plans. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE PDF flyer to ALL AT$T union members.

As Connecticut consumers continue to spend their fair share at AT$T buying AT$T products and services AT$T continues to slash jobs in this state. CWA Local 1298 is doing everything it can to keep jobs in Connecticut. President Bill Henderson appears as Santa Clause handing out coal to passersby as a symbol of what AT$T will give back to Connecticut in gratitude for our consumer's allegiance to their products. Workers continue their morning trek during freezing temperatures in front of one of the few AT$T work sites left in this state, to show AT$T that we are still looking for what is fair and just . We want to be treated with respect and to have our employer who once treated their employees like family to at least have some compassion for more than just the bottom line. It's not too late, Christmas isn't here yet and we all hope that Scrooge wakes up and tries to do right by its employees. Download news update with VIDEO LINK!

District 3 CWA members haven't had an opportunity to ratify their "tentative agreement" with AT$T and over 1,000 will be fired by "SCROOGE" Randall Stephenson, AT$T CEO. Download article in PDF format.

On September 15, 2009, AT$T announced the closing of the Harvey, Illinois OA office with a Force Disposition Date of December 28, 2009. Twenty-Four (24) Local 4250 members were affected by AT$T's announcement that Harvey OA was closing. Twenty (20) members chose to follow their work and were to be gradually reassigned to 10 S Canal DA by January 4, 2010. Four (4) members opted to take SIPP. Yesterday, December 16, 2009, AT$T announced that 10 S Canal DA, Chicago, Illinois would be closing with a Force Disposition Date of April 5, 2010. One Hundred and Seven (107) CWA AT$T Midwest members are affected by this devious and contrived announcement by AT$T. Twenty-One (21) are currently Local 4250 members and eighty-six (86) are members of Local 4216. Does anyone think AT$T CEO Randall "The Rat" Stephenson cares if these one hundred and seven (107) CWA members and their families have a Merry Christmas? NO one from AT$T or CWA District 4 spoke to me prior to yesterday's announcement of the Canal Street DA closing. Nor, did I receive any prior email and/or fax of the announcement. I have yet to receive any written notification from AT$T regarding the closing of Canal Street DA. After calling CWA District 4 Representative Joy Roberts, she emailed me a timeline spreadsheet and "old" seniority list. She also said, AT$T only "verbally" notified her of Canal DA closing. I am not a lawyer. However, I have reason to believe AT$T is in violation of the Illinois WARN ACT. Excerpts of the law follow on the next page. You be the judge. As I receive further information, it will be posted on the Local 4250 website. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 PS: Over Seven Hundred other CWA District 4 AT$T Midwest members were declared SURPLUS (SEE POSTING DIRECTLY BELOW)

In addition to the closing of the 10 S Canal AT$T Directory Assistance (DA) office in Chicago (above), AT$T has also made a Christmas Season SURPLUS announcement of their intent to FIRE over (700) hundred Union members in various business units and job titles in the five (5) State Midwest Geographic Area of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan & Ohio. Download PDF file for locations and titles.

Legacy T announced a VTP offer across the country. Locally there is an offer for 8 Comm Techs in the BK business unit. This does not include grandfathered NTS as they are in a different BU. The title is not pooled for VTP only. Download PDF file for ENTIRE Legacy T VTP list

Download CWA District 3 Final Bargaining Report in PDF format. My Congratulations to the District 3 Bargaining Team for hanging tough and not agreeing to AT$T's regressive Premise Technician Title

CWA District 3 reached a tentative agreement with AT&T covering about 35,000 CWA-represented workers at AT&T Southeast. The agreement covers workers at AT&T (formerly BellSouth), Utilities, BAPCO and Billing in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. "In these very difficult economic times, CWA was able to maintain the job security provisions that were currently in the contract, along with quality health care. The team worked very hard to achieve a fair and equitable contract," said CWA District 3 Vice President Judy Dennis. The CWA bargaining team unanimously supports the agreement and recommends ratification. A contract explanation meeting will be held for local presidents, starting the ratification process. The three-year tentative agreement increases pay by 9 percent compounded over the contract term, including cost of living adjustments, and provides pension band increases of 2 percent in each year of the agreement. More details will be available after they are provided to the membership. Bargaining is continuing for about 4,000 workers at AT&T East (CWA Local 1298). DOWNLOAD**POST**DISTRIBUTE

It is with mixed emotions that I announce that Mary Davidson-Glover has taken VTP and retired. Mary was our CWA appointed AT&T Resource Center Coordinator located in New Jersey. Mary was one of the first CWA appointed Coordinators. She has done an outstanding job for CWA through her many years of service as a Coordinator. Mary saw thousands of workers through surpluses. Never in her fifteen plus years of service as a Coordinator did she ever forget her first priority in her CWA appointed position, our members. Mary was tireless in her pursuit of justice for members she felt had been wronged by any part of the process. Whether that meant she called AT&T on the carpet or CWA, we had better have the answer. It was our privilege that she accepted the position and served our members as she did. So much work was removed from my Staff because of her efforts that we can't even begin to imagine what we would have done had she not been there and on our side! So, it is with sadness that I announce that Mary is retiring because we will truly miss her. It is with great joy though that I wish Mary a healthy, happy, exciting and long retirement. The mark she has left on us and our members will be long remembered. Thank you so much, Mary, for your service; for being a good unionist and a great human being. In Unity, Ralph V. Maly Vice President DOWNLOAD**POST**DISTRIBUTE Letter from Ralph Maly, CWA C&T VP in PDF format

"Which is worse - a stupid person like George W. Bush starting a dumb occupation, or a smart person like Barack Obama following the lead of that stupid person, but actually escalating that occupation? - The "we're going to escalate war to end war" refrain throughout the speech - have we heard that before somewhere? It sounds sorta like "we'll burn down the Vietnam villages to save them." Just curious if that's what we're talking about here - because, ya know, that worked out really well. - Are we really expected to believe that massively escalating a war is the way to end a war? I mean, really? Like, is the public really looked at like we're that stupid? And a follow-up question: Are we really that stupid? Download entire opinion by David Sirota in PDF format.

"William Henderson said Thursday that the company is using a "divide and conquer" strategy by only agreeing to bargain with unionized workers in one region of the country at a time. "They're a big enough company; they should be able to bargain at more than one table at a time," Henderson said.... "We're not going to accept something just because the people in Texas accepted it," Henderson said. "There are different issues here." Henderson said the company has been inflexible in its negotiations with the bargaining team of Local 1298 of Hamden, and has challenged the union to strike if it doesn't like the way the contract talks have been going. "We're going to do everything possible not to go out on strike because if we did, they would have replacement workers up here in a minute," he said. "We're not going to do something that adds stress to the lives of our members." Download entire article in PDF format.

We have had a number of calls and questions regarding Annual Enrollment this year. Nothing further regarding the Annual Enrollment dates has been posted because the Company originally provided incorrect mailing dates on which Annual Enrollment materials were to be mailed. I received confirmation of the mailing dates over the weekend. As such, I wanted to provide the following information. Download entire notice in PDF format

The East region is the only district where the contract expired on April 4 but no agreement has yet been reached. The contract in District 3 expired Aug. 8. Negotiations between District 1 and AT&T began Feb. 28, but the last time the two sides met across the bargaining table was Oct. 8. Walt Sharp, spokesman for AT&T in Texas, said the union has not asked to meet since then. "We're waiting for the union to indicate they want to talk," he said. William Henderson, president of Local 1298 of the CWA, which represents about 4,000 landline workers in Connecticut, said Thursday that the reason the union has not requested to meet again is that the company is not willing to discuss the union's concerns. "We said, 'Look, we're bargaining with ourselves here. It takes two people to come to a contract,'" Henderson said, adding that the company was giving the union negotiators "ultimatums." He said the union's key issue is job security, since AT&T has eliminated or moved about 1,200 Connecticut jobs over the past two years. "Our issue is keeping jobs in Connecticut," he said. "You don't care what kind of benefits you have if you don't have job." Download entire article in PDF format.

This is to advise you that the AT&T SW Contract was ratified by 59% of the total votes cast by the membership. We appreciate everyone's support in this lengthy round of negotiations.

Veterans Day was originally known as "Armistice Day." It was created in 1919 to commemorate the end of World War I. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law a bill that specified that the day of November 11 would thereafter come to be known as "Veterans Day." Ever since, November 11 has become a solemn occasion for all of America to pause and reflect upon the great sacrifices made by the men and women who have served in America's Armed Forces. The proclamation that accompanied the law that was signed by President Eisenhower included the president's decree that Americans "would solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores to preserve our heritage of freedom." It also called upon all American citizens to "re-consecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain." While we take the time on Veterans Day of 2009 to reflect upon and honor the courage and sacrifice shown by our veterans as they continue the fight to defend liberty and freedom against those that seek our demise, I would urge all Americans, and especially all American policymakers, to similarly take heart of the particular plight of the veteran community during this time of extreme economic hardship in America. Download entire message in PDF format.

Download letter of VTP notification from Diane Bradley, AT$T Asst. Vice President Labor Relations, and list of job titles, work locations and CAP information in PDF format.

The award-winning children's DVD, "Sockville . . . A New Pair of Socks," is now available for purchase at the special price of $9.99. Most important, three dollars from the purchase of every DVD goes to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, CWA's Charity of Choice for almost 20 years. The Sockville DVD may be ordered from a specially designed website for this fundraiser at www.sockshelpingkids.com. The website will be open for business from November 1 - December 15, 2009. For every DVD that is purchased, your local will be credited $3.00 toward your 2009 Pediatric AIDS quota as long as the member indicates their local number at the time of purchase. Download PDF for more information.

Joining more than 5,000 other protesters in the streets of downtown Chicago, CWA members demonstrated against banks and financial institutions that are fighting financial reforms while spending taxpayers' money on billions of dollars in executive bonuses. Officers and members from CWA Local 4250 joined the crowd of AFL-CIO members outside meeting of the American Bankers Association. "We came with a purpose and left energized," said Ron Honse, CWA representative and political coordinator for Illinois. "The speakers did a good job getting the message across about how the average working man and woman is affected. Union members turned out in force, but it wasn't just unions. It was a good microcosm of what the community looks like." Honse said the huge protest was good practice for what he expects will be an even bigger turnout in mid-November when the organization of health insurers, AHIP, meets in Chicago. Download entire CWA Newsletter in PDF format

The total of 55 US troops killed in Afghanistan this month have made it the deadliest month in the eight-year war. The US military has endured a brutal few months, testing the nation's resolve to pursue a war that Obama says is essential for its security. In all, 902 US troops and 222 British troops have died in the war. Under George Bush, who launched the conflict in retaliation for the terrorist 9/11 attacks, news media were barred from observing the return of fallen troops through Dover airbase. The Pentagon said the measure, in place since the administration George Bush Sr, guarded the families' privacy, but critics claimed the government was trying to obscure the conflict's human toll. Obama overturned the ban this year, and allowed the families to choose whether to allow media coverage . Bush spent time with grieving military families but never went to Dover. Shortly after midnight, Obama joined a party of White House aides, military leaders and his attorney general, Eric Holder, on the tarmac at the base in Delaware. At a chapel on the base, the president met the families of the dead. Then he and his party boarded the C-17 aircraft that flew the remains home, listened as an air force chaplain said a prayer and watched six army pall-bearers wearing black berets and combat fatigues offload each flag-draped "transfer case" from the plane to a waiting vehicle. Following the families' request, news media were permitted to witness only one transfer, that of Sergeant Dale Griffin of Terre Haute, Indiana, who was the last off the plane. The president and his party saluted as the case was placed in a white mortuary van, and again as the van drove away. Four hours later, Obama arrived back at the White House in the pre-dawn darkness and walked inside, alone. Download entire article in PDF format.

There will be two enrollments over the next 5 months for active (occupational) employees at Legacy T. The active employees will have Annual Enrollment this fall for Benefits effective January 1, 2010 through April 1, 2010. Annual Enrollment dates are November 19, 2009 through December 3, 2009. All information regarding this enrollment will be sent to the home address on file with the AT$T Benefits Center. As we have reported to our Members and retirees, there are changes to current employee benefits due to the ratification of a new Contract that will take affect on April 1, 2010 and imposed new benefits by the company for retirees that will take affect on January 1, 2010, so it is important for all current and retired employees of Legacy T to carefully review the Benefit materials to make the correct choice for you and your family. Download entire notice in PDF format.

CWA District 6 and AT&T have reached a tentative four-year agreement covering 27,000 CWA-represented workers at AT&T Southwest. The tentative agreement provides for wage increases of 11.5 percent and pension band increases of 8 percent over the contract's four-year term, with cost of living adjustments in the final year. The contract maintains quality health care for active and retired workers and includes new job security protections, among other gains. The District 6 bargaining committee said, "We felt it was important to stand our ground and push for the best possible contract we could achieve for the hard working union members of District 6." The committee unanimously recommends ratification of the agreement. Contract information materials are being provided to locals and members, with a ratification vote to be completed November 11. Negotiations are continuing for 40,000 CWAers at AT&T Southeast (District 3) and AT&T East (CWA Local 1298). Details of Tentative Agreement Follow Below in PDF format:

When a bankruptcy judge in Delaware approved Chicago financier Jim Tyree's $26.5 million bid to save Sun-Times Media Group Inc. from extinction last week, Steve Berman and the six members of the Chicago Typographical Union No. 16 heard about it from the media like everybody else. The stories said the company's largest union, the Chicago Newspaper Guild, had finally agreed to Tyree's terms. And Sun-Times management casually predicted that agreements with two holdout bargaining units would be "reached in the coming days." What the stories didn't say was that the company's smallest union, Berman's CTU, hadn't even scheduled a vote and had no intention of doing so until it saw a little more flexibility from management. Download entire story in PDF format.

AT$T is in the process of migrating the Operator Services OA traffic to the "Freedom Platform." This process has resulted in several offices CLOSURES! Below are the announcements that have been made in each AT$T Region, in PDF format.

CWA AT$T Legacy T members voted by a strong 2 to 1 margin to ratify their contract. Download full article below.

We have recently learned that, according to the IRS, premiums must be paid on a post-tax basis in order to be reimbursed by an HRA. Those participants who would prefer to have taxes taken out prior to using the HRA should use HRA funds to reimburse other qualified medical expenses (i.e., deductibles, co-insurance/co-pays). DOWNLOAD**POST**DISTRIBUTE the attached notice. It applies to ALL CWA & IBEW AT$T Bargaining Unit members and retirees who have ratified contracts that contain HRA's (Healthcare Reimbursement Accounts)

CWA Local 4250 will conduct our contract ratification vote by mail referendum. Ballots have been mailed today to all CWA local 4250 Legacy T dues paying members, in good standing. All ballots must be returned to the Local 4250 Lansing, Illinois Post Office Box no later than Thursday, October 1, 2009 as the local must have the ratification vote results into the CWA national office by 4:00PM EDT on October 2, 2009. Before voting, please attend the "Special Membership Meeting" to explain the agreement and answer your questions. The meeting will be on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at the Boni Vino restaurant located at 111 W Van Buren Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60605 at 5PM.

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR ALL AT$T CORE MEMBERS: Benefit Premiums paid via payroll deduction are automatically pre-taxed deductions unless requested by the employee to pay them Post-Tax. We have just recently learned that the IRS has ruled that Premiums must be paid on a POST-TAX basis in order to be reimbursable by an HRA. DOWNLOAD*COPY*POST*DISTRIBUTE ASAP!

The ink isn't even dry on the newly ratified CWA District 4 AT$T Midwest contract and AT$T has notified the local that AT$T is closing the last two CWA District 4 OA offices located in Harvey, Illinois and Cleveland, Ohio. Once again, AT$T "the Company That Cares" doesn't care about their own. I would like to think that any CWA Midwest union member who has "volunteered" to help AT$T by soliciting fellow union members to participate in the "AT$T United Way Drive" rethink their position and recommend members give to the United Way via the on-line United Way website that is posted on this website. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President, CWA Local 4250. Download company notification to the union in PDF format.

Download "Revised Q&A's regarding the 2009 CWA AT$T Legacy T Tentative Contract Agreement in PDF format.

Newly ratified CWA and IBEW AT$T contracts include a Tax-Free commuter benefit that is "VOLUNTARY" on the part of a company and has been available for AT$T management for several years. Finally, in 2009, AT$T has made this benefit available to bargaining unit members. (NOTE: This benefit provides up to $230/month in YOUR pre-tax dollars from YOUR check, AT$T is NOT providing you ANY money toward the cost of YOUR monthly transportation costs. However, you can save substantually on TAXES by using pre-tax dollars to pay your monthly commuting costs.READ Item 2 on Page 2 of this attachment) Download RTA/Metra press release explaining this long overdue benefit.

"This is to advise you that Business Enterprise Worldwide Customer Service, Business Enterprise Labs & Network Operations and Corporate Affairs, Finance, Supplier Management will be offering a VTP on September 14, 2009. The attached files will list the titles, locations and cap information. This VTP information is preliminary and not all-inclusive." Download official notice from, Diane Bradley, AT$T Labor Relations Assistant Vice President in PDF format.

About 200 CWA members took a day's suspension Tuesday rather than back down when AT&T demanded they remove T-shirts announcing they were the company's ""prisoners." The union is fighting deep concessions in bargaining with AT&T, which made $12.9 billion last year. Download story from Labor Notes Mischa Gaus in PDF format.

A "Special Membership Meeting" will be held on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at the Boni Vino Restaurant located at 111 w Van Buren Street, Chicago, 60605 at 5PM Sharp. The purpose of the meeting is to explain the recently announced CWA AT$T Legacy T "tentative agreement" reached on August 27, 2009 and answer all questions regarding the agreement. I have attached a copy of the "CWA-AT$T (Legacy T) Final Bargaining Report 2009" which will be mailed to all CWA Local 4250 Legacy T dues paying members, in good standing, on Monday, September 21, 2009 along with an official ratification ballot. Unlike our Local 4250 AT$T Midwest Operator Services members, who work in one location (Harvey, Illinois), the ratification vote of Local 4250's Legacy T members will be conducted by a secret mail ballot due to the various work locations of our AT$T Legacy T members. As I said at the Local 4250 AT$T Midwest Special Membership meeting on August 1, 2009, the CWA D4 Midwest "benefits" agreement was being used as the "framework" for all other CWA and IBEW Bargaining Unit negotiations. Since then, AT$T has achieved their goal of forcing major Healthcare cost shifting to CWA Legacy T, District 9 and IBEW members and retirees as their agreements mirror the CWA D4 AT$T Midwest "benefits" agreement. The result of this major defeat is monthly healthcare premiums for CWA and IBEW AT$T members and retirees for the first time in 39 years. In addition, all four of these agreements DO NOT contain a "Successorship Clause." One consolation, although CWA District 4 AT$T Midwest members voted by a 2 to 1 margin to accept the D4 contract, Local 4250 AT$T Midwest members rejected it by a 94% NO vote. I hope to see many members attend this meeting as the overwhelming majority of our AT$T Legacy T members work in downtown Chicago work locations. It would also be an opportunity for concerned retirees to ride the Metra downtown (FREE) to attend the meeting and renew old acquaintances. Pizza and refreshments will be served after the meeting. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 DOWNLOAD**POST**DISTRIBUTE

The attached PDF file contains answers to questions asked by CWA Local Officers during the CWA C&T contract explanation meeting on September 3, 2009. Also included is a copy of the CWA-AT$T Legacy T Final Bargaining report that Local 4250 will mail to all Legacy T members during the week of September 21-25, 2009. An official ballot to vote for or against the agreement will also be included in the mailing. All ballots must be returned no later that Thursday, October 1, 2009 as locals must have their results into the National pffice by 4:00PM EDT on October 2, 2009.

Representatives from most of the Locals representing Legacy T attended a Contract explanation with the Bargaining Team on Wednesday. Today, Friday, a more extensive Final Bargaining Report was mailed to all the Locals with a copy and a ballot for each member. Contract explanations and voting will be conducted by your Locals. They must have the results into the National office by 4:00 p.m. EDT on Oct. 2, 2009. Next week we will be posting a series of questions and answers on the website. As more come in, we will try to answer them. Hopefully, as we go through this process, you will understand why the Bargaining Team unanimously felt that this Contract should be ratified. In the meantime, continue to mobilize in support of the remaining bargaining tables in District 1, District 3, and District 6. Download report in PDF format

Although CWA District 4 and 9 members recently ratified a new contract and our Legacy T (C&T) members have reached a "Tentative Agreement," yet to be ratified, over 80,ooo CWA AT$T members are still working without AT$T contracts. Therefore, I request Local 4250 members show our support and unity for our CWA District 6, 3 & 1 sister and brother AT$T members by the following mobilization activity: Download letter from Local 4250 President Steve Tisza, in PDF format.

Attached is the Bargaining Report outlining the changes in the 2009 Agreement between "Legacy T" and AT&T. In these extremely difficult economic times, with the unemployment rate continuing to skyrocket, this team made protecting our members' jobs its number one mission. Although we did not accomplish everything we would have liked in this bargaining and continue to be angry about the Health Care cost-shifting this Company imposed on us, we feel that we were able to meet our main goal. On that basis, and in light of the many other improvements we were able to make in this contract, the bargaining team unanimously supports this agreement and recommends its ratification by the membership. A full explanation will be presented to the Presidents next Wednesday, September 2, in Baltimore, after which the ratification process will begin. It was only due to the support, hard work, and mobilization of the Locals and the membership that we were able to achieve what we did. The Legacy T Bargaining Team. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE

After 6 months and 3 days of Bargaining, the Legacy T Bargaining Team has reached a tentative agreement with AT&T. We feel we have achieved a Contract that meets the needs of our members for Employment Security and addresses many of the concerns you asked us to tackle. Details of the agreement will be on this site by noon tomorrow. Thank you all for your support during this long fight. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE

We wish this was a report informing you about the productive meetings we've been having between the CWA and AT&T Bargaining Teams. Unfortunately it is not. Despite the availability of OUR bargaining team, there have been no meetings with the Company team since August 13. Help us push them. Keep up the mobilization efforts. CWA Local 4250 C&T Members, Contact Vice President George Sullivan to volunteer hand-billing the attached flyer at downtown Chicago work locations and METRA stations. George can be reached at 312-307-4250 In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President Local 4250

As reported on our last update, the IBEW has reached a tentative agreement with AT&T for a new three-year collective bargaining agreement. IBEW Local 21 has scheduled a series of seven AT&T Contract Overview Meetings across the jurisdiction, so members can attend, hear the details of the tentative agreement and also, to get answers for any questions they may have. On September 16, 2009, IBEW Local 21 will mail to all members' homes, a summary of the new contract changes, a ballot to vote for or against ratification, and a pre-addressed envelope to mail back your ballot. All votes must be received at the IBEW Local Union 21 union office by Monday, September 28, 2009. Ballots will be counted on September 28th & 29th, and the final results will then be announced on Wednesday, September 30, 2009. Download complete report in PDF fromat.

C&T Locals continue to turn up the heat on mobilization; meanwhile, D9 reaches a tentative agreement & D4 ratifies their contract. In addition, IBEW has reached a "tentative agreement." With the continued support of all Locals across the country, C&T Locals aid progress at the bargaining table. After 18 weeks without a contract, we remain far apart on our main issues of job security and health care, though our C&T bargaining team was able to make some progress this week on other issues. Until we reach a tentative agreement, we will continue to mobilize against AT&T's corporate greed. Apple Stores, Authorized Agents & Best Buy continue to be a focus for actions. Summer fairs, festivals, farmers markets, and any other public event are great opportunities for us to spread the message of AT&T's Corporate Greed. We will continue contact the public at AT&T-sponsored events as well. Our collective action inside and outside the company is the only way to maintain affordable healthcare and get the fair and equitable contract we all need and deserve. Download complete report in PDF format.

IBEW Reaches Tentative Agreement with AT&T After a long and tough battle, IBEW Local 21 has reached a tentative agreement with AT&T on the new contract. The new agreement covers 10,000 IBEW members employed at AT&T in Illinois, Indiana, New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California and the Northwest. IBEW Local 21 will present the settlement offer to its members over the next few weeks and you the member will be afforded the opportunity to vote through a secret ballot process. Ratification details will be provided later this week. Download complete report in PDF format.

The following link is a video of the IBEW Local 21 rally at Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Friday night August 14, 2009.In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250

You had to be there to hear the deafing noise at the AT$T Campus in Hoffman Estates, Illinois Tonight! WTF "We're Tough F--kers" Rally! Download slide show by Steve Tisza, CWA Local 4250.too bad the camera doesn't have sound!

NOTE: This was originally posted on our website on 3/27/08. Because of a common fault of many Americans, "short memories", I have re-posted it today. AT$Ts CEO "said on Wednesday it was having trouble finding enough skilled workers to fill all the 5,000 customer service jobs it promised to return to the United States from India. "We're having trouble finding the numbers that we need with the skills that are required to do these jobs," AT&T Chief Executive Randall Stephenson told a business group in San Antonio, where the company's headquarters is located. Download story in PDF format.

A video from CWA Local 1103 marks a tragic anniversary while celebrating the life of Chief Steward Gerry Horgan, who was run down 20 years ago this week on a NYNEX picket line in Valhalla, N.Y. Horgan was the first, and until 2003, the only CWA member killed while picketing. His death is the reason why CWA members still today wear red in solidarity on Thursdays. The four-month strike over health care benefits was just two weeks old when the daughter of a plant manager hit Horgan, 34, with her car while breaking through a picket line. He died the following day, Aug. 15, 1989, leaving a wife and two small daughters. He is remembered in the video as a "natural born leader" and "the epitome of what a union representative should be." Download entire article with a link to view the video.

ALL Local 4250 AT$T Members & Retirees Please contact Local 4250 Vice President George Sullivan ASAP, at 312- 307-4250, to receive your assignment to distribute the attached handbill at various public locations in Downtown Chicago and Harvey, Illinois. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President

Who: IBEW Members, Families & Friends When: Friday August 14, 2009 from 7:00pm - ? Where: AT&T IL Headquarters, 2001 Lakewood Blvd., Hoffman Estates, IL CWA local 4250 members and retirees are urged to attend. DOWNLOAD*COPY*POST*DISTRIBUTE flyer in PDF format.

The following letter was submitted to the Local 4250 "News & Views" Section by Sean Linehan, President CWA 2252. "You are the President of CWA, arguably what was once, the best Trade Union in the USA. I know you have to keep everyone happy, but that cannot be done. You are the President, not an administrator! The Vice-Presidents should have been told that there is going to be a national table for national issues, and they would have to deal with it. Leading by committee does not work in CWA. There are far too many, that put ego ahead of the membership. That is what happened in this round of so called "unity bargaining." Download entire letter in PDF format.

AT&T came in to negotiations with tunnel vision, demanding that we agree to the current management benefit plan, one which, if accepted, would cost our members over $7,000 each year in out of pocket expenses, before the plan would even pay a dime. We responded by proposing numerous benefit plan models to AT&T which would have represented cost savings to them. AT&T rejected these proposals. Talks have moved away from what AT&T dictates for boss' benefits. We have moved towards a plan that wouldn't have that kind of drastic impact to our members, but we are still not in agreement on a plan we could accept. AT&T has also placed the following conditions on their benefit proposal: " AT&T is demanding the ability to change and diminish the benefit plans, including medical and pensions, at any time during the term of the contract and the Union would have no right to challenge. " AT&T wants the right to cancel retiree healthcare at any time during the contract and limits retirees from taking any legal action against AT&T. " AT&T wants the ability to eliminate all benefits for active members at the expiration of the contract. These are demands that our Union simply cannot accept. With these items attached we are no closer to a benefits package then we were on day one of bargaining. Download complete report in PDF format.

Any questions regarding Picket schedules, please contact Chief Steward/Executive Board Member Paul Bolbat ASAP!! If, for any reason, a member can not fufill an assignment it is the members responsibility to get a replacement picket to fill your assignment(s). Download schedule in PDF format.

Any questions regarding Picket schedules, please contact Chief Steward/Executive Board Member Paul Bolbat. If, for any reason, a member can not fufill an assignment it is the members responsibility to get a replacement picket to fill your assignment(s). Download shedule in PDF format.

"It is my belief that we should leave things better than we found them. We should strive to make this country a better place to live for our children and grandchildren. We should strive to make our Union a stronger Union for the younger members. And we should strive to make AT&T a better place to work for the next generation. We have always had to fight to improve the future for those who follow. Myself, I would rather stand and fight AT&T, win or lose, than bow down to them and live on my knees." In Unity, Andy Milburn, Vice President Download entire report in PDF format.

Mobilization Phase 3 has begun around the country, and strike watch continues with the District 3 contract expiration Saturday. Locals coast to coast have been prepared to strike since our contract expiration on April 4th; however, after 17 weeks of working without a contract, most locations spent time to reaffirm their picket duties & plans and had members taking personal items home again. All eyes will be on the District 3 bargaining to see if its contract expiration at 11:59 PM Saturday, in connection with the lack of movement at the bargaining table, will trigger the Executive Board & President Cohen to call the strike the members approved over four months ago. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE in PDF format

I requested, and received, the following D4 vote totals from VP Seth Rosen: "We will release, to any Local President that requests it, THEIR local's results and it is up to each local whether they wish to do so and/or publicize their own results, as you chose to publicize yours." Local 4250 members REJECTED the agreement by a 93%NO margin. Download entire notice from CWA D4 in PDF format.

CWA District 4 is reporting their members have accepted their three year agreement with AT&T. The agreement covers approximately 18,500 CWA members working at AT&T in the five Midwest states of Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, previously known as the old Ameritech region. The remaining CWA districts are still bargaining with AT&T and have not yet reached an agreement. It is important to note the IBEW is completely separate, and independent from the CWA. The IBEW has not reached an agreement. The IBEW is completely independent from the CWA, we are our own Union and our negotiations are still continuing, at both the National and Local tables. Our IBEW bargaining teams are still in negotiations and are working to resolve all of our issues at the IBEW/AT&T national and local tables. IBEW MEMBERS STAND UNITED IN SOLIDARITY! Download report in PDF format.

As our IBEW bargaining teams continue meeting with AT&T, we take this opportunity to break down the latest news and proposals related to benefits and share news about expanding mobilization activities. As we have continuously reported, our Union came into these negotiations understanding the crisis in healthcare and the costs of health insurance both in our country and here at AT&T. Knowing that discussions in this area would be extremely difficult, we were more than prepared to work through this with creative solutions - including our IBEW proposal which would reduce the cost of healthcare for AT&T without overburdening our members with excessive costs or scaling back on medical services. In other words, we presented a rational and progressive plan that would reduce health care spending for AT&T while maintaining a high level of benefits for all IBEW members and retirees. On the other end of the spectrum, AT&T came in to negotiations with tunnel vision, demanding that we agree to the current management benefit plan, one which if accepted, would cost our members over $7,000 each year in out of pocket expenses, before the plan would even pay a dime. These are demands that our Union simply cannot accept. With these items attached we are no closer to a benefits package then we were on day one of bargaining. Download entire report in PDF format.

To date AT&T has been uncooperative on retiree health care. The Local 21 bargaining committee has raised the issue but is being met with the same stone cold refusal from AT&T as the CWA. In order to remind AT&T we are still involved in protecting our benefits I am asking retirees to return to the informational picket lines starting Wednesday July 8th. Informational picketing will be at the same locations and times as before and continue EVERY Wednesday until further notice. I URGE CWA Local 4250 Retirees and Members to JOIN our Brothers and Sisters of IBEW Local 21 on the picket lines! In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 Download entire retiree report including picket locations for EVERY Wednesday. There is NO EXCUSE not to be there!

We returned to the Bargaining table this morning with the hope that the Company would finally make meaningful responses to our health care proposal and our job security issues. Once again, the Company bargainers continued to respond with the same old proposals and same take-backs they put across the table months ago. At this point, all they seem to do is reject our proposals and re-submit their old ones. It is clear that they are not working toward an agreement. We will try again tomorrow. Download complete report in PDF format.

A CWA Local 4250 "Special Membership Meeting" was held on Saturday, August 1, 2009. The sole purpose of the meeting was to provide comprehensive details of the "CWA District 4/AT$T Midwest Tentative Contract Agreement of July 15, 2009" and conduct a "Ratification Vote" by all CWA Local 4250 AT$T Midwest dues paying members, in good standing. A "Ratification Vote" was conducted after the meeting by Paul Bolbat CWA Local 4250 Election Committee Chair. The results of the CWA Local 4250 vote, were reported to CWA District 4 in Cleveland, Ohio. Download notice of results from Local 4250 President Steve Tisza in PDF format.

CWA Local 4250 Members & Retirees are urged to join our brothers and sisters at IBEW Local 21 picket locations EVERY Wednesday. Remember, they are fighting against the same concessionary contract Local 4250 AT$T Midwest members REJECTED by a 93% NO VOTE on Saturday, August 1, 2009. In addition, our Local 4250 C&T members are also still in negotiations fighting against the same issues. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250. Download entire report in PDF format.

The Legacy T Team finally had another bargaining session with AT&T today. Despite some serious movement by our team, the Company did not offer even one thing in job security in return. With our offers for compromise dependent on their willingness to move on OUR issue, we have hit another roadblock. Bargaining will most likely not take place again until Monday, though our team is available. With little to no movement at the table, the bargaining team needs actions from all locations to continue. Summer fairs, festivals, farmers markets, and any other public event are great times for us to be spreading the message of AT&T's Corporate Greed. Our collective action inside and outside the company is the only way to maintain affordable healthcare and get the fair and equitable contract we all need and deserve. Please DISTRIBUTE the flyer titled: AT$T - The IN's and OUT's Of Your World Delivered! at all mobiliztion activites beginning Monday Morning. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President, CWA Local 4250

Negotiations have been continuing with AT&T but they once again are moving at a snails pace. We are very disappointed by AT&T's complete disregard for their employees and for the retirees who have help build AT&T into the highly profitable telecommunications leader they are today. While we made huge strides on some key issues because of your solidarity actions at work, at rallies, and in our communities, AT&T continues to play hardball on other critical issues at the bargaining table. Despite recording net profits for the first half of 2009 of over $6 billion dollars, AT&T continues to disrespect all of us at the bargaining table. At this point of the negotiations, AT&T refuses to recognize that the sweat of your daily labor is what makes them the company they are today. It is clear that AT&T has no desire to reward you with a fair contract and it is time now to push back and fight back as never before. AT&T's goal is to shred contract gains that we fought to achieve over the last 50 years. Many AT&T regressive proposals still remain on the table. AT&T continues to attempt to shut us out of jobs of the future. They are demanding complete control over scheduling. They refuse to move on our concerns over mandatory overtime. They want to regress to the days of old by not continuing the neutral evaluation process. AT&T refuses to make any improvements to our current contract language. Brothers and sisters, each and every one of us must be prepared for a long uphill battle. We must all continue to stand in solidarity, we must all turn up the heat, and we must all, collectively, send AT&T a message that we will not back down, that we are union, that we will act union, and that we all will do whatever it takes to get them to realize our livelihoods and our families are more important than their run-away corporate greed. Download complete report in PDF format.

Does 1986 remind you of today? In 1986, CWA lost its ability to negotiate contracts at a National table because of the breakup of AT$T through divestiture in 1984. During the time after divestiture, the "old" AT$T was split up into separate companies (RBOC's) and CWA contracts were negotiated by separate bargaining units without any national bargaining. AT$T chose a path of fierce competition by spinning off into new business units and went on a buying spree of new businesses to merge with. Then, AT$T lost their nerve and sold them off at bargain prices while most RBOC's prospered. Especially, SBC who embarked on their own spending spree which eventually led to putting humpty-dumpty back together by buying and merging most of the original parts (RBOC's and AT$T). Today, AT$T is almost completely put back together with one major disadvantage to the 2009 unionized work force. NO NATIONAL BARGAINING! This is why all 2009 CWA -AT$T bargaining units are negotiating separate contracts and for the most part going it alone. Although CWA Bargaining Units are supporting each other, we are prohibited from negotiating national issues at one table. This should be addressed and changed in 2009 AT$T bargaining so we can again establish real National bargaining UNITY for ALL CWA Members at AT$T.

The purpose of the meeting is to explain the CWA District 4 - AT$T Midwest "Tentative Contract Agreement" reached on July 15, 2009 and to conduct a "Ratification Vote" of all CWA Local 4250 Dues Paying Members, in Good Standing, who work in the AT$T Harvey "OA" office under the current CWA District 4 - SBC Midwest Agreement terminated on April 4, 2009. A "Ratification Vote" will be conducted immediately after all Q&A's regarding the "D4 Tentative Agreement" are completed. This will be the ONLY opportunity for CWA Local 4250 AT$T Harvey OA members to VOTE on the "D4 Tentative Agreement." NO one is scheduled to work in Harvey OA on Saturday! Therefore, NO excuses not to vote! The CWA D4 - AT$T Midwest "BENEFITS Section on Healthcare" is being used by all CWA AT$T bargaining units, currently in negotiations with AT$T, as the "framework" for bargaining healthcare benefits for their AT$T members. Therefore, any CWA AT$T member or retiree is welcome to attend this meeting. As noted the meeting will be "Outdoors", weather permitting, and will begin at HIGH- NOON, SHARP! In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 Lynwood, Illinois PS: Hotdogs & Refreshments AFTER THE VOTING IS COMPLETED!

Download complete report in PDF format. One more example of how AT$T is succeeding in their strategy to divide and conquer the CWA AT$T Bargaining Units due to a failure of CWA's National One Union, One Fight, One Future Bargaining strategy..

AT&T Exceeds Wall Streets Expectations: Earlier today, AT&T announced their 2009 second quarter results, and it should be clearly noted that earnings were better than had been expected by Wall Street analysts. AT&T reported net income of $3.2 billion, or 54 cents a share, on revenue of $30.7 billion, down from $30.9 billion a year ago. Wall Street was expecting earnings of 51 cents a share on revenue of $30.6 billion. AT&T says they are focused on bolstering its balance sheet, deleveraging and reducing debt with its cash on hand. In addition to gains in wireless, wireless data and IPhone related items, AT&T reports continued strong growth in AT&T U-verse TV subscribers, with a net increase of 248,000, to reach 1.6 million in service; more than three-fourths of AT&T U-verse TV subscribers have a triple- or quad-play option from AT&T (adding broadband, wireline voice and wireless). AT&T also added 112,000 wireline broadband connections in the second quarter. More news about AT&T's 2009 second quarter results will be reported on our next update. IBEW Members Suspended By AT&T Management: In other news, the first of the 150 plus suspensions of IBEW members related to company imposed mandatory overtime began yesterday in Chicago's west suburban garages. Technicians from the other AT&T work locations will be also be losing pay as AT&T unjustly dishes out more suspensions related to AT&T's June mandatory overtime demands, which by the way, shows AT&T's blatant disregard for its employees well being during the intense heat conditions last month. Download complete report in PDF format.

Right now, the Legacy T Union and the Company bargaining teams are not meeting. The Company continues its demands for exorbitant cost shifting while refusing to address our real concerns for job security. Stephenson's statement (see excerpts below) with AT&T's 2nd quarter results are clearly aimed at the bargaining: "the economy, losses in the wireline business, and legacy benefit costs drove earnings per share down 14%." He pretends to appreciate our "hard work," and talks about "good revenue growth in areas where we're leading and investing -- mobility, broadband and video, and IP data services& creating opportunities for employees&" However, at the bargaining table his minions continue to try to cut us out of the very jobs he says are the only growing parts of the business. They rejected our "emerging technologies" proposal which would have given us access to this work, continue to try to take away language that has reduced Contractors in the NTS title and refused our other job security proposals which would protect all our jobs. Until these issues are addressed, the Company cannot expect us to sacrifice to their health care cost issues. This is what has stalled negotiations at several of the bargaining tables. We will issue another report when we start meeting again. DOWNLOAD*POST*DISTRIBUTE report in PDF format.

Negotiations continue this week with detailed discussions at the National table, and in the Premise Technician and Customer Consultant sub committees. There are numerous unresolved issues, including pensions, medical benefits, scheduling and several other contract articles. It is important that all members continue mobilization activities throughout the IBEW jurisdiction; this reminds AT&T who does the work, who deserves respect and a why there should be a fair contract for all workers. Informational pickets are continuing every Wednesday at most work locations, while some are changing the day of the week for their activities just to keep the bosses guessing, and several worksites are adding additional days. Continue to wear blue on Thursdays, follow all company rules to the T, work safe each and every day, and on each and every job, and let us know if you hear of or recognize other creative, legal and concerted activities started by members and activists that are popping up around the local. Download report in PDF format.

After a short meeting on Monday, bargaining stalled again yesterday as the Company continues to insist on their specific Health Care proposal and still has given no indication that it will seriously address our job security issues. A majority of our other issues have been addressed, but these two roadblocks remain. However, these are MAJOR roadblocks and it is uncertain how we will be proceeding at this point. We know how difficult it is to keep up your mobilization activity for such a long time, but it is still very important. The Company must know that our members can be just as stubborn as them. DOWNLOAD**POST**DISTRIBUTE report in PDF format.

A "Special Membership Meeting" will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2009 at HIGH NOON. The location will be announced as soon as possible. The purpose of this 'Special Membership Meeting" is to explain the recently announced CWA District 4/ AT$T Midwest "tentative agreement" announced jointly by CWA District 4 and AT$T on Wednesday, July 15, 2009. I have attached copies of the "CWA D4 AT$T Midwest Tentative Agreement Summary Bargaining Explanation Meeting of July 17, 2009" and "Presidents Meeting - 2009 Bargaining Report - Benefits Only - July 17, 2009" that I received at the CWA D4 Presidents meeting in Hoffman Estates on Friday, July 17, 2009. PLEASE take the time to read these reports BEFORE our August 1, 2009 "Special Membership Meeting." The "Benefits Only" report is a MUST READ, as it has become a most controversial issue, to say the least. A secret ballot ratification VOTE will be conducted, AFTER ALL Q&A's, by the Local 4250 Election Committee. ONLY, CWA Local 4250 dues paying members in, good standing, in the AT$T Midwest Bargaining Unit, will be eligible to cast a vote. I expect a maximum vote. This is due to the fact, NO Harvey, Ill. OS member has been required to work on Saturday as a result of AT$T taking away our 24/7 coverage. ALL CWA Local 4250 AT$T members and retirees in the C&T (Legacy T) Bargaining Unit are URGED to attend this meeting as the D4 "Benefits Only" report is being used as the "framework" for all other CWA and IBEW AT$T Bargaining Units currently in negotiations with AT$T. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 PS: A major omission from the agreement is: NO SUCCESSORSHIP CLAUSE DOWNLOAD*COPY*POST*DISTRIBUTE to ALL CWA AT$T Members & Retirees

Download this 17 page (PDF) summary of benefits package I received at the Friday, July 17, 2009 CWA District 4 Local Officers meeting in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. PLEASE READ entire report as it's COMPLEX. Please POST**COPY**DISTRIBUTE to all Local 4250 members & retirees. There WILL be a Local 4250 membership meeting in the near future. Date, time and location to be announced and posted on the local website. CWA Local 4250 has chosen to "OPT-OUT" of allowing D4 to handle our ratification process. This will allow Local 4250 officers enough time to study this summary and conduct a membership meeting prior to receiving your ratification ballot. OPTING-OUT will allow Local 4250 members to make an informed decision when voting to reject/accept the tentative agreement. If you are on this website and are from another CWA AT$T local, feel free to distribute this summary as it is the "framework" being used in all ongoing CWA Districts, C&T and AT$T negotiations.(FYI) TODAY, at close of business, is the DEADLINE for all D4 Local presidents to "opt-out" If not, CWA D4 will be mailing ballots TOMORROW July 21, 2009 to all D4 AT$T Midwest local AT$T members in locals who do not "opt-out." In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President, CWA Local 4250.

Negotiations with AT&T continued at both the National and Local tables throughout last week. By week's end, we report that the parties at the National Table had reviewed in detail, the status of all articles of the contract. While limited, progress was made in some areas. We are still dealing with several regressive Company proposals on the table. Also last week, the Customer Consultant sub-committee met and reviewed all proposals that our Union had previously made to improve this job title. Download entire report in PDF format.

This is a correction to my letter posted on the Local website on July 18, 2009. I apologize for the omission of the fact that co-pays have been eliminated from the CWA District 4 AT$T Tentative Agreement, with the exception of prescription drugs. A potentially more expensive "after deductable Co-Insurance" has replaced co-pays in addition to significantly increased deductibles that must be paid before the new co-insurance kicks in. DOWNLOAD TO VIEW CHANGES,IN PDF FORMAT. As I said in yesterdays posting, the Healthcare/Benefits part of the tentative agreement is complex. MONTH1LY PREMIEMS ARE FOREVER and AT$T Contributes NOTHING in the 3rd year of the agreement (2112). Additionally, IF your Doctor is OUT-OF-NETWORK, your costs will increase SIGNIFICANTLY! In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250

The Committee met formally yesterday with the Company. They withdrew another retrogressive proposal, this time their intention to increase the overtime build for double time from 8 hours to 9 hours. So, after four months, we are back were we started on that issue. The Company also agreed to a language improvement in Article 30 (Subcontracting) that can bring violating contracted work back into the bargaining unit. They also agreed to refund the Alliance at a high level. Although there are some changes, we protected the ARC/ATS/ARS Coordinator positions, which are crucial to our surplus members and those using the AT&T Transfer/Rehire System. On the other hand, they rejected our proposal to give us access to work in emerging technologies, despite what we all know  these "new" technologies grew out of technologies we already work on. We have proved over and over again that, as technology has changed, our workforce has proved more than capable of mastering these new skills. This is just another reason why our fight for stronger job security language is so crucial. They also had the nerve to reject a small increase for some of our lowest paid workers - our relay operators. They also passed 5 more possible Health Care plan designs, but none of them meet the needs of our members. All their proposals include a 10% co-insurance on all medical visits (including tests and hospital stays) except preventative care. Our current plan has set co-pays instead, which is what we are fighting for. As you can see, we are still focusing on OUR issues at our bargaining table. This is not the time to let up or give up. More than ever we need you to focus all your energy on the only culprit in this bargaining - the GREED of AT&T management. Downlaod report in PDF format.

Brothers and Sisters, It may be too little too late, but I am concerned with the fact that CWA has not had a coordinated bargaining with at&t. The fact that D4 has reached a tentative agreement before the others bears this out. These concerns were voiced at ad-hoc meetings before bargaining started, but apparently to no avail. At&t mobility, was left on their own to bargain their contract. I do not know what happened to the strategy for those negotiations to continue and roll in with the other contract negotiations. I am concerned that we will have a repeat of what happened at Verizon bargaining a few years ago, where District 1 settled 3 days before District 2, resulting in CWA members in District 1 crossing a District 2 picket line in NY. We have been hearing all along that there were conference calls between Vice-Presidents, and Unity bargaining and One Union, One Voice, One fight etc. The fact that District 4 was allowed to come to a tentative agreement, without the rest of the bargaining units, defeats our attempt at unity. The fact that District 4 was allowed to come to a tentative agreement, before the rest of the bargaining units, undermines what the other bargaining units are trying to accomplish. We are supposed to be in this together! Agreements should have been honored, and CWA leadership should have stepped in a long time ago to preserve the unity. In my opinion, there should have been one national table, and several local tables. That did not happen, and it is too late to fix that now. It may be too late to fix anything, but that does not mean we cannot voice our displeasure as to what has happened thus far. It is time for CWA leadership to step forward and lead, not let Vice-Presidents continue to proceed with their own agenda's. We are playing into managements hands to play one District against another. We cannot allow this to continue!! With that in mind, CWA Local 2252 is holding a rally on Monday July 20th from 10AM to noon at CWA headquarters 501 Third St Washington DC. It is time for CWA to represent its current members, not just the Vice Presidents and whomever they hope to organize in the future! If you care to join us, we would welcome your support. Thank you for your attention, and hope to see you Monday! In True Unity, Sean Linehan President CWA Local 2252 DOWNLOAD**PRINT**POST**DISTRIBUTE FLYER in PDF format.

The CWA District 4 AT$T Midwest Tentative Contract Agreement will shift a significant part of the cost of your healthcare benefits currently provided for by AT$T, to YOU the member, retiree (after 1993), "new hires" and future retirees. The cost shifting from AT$T to YOU is very substantial, compared to the current costs you pay. YOU will begin to pay monthly premiums effective January 1, 2010 in addition to increased co-pays and deductibles. CWA AT$T members have not been required to pay monthly healthcare premiums since 1970. This was the result of a CWA and IBEW strike in 1968. I know, as I was an active participant. No matter how District 4 tries to sugar coat the "new" monthly healthcare premiums and other healthcare related increases, YOU WILL begin paying monthly premiums on January 1, 2010 via payroll deductions. Details are still being discussed as to how retiree (post 1993) premiums will be paid. Beware of the final bargaining report because the "devil is in the details." Demand a local meeting to explain the agreement so you can make an informed decision when you vote to accept or reject the District 4 agreement. The District 4 "tentative" healthcare agreement establishes a "new" Healthcare Reimbursement Account (HRA), funded by YOU and AT$T. You must decide what healthcare related costs you want to be reimbursed from your "new HRA." Any healthcare costs you incur are reimbursable from your HRA... Such as, co-pays, deductibles, dental or vision costs, prescription drugs and/or monthly premiums. The bottom line is YOU WILL begin paying monthly premiums on 1/1/2010 IMPORTANT Your local president MUST "opt-out" of permitting CWA District 4 to conduct the AT$T tentative contract ratification vote. However, he/she must request to "opt-out' NO LATER THAN close of business on Monday, July 20, 2009. If your local president does not elect to "opt-out" your ballots will be mailed to you on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 from the CWA District 4 Cleveland office. You will also receive a final bargaining report that is very confusing even to veteran local union officers and representatives. Local"s choosing to "opt-out' would then have enough time to conduct local meetings and answer any question members may have regarding the "tentative District 4 AT$T agreement." Your local's election committee would then conduct a secret ballot ratification vote at the meeting(s) or via a mail referendum. This is the democratic way. What is your local doing? In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 Chicago NOW Before It's Too Late. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE To ALL AT$T UNION MEMBERS & RETIREES!

Some of you might be wondering why we are still bargaining while District 4 and the AT&T Midwest already have an agreement. Some of you might look at that agreement and think we ought to take it. It is not the job if this bargaining team to second-guess the decisions that were made in District 4. What we can say is that our issues are different. One of their key issues was to raise the pay of the "premise technicians" and they accomplished that. Our issue has been job security from day one. Our members are all over the nation. Aside from normal job loss, contracting out, automation, and moving work to management we now face a new threat - we are the only nationwide unit and the company can (and has) all too easily move our work to employees under the other Contracts. Our techs have felt this already and as other areas (and IBEW) have accepted a new commission-based (60% base/40% commission) sales title, this makes our call centers especially vulnerable. Between the 2005 bargaining and today we have lost 21% of our jobs. This will only get worse if we don't get some serious job protection in our agreement. Our plan is to keep fighting every day at the bargaining table to get us all what we need in this bargaining. The most important thing for you to do now is to continue to mobilize. You must let the company know that you will not be tricked by their attempt to pitch any single Contract as the one that is good for everyone, everywhere. Support us in doing the job you elected us to do. Download SPECIAL Report in PDF format. POST**COPY**DISTRIBUTE

Until 9:30 last night, the Union team presented its counter-proposals on the entire Company offer. We rejected the Company's demands to change the double-time build to after 8 hours; change our absence plan; and eliminate APA, the Legal Plan and our scholarship program. We presented our own Health Care, pension and wage package. We insisted on our full job security package, which has improvements to the 2005 agreement and protections for what we already have. We presented demands on Article 45/46 and Article 43. We also are attempting to improve the wages of some of our lowest paid titles in Article 39. We came to agreement on many Articles in which they have either accepted our changes or left them the way they currently stand. Despite deadlines, the Company has set on agreeing to their package; as usual, bargaining has been delayed by slowness of the Company response. We are available, but the Company has not yet responded to our package. This team continues to bargain until we have an agreement we can support, despite Company deadlines, threats, or anything going on at any other table. Hopefully we will have another update later today. Download report in PDF format.

IBEW negotiations with AT&T continue today at both the National and Local tables. Contract talks are taking place in Hoffman Estates, IL. Separately, CWA District 4 is reporting they have reached a tentative three year agreement with AT&T. The tentative agreement, subject to ratification, would cover approximately 20,000 CWA members working at AT&T in the five Midwest states of Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, previously known as the old Ameritech region. President Kastner reminds all members that the IBEW is completely independent from the CWA, that our negotiations are still continuing, and that our IBEW bargaining teams are working extremely hard to resolve all remaining issues at the IBEW - AT&T national and local tables. Download report in PDF format.

CWA District 4 and AT&T have reached a tentative agreement covering nearly 20,000 members at AT&T Midwest. The District 4 bargaining team and Vice President Seth Rosen did an outstanding job of bringing these negotiations together and resolving the critical issues for District 4 members, especially in the face of a struggling national economy and the nation's health care crisis that has made health care coverage for many Americans unsustainable. But our fight continues at AT&T East, AT&T Southwest, AT&T West, AT&T Legacy T, and other AT&T units where negotiations are continuing. On Monday, July 20, bargaining resumes for our members at AT&T Southeast. Our energy and determination remain focused on standing one day longer until we get the quality agreements ALL of our members deserve. These contracts cover 90,000 workers, and we are determined to maintain our members' standard of living and quality health care. As negotiations go forward, we will continue to act strategically. We've built a strong base of support from elected officials at every level and we're using it. We'll continue to act together and be united and confident that we will prevail. With solidarity, we'll get there. The details of the District 4 tentative settlement are available at http://district4.cwa-union.org/bargaining. Ratification materials and information will go out to District 4 members shortly. Download notification from CWA President Larry Cohen, Joint Press Release and highlights of District 4 tentative agreement PDF format.

CWA District 3 is opening negotiations with AT&T on Thursday, July 16, 2009. Just as District 3 has supported members in Districts 1, 4, 6, 7, 9 and C&T, we will stand with District 3. It's possible that not all tables will settle at the same time. A tentative agreement at one table would be just that: tentative until ratified. And whether or not those members ratify their agreement, we will still have ONE FIGHT. Until a just settlement is reached at all tables, all AT&T members will continue to mobilize in support of their brothers and sisters across the country. District 3's contract expires at midnight, August 8, 2009. Download PDF flyer to POST and DISTRIBUTE at ALL AT$T work locations in the USA!

IBEW Bargaining with AT&T has been ongoing since our last update and continues today at both the National and Local Tables. Medical Benefits were discussed in much detail as well as our benefit contract language, pensions, and several other items, including Prem Tech's, Customer Consultants, and Engineering Assistants. Our IBEW Bargaining Teams are committed to bringing home a fair contract for all of the dedicated and hard-working members of our union. Informational pickets continue every Wednesday; at some work locations, members are changing the day of the week for their activities to keep the bosses guessing and at others, adding additional days. Continue to wear blue on Thursdays, along with the other creative, legal and concerted activities that are popping up around the local. If you are a premise technician continue to wear your uniform and accessorize it with your solidarity bands and union pin. Your support is felt at the bargaining table. Download complete report in PDF format.

The Bargaining Team met with the Company Saturday into late evening, and all day Sunday and today. We were going over the latest full package the Company provided to us on Saturday. Many of their retrogressive demands are still on the table - eliminate our APA and replace it with a plan with a lower minimum payout; eliminate our scholarship program and replace it with one that pays out much less; eliminate the legal plan. Their change in the absence plan (less than 3 years - no pay for absence; 3-5 years, pay after the 2nd scheduled day; 5-8 years, pay after the 1st scheduled day; and over 8 years, pay for the first day of absence) and the double time build (only after 9 hours OT) are still on the table. They are still demanding a much lower level of post-retirement benefits and pension for all "new hires." The worst part of that is that they define "new hires" not just as those hired off the street, but also longtime employees who are rehired after being laid off. This is completely unacceptable to the Union. We are still far apart on Medical Plan and other benefit changes and the wage package. Our job security proposal has been largely rejected. Things we had in the past contract, like a requirement that they replace full time contractors doing Article 43 work, was still gone from their newest package. On job security, the team feels we have taken a step backward from where we were during the 2005 agreement. That does not mean that no progress has been made. Some of their retrogressive changes have been pulled back, and we are moving forward on a National Transfer Plan, but the key issues - Health Benefits and employment security - are still far from resolved. We are preparing our response for the bargaining table. You must respond too. Keep mobilizing. We need you to keep the pressure on. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE in PDF format.

Three months past expiration and mobilization is going strong. No matter how long the Company drags their feet this round of bargaining, we will continue to let customers and the public know about AT&T's corporate greed, erosion of the middle class, off-shoring jobs & attacking retirees. Here are some of the reportable actions that have been happening across the country: 4250 reports that their Officers, Members & Retirees partnered with IBEW in Illinois for a huge rally and sent a message that the mobilization and participation of the membership has changed the course of this bargaining. AT&T did not hear us until they heard everyone. Brothers and Sisters, this fight is not over. It was your unity and mobilization that got us this far; but if we are to bring home the kind of contract we all deserve, AT&T must hear all of our voices loud and clear. VIEW VIDEO that has turned the tide in CWA District 4 bargaining : http://www.youtube.com/user/local21ibew Download entire report in PDF format with a Video link to the Chicago rally.

We are sorry that there has been so little news from the Bargaining Table, but the fact is that there has been very little happening at the table. Discussions that seemed to be progressing have either stopped or moved backwards. The Union passed another job security proposal. We have made it clear to the Company over and over again that job security is our most important issue. We will be meeting again Saturday afternoon. Download report in PDF format.

Contract Negotiations with AT&T continued today at the National Table, and in the Prem Tech and Customer Consultant Bargaining Sub-Committees. At the National table, all of the articles in our contract were reviewed and discussed in detail. Some progress has been made, but there are still many unresolved issues including medical benefits, pensions, Prem Techs, and Customer Consultants as well as some of the articles in the contract. As many of you know, throughout most of these negotiations, AT&T had continually refused to discuss retiree health care with our Union. However, as we have been reporting at the Unit meetings, because of your mobilization efforts, we are now engaged in retiree health care discussions with AT&T. This issue is far from resolved, but, we are beginning to move in the right direction on retiree health care. We understand that all IBEW members want a contract. However, it's important that we not just make a deal, but, that we get the RIGHT deal. Our Union Bargaining Teams are committed to gaining a fair contract for all hard-working and dedicated IBEW members. You are the working people who have made AT&T the successful and highly profitable company that they are today. Never forget that. Continue all Mobilization activities; this reminds AT&T who does the work, who deserves respect and a contract that's fair to all.The union hotline and website (www.ibew21.org ) will be updated as needed or when there is breaking news. Text messaging and email bargaining/mobilization alerts will be issued when necessary to keep all members informed as negotiations progress. The union hotline numbers are 630-415-2711 and from certain area codes 866-423-9582. SOLIDARITY! Download entire report in PDF format

Negotiations continued with discussions at the National Table covering a wide variety of issues including the Prem Tech, Engineering Assistant, and Customer Consultant job titles, as well as the Apprenticeship Program and numerous other articles of our contract. Many members have been asking for more details on the status of negotiations and updates that are more detailed. Negotiations are very fluid and they can change on a daily or even hourly basis. By the time you receive the updates the situation may have already changed. Rest assured your bargaining teams are hard at work to reach a contract that respects your valued hard work. In other news, IBEW Local 21 just received an arbitration win over temporary travel pay for Prem Techs in the Bedford Park and Frankfort locations. This award will result in a substantial payment to these members. Download report in PDF format.

IBEW negotiations continued today with AT&T at the Local Table and in the Force Adjustment/Job Security Sub-Committee. Our Union rejected many of AT&T's objectionable proposals. As reported in yesterday's update, AT&T's package proposal received late last week is unacceptable. Medical benefits, pensions, and wages remain unresolved. In addition to that, the AT&T's package proposal included several regressive items. Get Involved: Join the thousands of members who are defending our rights. Informational picketing will continue every Wednesday indefinitely as well as Blue Thursday's. Retirees will be joining us on the picket lines. Download complete report in PDF format.

As reported in our last update, AT&T late last week passed a massive proposal to our IBEW bargaining team, covering all articles and memos in our contract. Our bargaining teams have thoroughly reviewed the company's proposal in its entirety and report that the package is completely unacceptable. Based on these facts, along with our desire and commitment to reach agreement with AT&T on a fair and complete package for all IBEW members, we returned to the bargaining table this morning, on Monday, July 6, 2009. More information will be communicated to you as soon as it is available. Stay tuned. Solidarity! Download report in PDF format.

As you know, on Saturday, June 27th, thousands of our members hit the streets in rallies across the Local. Your actions that night changed the course of this bargaining. AT&T did not hear us until they heard you. We mutually agreed with AT&T to "stop the clock" just before the midnight deadline. Basically, that means our current contract stays in place while we continue bargaining. We have been meeting with the company non-stop since the Saturday deadline in an effort to reach an agreement. Today, AT&T gave us a massive package proposal covering all of the articles and memos in our contract. Over the next few days, our Bargaining Teams will be thoroughly reviewing these proposals in their entirety. While there has been progress on certain issues, there are many items left unresolved including medical benefits and pensions which your contract surveys told us were two of the most important issues to you. Brothers and Sisters, this fight is not over. It was your unity and mobilization that got us this far, but, if we are to bring home the kind of contract we all deserve, AT&T must hear all of our voices loud and clear. Download PDF file that contains video links to view 225 Randolph, Chicago rally on Saturday, June 27, 2009.

CWA Local 4250 Members and Retirees: Your elected bargaining teams at the CWA C&T AT$T and the CWA D4 AT$T/ Midwest tables need you, the members AND retirees, to get MORE INVOLVED in this fight. If you don't, you will get exactly what you deserve, a contract filled with give-backs! ALL Members should be in your bosses face every minute of the day. If you don't get warned for you're on the job actions, YOU ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH! ALL Retirees should, SHOW UP at the various mobilization activities. If you don't, YOU WILL have to start PAYING a substantial monthly amount for your healthcare. It's time for you to shit, or get off the pot! In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 Download entire report in PDF format.

Negotiations Resumed This Morning Bargaining continued with AT&T late into the evening Monday night. Many issues were discussed including health care, Prem Tech, and pensions. Some progress has been made but many items still remain unresolved. Bargaining resumed early this morning. Our Union Bargaining Teams are committed to reaching a contract which rewards our dedicated hard-working members. Negotiations have been very fluid. There continues to be a lot of back and forth discussions on how to resolve the major issues facing our members. When information that is more detailed is available we will release that information. Please check back often for the latest updates. We are still working under the terms and conditions of our existing contract. All members are to continue to report and work their normal schedules and follow all safety and work rules without deviation. We stand in solidarity! Download report in PDF format.

Over 1,000 IBEW Local 21 members and retirees and CWA Local 4250 Officers and retirees attended this IBEW at$t Contract Countdown rally from 9PM till Midnight, on Saturday, June 27, 2009. Download slide show in PDF format. LARGE FILE (25MB) RIGHT CLICK and SAVE to your desktop to niew in Adobe PDF format.

Our bargaining teams continued negotiations with AT&T into the early morning hours. Progress was made on some significant issues; however, there are still unresolved issues remaining which include benefits. After a short break, negotiations resumed this morning and will continue through the day. President/Business Manager Ron Kastner would like to thank all members for their strong show of support with the rallies throughout the state. Clearly, these efforts made the difference in the progress that was made. This fight is long from over and we must remain strong and united so that we can get the kind of contract we all deserve. As events unfold, the hotlines, website, will be updated, and text and email messages will be sent as needed. Make sure to keep checking back for the latest news. All members are to report to work for their scheduled shifts. Solidarity! Download report in PDF format

Based on progress on some significant issues, the parties have agreed to stop the clock and continue the negotiations towards agreement. The current contract provisions are still in effect. You are not on strike. Over 1000 members and their families rocked AT&T on Randolph ST in Chicago Saturday night. All IBEW members should report to work as scheduled and stay informed. Mobilization efforts must continue to keep the pressure on the company. Massive turnout at rallies tonight throughout the jurisdictions was heard loud and clear at AT&T headquarters in Hoffman Estates. Great job brothers and sisters! Again, the parties have agreed to stop the clock and will continue negotiating throughout the night towards agreement. IBEW members are to report to work as scheduled. More information will be released as it becomes available. SOLIDARITY! Download report in PDF format

June 27, 2009 4PM Current IBEW contract with AT&T expires at midnight, less than 8 hours away. It's Saturday June 27, 2009 and this is a 4:00 pm update from the IBEW's bargaining team. Bargaining has continued throughout the day today. Talks are now moving at an even faster pace, yet there are numerous unresolved issues, including benefits, wages, job security, prem techs, and more. Additionally, AT&T still has many regressive proposals on the table. Our IBEW bargaining team is committed to getting a fair contract for all of our union's hard working members. You are the ones that have made AT&T the successful and highly profitable company they are today. Attend a solidarity rally in your area from 9-12 pm tonight, bring your family, we need to get loud across the jurisdiction brothers and sisters. Make your collective voices heard. Download in PDF format

TO: All CWA Local 4250 Members: As you know, CWA is currently in contract negotiations with at$t Corp. at five (5) regional tables. We have been working without a contract since April 4, 2009 as negotiations continue with no end in sight. IBEW is also in negotiations with at$t and their contracts expire tonight, June 27, 2009 at 11:59PM. Rumors abound that the company expects to provide "Contractor Doors" in the event the IBEW should strike upon the expiration of their contract. Just as a reminder, CWA members DO NOT cross picket lines, nor do we use "Contractor Doors" as access to perform "struck work." Although we are not at the same table with the IBEW in the ongoing at$t negotiations, we know that all CWA members will give full support to our brother and sister IBEW at$t members. Together we are; "Proud of Our Past * Poised For The Future* United In Solidarity." REMEMBER, if you should see an IBEW picket line at your work location, HONOR IT! PS: If you can, JOIN us at the IBEW Rally tonight at 225 W Randolph, Chicago for the IBEW Local 21 "Contract Countdown" beginning at 9PM till Midnight! Be There! DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE

Bargaining continued today with meetings at the National and Local Bargaining tables. We discussed our Union's proposal regarding the IBEW Health Care Plan. Our proposal controls rising health care costs while at the same time retaining a high level of benefits for our members. Our actions today made it clear to AT&T that we came to this table with viable options on healthcare rather than their expressed plan of shifting the costs onto IBEW members. Late today, AT&T rejected our proposal. AT&T demanded they retain complete control of the benefits plan. Download complete report in PDF format.

AT&T Bargaining resumed on June 23rd negotiations included lengthy discussions over benefits. Today, the National and Local Bargaining Teams are still meeting with AT&T on a number of issues including Benefits and Job Security/Force Adjustment issues. With only 3 days left under our current contract, many issues remain unresolved. Your Union Bargaining Teams are committed to reaching the contract our hard-working, dedicated members deserve. They are inspired by your continued support demonstrated by your acts of solidarity. These are one the most difficult negotiations our union has faced at AT&T. Keep it up!Our membership has voted in record numbers and proclaimed they are READY to WALK! The final votes have just been tabulated. By an overwhelming 98%, they have authorized our leadership to call a strike against AT&T if a contract settlement cannot be reached with the company. President Ron Kastner thanks all of our members for their strong vote of confidence in the Union bargaining teams. This mandate sends a strong message to AT&T that our members are fed up with the lack of respect at the bargaining table. Our members are rejecting AT&T's demands for concessions. We desire respect, job security, equal pay for equal work, good paying jobs with benefits, pensions and the retention of benefits for our retirees. While none of us wants to strike, we are willing to strike if provoked by AT&T! Download complete report in PDF format

On Saturday June 27, 2009, IBEW Local 21's contract with AT$T will expire. There will be statewide picketing from 9pm until the contract expires at midnight. The Chicago picketing will take place at: 225 W. Randolph We are asking all friends and allies to help us show at$t a strong message of Solidarity. Please bring candles or flashlights to shine a light on the issues. It's Our Solidarity vs. Theirs! This is an urgent call for all Chicago Area CWA at$t union members and retirees who have been working without a contract for the past four (4) months to show your support for our IBEW Local 21 brothers and sisters fight against at$t's attack on middle class workers and their families. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**Distribute this flyer to all

Bargaining continued Wednesday afternoon in subcommittee, all day yesterday, and this morning as we continue to try to make progress on job security issues. With so much work being shifted from one Contract to another as AT&T tries to consolidate various operations - from sales and service, billing and collections, teleconference, administrative work, maintenance of the network, and the provisioning and maintenance of both consumer and business services - the bargaining team is working very hard to try both to preserve our jobs and to find us other opportunities if and when our jobs go away. This continues to be a main priority of our negotiations and, while progress is slowly being made, we need to make much more before we will be satisfied that we have a fair agreement. We have made it clear to the Company throughout the bargaining, and more so in the last week, that we cannot fully address their concerns about health care costs until our concerns about job security are addressed. Other articles and letters have also been addressed this week. Bargaining will continue tomorrow morning and, although we will not be formally meeting during the CWA Convention, we will continue to exchange information and be in touch with the AT&T Bargaining Committee. Download report in PDF format.

As we enter the final week before our contract expires with AT&T we must all be ready to do whatever it takes to get the message across to AT&T that we are not backing down and will not be victims of their alleged economic hardship scheme. AT&T is not facing the same hardships that have hit the auto industry. AT&T's 2008 net profit was $12.9 billion and this year in the first quarter alone they have banked $3.1 billion. They are projected to remain profitable for many years to come. Cable, satellite and phone company video providers should get through the recession relatively unscathed, according to a new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Download complete report in PDF format.

FROM: YOUR LOYAL EMPLOYEES AT LEAST ED WHITACRE HAD RESPECT FOR CWA AND AT$T EMPLOYEES, AND KNEW HOW TO BARGAIN A CONTRACT! Download flyer in PDF format.

The bargaining team met with the Company all day Saturday and again this morning. For a while it looked like we were making some progress, but now it seems like we are moving backward. Issues we thought were coming together on the National Transfer Plan are far apart again. Our other key job security issues are still far from being addressed, and we are no closer on Health Care. Download report in PDF format.

The full Bargaining Team met with the Company both in sub-committee and in a regular session for many hours yesterday. While the Company is making some movement on some of their retrogressive demands, in too many cases they are just giving us back some of what they took out in their "final" offer on April 5 - basically, what they took away with a shovel and are giving us back with a teaspoon. While the direction is positive, we still have a long way to go. Meetings will continue today. June 13 marks ten weeks since our contract expired. The Company continues to attack our families and our livelihoods with their retrogressions. The last few weeks have been a call for EVERY member to get involved. Our collective action inside and outside the company is the only way to maintain affordable healthcare and get the fair and equitable contract we all need and deserve. Download bargaining and complete mobilization report in PDF format.

Bargaining continued today at the National and Local tables and in the sub-committees. In the Force Adjustment/Job Security subcommittee, our Union took the lead and outlined a plan to improve the current surplus/layoff language giving members greater job security. Progressive proposals to improve our Vacations and Recognized Holidays were passed by your Union bargaining team; they also made proposals to improve the Customer Consultant job title. The Local Table and sub-committees will meet next week, while President/Business Manager Ron Kastner takes our fight to the International Telecommunications Conference. President Kastner, System Council T-3 Chairman Peter Pusateri, and IBEW Telecommunications Department Director Martha Pultar will meet next week with our International President Ed Hill and the Presidents of the other Locals in the T-3 Council to mobilize the full power of the IBEW nationwide in our battle with AT&T. President Kastner will also be reporting on the strike authorization meetings which are currently taking place. These standing room only meetings have proven once again the strength and commitment of our membership. Solidarity! Download reports #11 and #12 in PDF format.

The full committee met with the Company yesterday to discuss Health Benefits. While there seems to be some positive movement, we are still very far apart. Meetings will continue today on a range of issues as we try to get this bargaining back on track. Keep up your work in your offices, in the stores, and with your legislators. Download report in PDF format.

Download Press Release in PDF format.

Bargaining resumed today with AT&T at the National and Local tables. No formal proposals were passed today however; AT&T gave a specific overview of the direction the Company intends to take towards benefits during this round of negotiations. As in any bargaining, all items are subject to negotiation including pension and benefits. For the first time in days, there is good news to report on health care! We may now have the ability to obtain pet insurance so at least our pets will be healthy. The company weasels may now be insured. Download complete report to see what it would cost for pet protection.

"As we end our 2nd month without a contract, the Company is slow at bargaining; members are quick to mobilize& Vice President Ralph Maly stressed, during the Presidents conference call this week, that AT&T has offered little more than retrogressions at the bargaining table (high healthcare deductibles, high employee premiums, decreases in sick pay, vacation & Alliance funding just to name a few): EVERY member and retiree that is not willing to accept that offer needs to get up and do SOMETHING to make a difference this round of bargaining. AT&T is attacking your family, and threatening your family's standard of living. EVERYONE should be angry. Everyone should be active. There are many different types of actions CWA is taking around the country. Ask your Local Steward or Officer what you can do." (NOTE) I believe a NATIONWIDE STRIKE against AT$T is long overdue. You can email me at istvantisza@hughes.net if you agree or disagree. Download today's Legacy T Mobilization Report below. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President, CWA Local 4250

Bargaining Summary: Your workplace mobilization coordinators will be talking to you about many of the regressive proposals AT&T has demanded at the bargaining table. It is important we all understand the rigorous attacks made by our employer. These are just a few examples, there are many others as mentioned in previous updates. 1) The message AT&T has sent is simple. AT&T is refusing to continue a relationship based on mutual responsibility and respect. They have passed a proposal to eliminate Article 4. 2) AT&T has proposed to use union members as Temporary Management. The Temporary Managers would not have to be from your work location and would administer discipline. This also undercuts and threatens job security for their mindless minions of first line managers. This proposal affects Article 22. 3) AT&T seeks to eliminate premium pay for Sundays. The company is attempting to abolish most Seniority rights. AT&T is a demanding changes to overtime language where overtime would be distributed at the will of management. These demands affect Articles 18 and 19. 4) AT&T wants the ability to arbitrarily change your title and pay scale, at their discretion, at any time. 5) Rather than improve working conditions for Premise Technicians AT&T has proposed to make their contract even worse. AT&T wants to have Prem Techs perform wage group one work from the cross-box to the customers home with out compensating them with wage group one pay. Download entire report and newly added STRIKE VOTE LOCATIONS in PDF format.

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NOTE: I urge CWA retirees & members to join our brother and sister IBEW Local 21 at$t retirees on their informational picket lines. Informational picketing is scheduled every Wednesday through the month of June at the locations listed below. Of course, if any retiree would prefer to picket at another AT&T location we are flexible but please call Larry Moeller at (630) 432-3836 so I can check the time picketing will begin and end. You can email me at lmoeller@ibew21.org. Please notice there have been some addition and subtractions. We have added Elgin, Hammond, Gurnee, and a second Chicago location, we have removed and will are NOT, picketing in Dyer. These locations have been chosen because of their visibility and from suggestions made by retirees. Download list of picket locations in PDF format.

Last night VP Maly and the Legacy T Bargaining Team held a call with over 40 Local Presidents to discuss the current state of bargaining. Ralph made it clear that there has been hardly any progress since our April 4th expiration date and most of the Company's retrogressive demands are still on the table. While some progress has been made on a National Transfer Plan, some important issues on it still need to be resolved and we are waiting for a response on those points. We are still extremely far apart on Health Care. Up to this point, the Company has not made a counter proposal to the Union's last offer. The Company is still refusing to even discuss Retiree Health. We cannot walk away from this bargaining leaving the future of our retirees in the hands of a management that has shown so little respect for its bargained-for employees. That would give them a free hand to do anything they wanted to those retirees. We can't let that happen. "Two tiers" (one set of benefits for current and another for "new hires") is still in the Company's package. They have also not responded to any of the Union's proposals for employment security and are removing "watermark" language and subcontracting language that saved many jobs under the 2005 Agreement. Download entire report and mobilization requests in PDF format

UPDATED: May 18, 2009 - DON'T LET DISTRICT 6 BE THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB! SUPPORT CWA DISTRICT 6 and SAY NO TO "YOYO" (Your On Your Own) BARGAINING!--UPDATED May 9, 2009. NOW!!!!UPDATED April 25, 2009 @ 11:00A.M.-- We need A National Table NOW MORE THAN EVER. IT'S OBVIOUS AT$T HAS COORDINATED BARGAINING. THE QUESTION IS, DO WE?-- A first ever CWA at$t Inc. Bargaining Council Meeting was held in St. Louis, Missouri on December 9 - 11, 2007. Over 500 CWA delegates, representing AT$T Legacy, AT$T Midwest, AT$T West, AT$T East, AT$T Southwest, AT$T Internet Services, AT$T Mobility and AT$T Bell South, were in attendance. Today, at$t Inc. is the largest union represented Company in the USA! Present CWA and IBEW National and Local leaders should be demanding that at$t Inc. improve pensions and after employment benefits in 2009, not agree to give back pension and after employment benefits for new hires in 2007 and the foreseeable future. These are benefits that brother members have died for in past strikes. In the best interests of all current CWA and IBEW at$t Inc. members and retirees, ALL turf wars within the CWA and CWA District 4 and IBEW Illinois Local 21 must end! We are the elected leaders of our unions and it's time to lead, or move aside! If there must be an enemy it should be at$t Inc., not each other. Download my summary of the meeting in PDF format.

Bargaining continued today, Wednesday June 3, 2009 at both the National and Local tables. Your Union Bargaining Teams made proactive proposals to improve grievance and arbitration language. To no one's surprise, the disrespect of our members by AT&T continues. AT&T passed more regressive proposals demanding the elimination of both premium pay on Sunday, and shift differentials for any shift before 9:00pm. They also proposed mandatory on-call. The company did come to the table with a new idea today. AT&T wants to create a new title-- "Temporary Manager." AT&T wants those union members working under this new title to have the ability to take discipline against their fellow union members. If AT&T thinks our members will on turn on each other, they have another thing coming! We stand strong shoulder to shoulder in solidarity. We won't turn our backs on one another; the way AT&T is turning their backs on their employees in these negotiations. Bargaining will resume on Tuesday, June 9th and continue thru Thursday June 11th. Your Union bargaining Teams are committed to bringing home a fair contract which recognizes the hard work and dedication of our members. Remember, Brothers and Sisters, It All Starts with Respect. Download entire report in PDF format.

This is an URGENT call for ALL CWA Illinois and Northwest Indiana Retirees to mobilize with our brother and sister IBEW Local 21 retirees to remind AT$T to Deliver on her promise to YOU, of free healthcare and a pension until you die. IBEW Local 21 retirees have been mobilizing at various AT$T Illinois locations on Wednesday's. JOIN , them on Wednesday, June 3, 10 & 17, 2009. Download an UPDATED SCHEDULE with locations and times below. PASS this on to ALL AT$T retirees you know. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President, CWA Local 4250 DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE

Our IBEW bargaining teams met today at both the National and Local tables. Your Union is still awaiting responses from AT&T on several proposals the bargaining teams have made to improve several articles of our existing contract. Because of the lack of progress in addressing improvements to the Prem Tech Job Title, President/Business Manager Ron Kastner has demanded that the Prem Tech issue be moved to the National Bargaining Table. AT&T was put on notice late today by President Kastner that the IBEW stands ready to file bad faith bargaining Unfair Labor Practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board against AT&T unless the documentation and data the IBEW bargaining team has requested on benefits is turned over immediately. Bargaining and our solidarity informational picket actions will resume tomorrow Wednesday June 3rd. A strike vote authorization will be taken at the upcoming June IBEW Local 21 unit meetings. All members are encouraged to attend to get the latest bargaining information from your leaders, followed by a strike authorization vote. Download entire report in PDF format.

Bargaining resumed on Monday June 1st with AT&T at both the National and Local tables. Your Union teams made proposals on improvements to our WP Days and the Premise Technician title as well as several other articles in the contract. In addition, regressive proposals from AT&T were rejected. Your Union bargaining team refused AT&T's ill conceived prem tech proposal. However, AT&T continued to make regressive proposals impacting the Prem Tech job title. In one of AT&T's most ludicrous proposals to date they are now demanding the ability to "restructure" any of our job titles at any time, and then unilaterally establish new wage rates for the "restructured" titles. President/Business Manager Ron Kastner and the Union bargaining teams are committed to bringing home a fair contract that recognizes the hard work our members do every day and their contributions to making AT&T a successful and highly profitable company. Bargaining will resume tomorrow in Hoffman Estates . Download entire report in PDF format.

Bargaining Continued Friday May 29th with AT&T at both the National and Local tables. Your IBEW bargaining team reached tentative agreements on some minor items. However, AT&T continued making regressive proposals demanding the elimination of all carry-over vacation time, the elimination of the Good Friday/ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. designated holiday, and the Day after Thanksgiving holiday in exchange for Floaters. In addition, AT&T passed proposals to your union bargaining team that would negatively impact our brothers and sisters in the Prem Tech title. Your Union Bargaining Teams made several progressive proposals to improve differentials, seniority, and treatment of Part-Time employees. Negotiations will resume on Monday, June 1st and continue through Wednesday June 3rd. Download report in PDF format.

Your IBEW national and local bargaining teams met yesterday with AT&T in more negotiation sessions. AT&T passed an interesting proposal to make significant changes in the language pertaining to Article 4 Union-Company Relations. Currently Article 4 reads "The company and the Union recognize that it is the best interests of both parties, the employees and the public that all dealings between them be, and continue to be, characterized by mutual responsibility and respect." AT&T is demanding this language be eliminated. We take their regressive proposal as written confirmation AT&T is not concerned about their employees and has no interest in treating them with responsibility or respect. Your bargaining team finds this unacceptable. With your support, we can tell AT&T, we do not intend to accept conditions which will have an adverse affect on us and our families we support. Download report in PDF format.

We're sorry many of you had problems getting on the AT&T e-Meeting last night. You can watch it on http://www.cwa-union.org/emeeting. The call covered the small amount of progress that is being made at the tables on a couple of the issues. However, you must understand that we are still VERY FAR APART on all of our key issues - particularly Health Care cost shifting for active workers and retirees, and employment security. Many of the Company's retrogressive demands are still on the table. Hopefully we will be meeting with the Company again tomorrow and have more to report from our table. The Bargaining Team will join Local 2252 for a rally at an AT&T building in Virginia today. We hope you are all keeping up the pressure at work, contacting your legislators, and participating in every mobilization activity possible. Download report in PDF format

Our current contract with AT&T expires in 31 days. AT&T National bargaining resumed on Wednesday May 27th: Ron Kastner, President/Business Manager and Chairman of the AT&T National Bargaining Committee would like to thank all members and retirees for their strong show of support for the bargaining team through informational pickets and other solidarity events throughout our jurisdiction. Our Union bargaining team has engaged in aggressive negotiations making proactive proposals addressing the specific concerns of our Prem Techs, Engineering Assistants, and Customer Consultants as well as improvements in scheduling and overtime for all members. Negotiations will continue throughout this week. The union hotline and website will be updated as needed and when there is breaking news. Text messaging and email bargaining/mobilization alerts will be issued when necessary to keep all members informed as negotiations progress. NEW!-You can now subscribe online to receive text messaging updates. Download full report to sign up for text message updates online

In response to our union's health care presentation, AT&T gave their views on health care. The company's presentation was not a formal proposal, but rather an overview on the current health care costs and the direction the company would like to move towards. In short, AT&T believes their employees need to assist in managing the company's health care costs. They think you must focus on living a healthy lifestyle, you must make wise economic health care decisions and when necessary, you should receive care at the right time, and in the most efficient manner. AT&T basically said the health care issue is your fault and you should pay to fix it. Download entire report with links to more information.

Over 40 Legacy T Locals were on a call last night, during which VP Ralph Maly described the current state of bargaining and mobilization plans for the coming weeks. He made it clear the Company has moved very little since April 4, and we are still VERY far apart on Health Benefits and other issues. He also reminded everyone that the Company is still refusing to even discuss Medical Benefits for current retirees. We know it is hard to keep up a high level of mobilization activity for so long but it is very important. The Company has gone directly to the membership again with another letter to those in District 6. AT&T Exec John Stankey is trying to get them to vote on the terrible "last, best and final" proposal they put out to AT&T Southwest employees. The Company continues to gloss over the retrogressive pieces of their proposal - the two-tier benefits (for current employees and new hires), the take-aways in the Articles, the huge cost shifting. These members will not be fooled into believing the Company's propaganda. Our bargaining team has been released to go home for the Memorial Day week-end. Many of them have only been home once since February 19 (some not at all). The next report will probably not be posted until next Wednesday. Download report in PDF format.

There have not been any "formal" bargaining sessions so far this week. The Committee has continued to meet with the Company in subcommittees in an attempt to get some movement on Health Care and a transfer plan that works across all of AT&T. The sides are still very far apart on both issues. The Union has made it clear that we will not be willing to move on their issues, while the Company refuses to seriously consider our demands regarding employment security and continues to push so much retrogression. Tomorrow night, Wednesday, May 20, Ralph Maly and the Bargaining Team will be hosting a conference call for all the Legacy T Locals. Since only one port will be available per Local, contact your Local about how you can hear the call. Download entire report in PDF format.

The following IBEW-AT&T Bargaining Update #1 states that during today's negotiations our union bargaining team passed a historic health care proposal to AT&T management. Our bargaining team made an in-depth presentation that outlined ways to proactively address the issue of rising health care costs while we maintain our current benefits levels. This was not an actual proposal. We apologize for the error in communications. The original report is as follows: Leadership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and AT&T management made history today as they opened national bargaining for the first time is 25 years. AT&T is the largest telecommunication provider in the world. IBEW Chairman and Local 21 President-Business Manager Ron Kastner, System Council T-3 Chairman Peter Pusateri, and IBEW Telecommunications Department Director Martha Pultar opened today's session with a strong statement expressing the union's desire to share in the 13 billion dollar profits AT&T made last year. Our leadership presented a strong unified front for IBEW all telecommunications workers. Not surprisingly, AT&T tried to relate themselves to the auto, truck, and airline industries, all industries negatively affected and victims of the struggling economy. We won't buy it! The facts are in the annual report. We all know that the hard work performed by IBEW embers contribute strongly to AT&T's profits. On our first full day of bargaining, our union did not shy away from the most difficult and important issue for our membership, the issue of Health Care. Our actions today made it clear to AT&T that we came to this table with viable options on healthcare rather than their expressed plan of shifting the costs onto IBEW members. We want to maintain the quality of standards our members have been promised and deserve. (SEE CORRECTION ABOVE) During today's negotiations our union bargaining team passed a historic health care proposal to AT&T management. Our presentation of the proposal outlined the cost saving measures AT&T could realize while we maintain our current benefits levels. It is one of the most progressive benefit plans ever presented by a labor union. We are hoping management takes our proposal seriously as we are convinced it is the answer to the health care crisis AT&T management claims exists. Download complete report in PDF format.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) opened negotiations with AT&T on Monday, May 18, 2009, aiming to get a fair and equitable contract with the nations largest telephone company, whose net income in 2008 rose 7.7 percent to $12.9 billion. Click below for entire report.

District 6 has asked for participation from ALL CWA Locals to get their members to sign this petition that they will be delivering to the Company regarding the "Last, Best & Final" offer. This activity is very important. Please collect as many signatures as possible next week and mail them back to District 6 on Friday, May 22, 2009 to: Sylvia J. Ramos CWA Representative 2600 Via Fortuna #260 Austin, Texas 78746 Download petition below in PDF format.

AT&T presented CWA District 6 with their Last, Best and Final Offer. Their package was well over one hundred (100) pages, which contained many items that the Union had not seen during the many weeks of Bargaining. This occurred one day after CWA had presented the Company with their Comprehensive Proposal, which the Company still has not responded to. In short, AT&T's package contains MAJOR RETROGRESSION and is FULL OF TAKE BACKS. Out of the five (5) Districts currently in negotiations, we are the ONLY Bargaining Committee to receive a LAST, BEST, AND FINAL OFFER. The Company was prepared with an eight (8) page, "AT&T News Now Article," complete with a calculator, and a video from John Stankey, President CEO AT&T Operations addressing employees with the Company's detailed version of their package. All this was planned at a time where the Company knew that all the CWA Local Presidents would be out of town attending a joint CWA/AT&T Common Interest Forum (CIF) Meeting, therefore would be unable to communicate with their members promptly. Keep in Mind, this was just the SECOND DAY after face to face bargaining with the Company had resumed. LISTED BELOW ARE SOME OF THE COMPANY'S PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN THEIR PACKAGE: DOWNLOAD***COPY***POST***DISTRIBUTE E-MAIL RANDALL STEPHENSON, CEO AT$T.

By now, you have probably read that AT&T has put their "last, best and final" offer to the Union in District 6, the AT&T Southwest area. A "last, best and final" offer is usually made by a company to signal that they have reached a "bottom line". What does this mean for us? The main thing you need to communicate is that bargaining will continue at our table. Each Contract is separate, and we will continue to fight for the issues that are important to our members. Second, it does not mean that negotiations are over, even in District 6. The Company has not said it will implement this offer. If they did, they have to prove they have reached "impasse" in negotiations with the Union, and they are far from that. There are still many proposals on the table where there can continue to be movement. Third, there are different Company offers on Health Care and many other aspects of this agreement at each table. This offer is very different from what has been offered at our table. In fact, we are dealing with many different issues in each unit, and bargaining will continue at our table. There has not been any such "last, best and final" proposal made at our table, nor do we expect one. Finally, although this offer is not what is at our table, our members should not be fooled by it. The devil is in the details. The Company did not list all the retrogressive parts of their proposal. Also, notice it does not address retiree health care at all. They key thing is for you continue to mobilize and make clear to the company that we are continuing to fight for a fair contract. In Unity, Ralph V. Maly Vice President Download in PDF format.

Our current contract with AT&T expires in 46 days. Bargaining dates have been confirmed, and negotiations begin on Monday, May 18, 2009. Because of the historic agreement on National Bargaining negotiated by President Kastner, there will be 2 bargaining tables, a National table and a local issues table. The negotiations for both tables will take place in Hoffman Estates. The National Table will be chaired by Local 21 President Ron Kastner and includes Martha Pultar, the IBEW's Telecommunications Director, Peter Pussiteri the Chairmen of the Legacy "T" Council, along with Vice President Kevin Curran, and Recording Secretary Lynn Arwood who also heads up our Benefits Department. The Local Issues Table will be chaired by Assistant Business Manager Jerry Gast, and includes Prem Tech Business Rep Mike McCormick, Business Reps Kurt Schmidt and Mike Sacco. Chief Steward KC Battisfore, and from IBEW Local 134, Legacy "T" Recording Secretary Dave Rayberg will also be on the team. Our bargaining teams need your full support. Your participation in solidarity actions will be necessary to insure we reach an agreement that rewards us for the financial success AT&T gains as a result of the work we perform. Are you ready? All mobilization coordinators have received their assignments; make sure you talk to your coordinator to get the materials to carry out your mission. Download complete IBEW Local 21 Bargaining report in PDF format.

Your Bargaining Committee has not met with the Company yet this week, but members are working hard on proposals on a National Transfer Plan, employment security, health care, improvements in Articles 45 and 46 and issues affecting Articles 35 and 36. Yesterday, for the first time, elected bargainers and staff and VPs from every table were on a conference call together with the three top officers of the CWA (Larry Cohen, Annie Hill, and Jeff Rechenbach) to talk about strategy, key issues, and how we can better support each other. Download entire report in PDF format.

We have not met with the Company all week. The bargaining team is working on proposals. The Company has not responded to the counter-proposals we have made on almost every article. They have been insistent that they will not respond until they believe they can see some movement from us on THEIR health care costs. While we are continuing to work on our health care proposal, the important issues we face - particularly job security - cannot be held hostage to their desires to shift their health care costs to us. They have refused to agree to a serious support of national health care reform - which will help them - and only want to shift their costs to our members. They are holding our other issues hostage to their cost-shifting demands. It is more important than ever to keep up the pressure and not allow them to think we are back to business as usual. The bargaining teams from across the country will be talking to each other on Monday afternoon and will reaffirm our commitment for EVERY TABLE to get a just agreement. Please Sign This Petition to AT$T Executives. There's still time to add your voice at www.standupforworkers.com. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE

Mae Walker (Name Changed To Respect Her Privacy) raised 4 children and spent 37 years serving AT$T customers before she retired. NOW, Mae has been diagnosed with cancer and AT$T wants to make her health care unaffordable just when she need it the most. Download PDF file and tell AT$T that cutting retiree health care is SICK!

The Bargaining Team spent Friday, Saturday and Monday in Subcommittee Meetings with the Company on Health Care, Employment Security, Articles 35 and 36 (including monitoring), and Articles 45 and 46. Subcommittees are generally useful since they are more informal and issues can be more openly discussed; but in this case, little progress was made. The Company continues to hold all of OUR key issues in ransom for THEIR health care cost shifting plan. Since we are still very far apart on health care, it has been close to impossible to get them to seriously address our key concerns. There is no formal bargaining today as the bargaining committee reviews our demands. Download complete report in PDF format. COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE

The Union bargaining team spent most of the day working on our health care proposal. When we met with the Company, we re-submitted proposals that are being passed at all tables on (1) the Movement of Work; (2) National Health Care Reform; and (3) the National Transfer Plan. We rejected Company proposals on National Health Care Reform and their two transfer plans, since they didn't come close to meeting our needs. We also rejected their proposal on Alternate Work Schedules, since it included their retrogression on double-time. We also proposed an increase in board and lodging for our Construction Techs. We said yesterday that we would try to answer some of the questions that have come in from around the country. There were a lot of different questions on VTP. First, the Company has not introduced any proposal to lower either VTP or regular termination pay. They also have not tried to remove the language from our job security letter that prohibits them from bringing in contractors in Business Services for 6 months and in the Network for 4 months (though they are trying to weaken that language in other ways, including eliminating JOG.) However, since the Union has had many problems with the Company depopulating titles by using VTP and replacing them with subcontractors (like our building titles), we have tried to strengthen the language so they cannot offer it (without our approval) when there is no surplus. They rejected our proposals on this. We have also proposed increasing OTP for the employees in those many titles that are offered VTP. As usual, our main concern as a Union needs to be to protect the jobs we have, to give us access to jobs in Legacy T and across AT&T, and to give us the training for the new technologies of the future. The Union is starting a campaign to get legislators to support us in our fight for fairness at AT&T, and is also getting ready to deliver the over 80,000 names on our on-line petition to AT&T. Make sure every one of you is participating in activities in your Local. Download report in PDF format.

Today the Bargaining Team continued to put language across the table to counter the Company's retrogressive demands in many of the articles. We also presented a group of demands to try to restore some of the differentials that had been removed from Article 43 when it was first bargained - like Sunday differentials, double time, shifted tour differentials - and resist some things AT&T is attacking this bargaining - like the watermark and the language that requires the filling of contractor jobs. Download entire report in PDF format.

The following article is from the CWA District 9 AT$T Bargaining Update Website: "CWA member and Marine Corporal Jordan Eash was a star speaker last Friday at the big rally held in Los Angeles, both at the Town Hall at Union Station with Hilda Solis before a standing room only crowd, and again in front of AT&T's S. Olive office. Brother Eash returned from 2 tours in Iraq, finished school, and got a term job with AT&T. When he was recalled to active duty, AT&T counted his time in Iraq against his term. "I was recalled for a year, and when I got back home I had about 6 months left on my contract. And the Company pretty much said they are not going to hire me back and they'd do nothing for me," Eash told the stunned audience, which promptly erupted into a round of boos for AT&T. We have a lot of reasons to be angry and disgusted with AT&T, but this is a prime example of what AT&T has become, and how it treats its workforce. We owe thanks to Cpl. Eash for telling his story and showing the public what he, and all of us, are up against. An injury to one is an injury to all." Download entire report in PDF format. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE TO ALL! ALSO, EMAIL RANDALL STEPHENSON, AT$T/CEO

The Bargaining Team had a meeting this morning with CWA President Larry Cohen and EVP Annie Hill to discuss the structure of bargaining and our particular problems at the Legacy T table. We shared our concerns and President Cohen explained how he saw the issues and what he was doing to try to resolve them. It is clear that this is very different from any bargaining this unit has been involved with in the past, and we need to increase pressure and find more ways to push the Company to be more responsive at the bargaining table. When we met with the Company, we responded to many of parts of the Company's "final" proposal. We reintroduced our demands on job security, JOG, training, military leave, force adjustment, and others that we still believe are important to our members. We rejected AT&T management's retrogressive demands on overtime and on-call in many of the Articles and demanded the Company restore the original language. We rejected their attempt to eliminate electronic monitoring language that we fought for over many, many years. We rejected their elimination of many letters that are important to us. The Company responded, as usual, "We understand your proposal", and as usual, no progress was made. There was one bit of movement, however. They withdrew their proposal to eliminate carry-over vacations. Download report in PDF format.

"The Union has known for some time now that the goal of most major Corporations in this country is to get rid of Unions. AT&T is no exception. A couple of years back, some high level Company documents were accidentally posted on an unsecured web site that detailed a plan to reduce occupational salaries and minimize the Union's influence. We are seeing that goal play out now in the greedy, unreasonable attack on the Union by AT&T at all 5 bargaining tables. They are determined to take back the hard-fought benefits achieved over the past 30 years. They have adopted a cynical and manipulative strategy to try and exploit the economic crisis to take from those who enabled them to make their $12.87 Billion in profit last year. May 1st is International Workers' Day. That holiday began in the 1880s in the United States, with the fight for an eight-hour work day. Workers were being forced to work ten, twelve, and fourteen hours a day at the time. A three-day general strike in Chicago led to the notorious Haymarket Square Massacre. A memorial to those workers who were shot by police remains to this day. We are sure that Corporations would love to get rid of the eight-hour day again. Just look at how they are treating their own lower and mid-level managers." Download entire guest article in PDF format.

UPDATE: 04/25/09 DE JA VU ALL OVER AGAIN!(ORIGINALLY POSTED 3 YEARS AGO)UPDATE: 10/12/07- I now have the complete copy of an at$t document, intended for management only, titled "at$t Network Operations Workforce Optimization/Local Field Operations Executive Overview", dated June 2006. Page 2 lists names, titles and areas of responsibility of twenty-seven (27) at$t Legacy S high level managers and a lone at$t Legacy T Vice President, Horace Starr. Was Starr's participation, as a member of the Legacy S Network Optimization LFO Team, in violation of Section 272 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act? Perhaps this question could be answered by at$t and/or the current Bush Administration's Justice Department and FCC in Washington, DC. The at$t Network Optimization LFO Team's proposed planning document for Workforce Restructuring and LFO-In/LFO-out would create a three-tiered wage structure, immediate downgrades for several current Legacy S CWA and IBEW job titles, continue contracting out of bargaining unit work and will expedite the ongoing decimation and/or elimination of the Legacy T bargaining unit. In addition, all at$t members and retirees present and future lifestyles would drastically decline. Download a copy of at$t's deceitful plan below. This evolving issue will be updated as I receive more information. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 Chicago

Hundreds of CWA Members and Retirees attended the AT&T Shareholder meeting Friday reminding shareholders that "CWA members are the network", and sending a clear message to Randall and the Executives that we deserve a fair contract. While approximately 125 CWA members were in the main meeting room, an addition 300 in the overflow tent, and well over 200 more on the street info picketing. Many C&T Local Officers and members from across the country participated in today's actions. Download PDF file to COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE to all at$t Corp. members & retirees.

We Are the Network! AT&T Workers Have Built a Strong Company for Tough Times. AT&T, the 7th largest company in the world, is in a strong position to weather the current economic storms because of its bedrock strength: 180,000 union members. These union workers who built the company's powerfully integrated wireless, fiber optic, and copper networks now face contract negotiations in which wages and benefits negotiated over decades are threatened. The future of the company depends on the workers who build and support the networks. Especially in this period of crisis for working families and the nation, we cannot retreat from a commitment to a growing economy and stable communities. We must move forward by rewarding the people behind AT&T's success, success that resulted in $12.9 billion in profit in 2008. Download PDF flyer(s) for more information regarding today's AT&T stockholder meeting in Dallas

"AT$T's proposals for its employees will leave a good number of our members with the potential of hundreds of dollars a month in benefit costs. They put on such a benevolent face with their purchase of "green" cars from Ford, all their charities, their logo on Tiger's golf bag and free give-aways at ball parks. We must expose that this emperor has no clothes. Underneath their finery is naked greed. The best place to do that this week is at Friday's Shareholders meeting. We cannot let AT$T put on a phony show while they try to kill us at the bargaining table. Bargaining at our table will be recessed until Monday. VP Ralph Maly and other VPs, some members of the bargaining teams and CWA members from all over the country will be in Dallas on Friday. Other members of our team are getting to return to their homes (and their home Locals) for the first time since February 19th. Bargaining will continue on Monday, April 27. Keep up the pressure. It is more important every day! Download entire report and live link to a "NEW CWA VIDEO" **DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE

"On Thursday, April 23 at 9 pm EDT we will broadcast our first ever National Unity Meeting over the Internet. During this meeting, President Cohen and I will be updating the membership on the status of bargaining at AT&T, sharing video and voices of AT&T workers from around the country, and answering questions from the membership. We will also be detailing specific actions members can take to show their strength and put pressure on AT&T to reach an agreement. To participate in the meeting, members must register in advance at http://www.cwaunion.tv. After they register they will have the opportunity to submit questions that they would like for us to address during the meeting." Download letter from CWA Executive Vice President, Annie Hill in PDF format. Also, a live link to register for the National internet meeting.

Bargaining today was more of the same. We fought over the elimination of some key provisions of letter (ccc), the Employment Security letter. Not only are they trying to eliminate the watermark for Article 43, but also the language that forces the company to fill full time contractors' jobs with full-time, regular employees. That language got us over 100 full-time jobs under the 2005 Contract even though the Company did not live up to its full commitment. Now the Company is saying they cannot commit to either filling their obligations under the current language and don't even want to attempt to try in the future. Our next confrontation at the table concerned the "leveraged titles" the Company has proposed for Articles 35 and 36 in Consumer, Business Credit and Collections. These titles are a diabolical plan by the company to have these titles paid only 60% of their regular wages. They then have to earn the rest back through commissioned sales or other criteria. They don't even get their full pay when they take their vacation time or EW Days or if they are on Union business. They just lose the money or have to make up for their losses some other week. They say the plan is only for new hires but there is nothing to stop the company from offering incentives for our people to leave and replacing them all with this new groups of titles. The next fight was over their transfer plan. The Union proposed a plan that the CWA across the country agreed was a clearer and simpler plan. The company rejected it and proposed a version of their current plan. It seems like they believe that just because something comes from Legacy S it is automatically better than anything we could come up with. In fact, many aspects of their plan make no sense. Tomorrow we will continue looking at their health care proposal. We hope you are continuing to put pressure on the company in the workplace. Download report with link to a "NEW CWA VIDEO", in PDF format.

Today's questioning of the Company's "final offer" continues to reveal more retrogressions. In discussing their proposal to cut Alliance funding by millions in 2010, the Company revealed that they are refusing to even fulfill their commitment to fully fund 2009. In further discussions of their proposal to eliminate the Health Care Cost Containment Committee (HCCCC) and "replace" it with a letter to work with us on health care legislation, it became clear that the letter doesn't provide the Union with any of the input that we have with the HCCCC. None of the parts of the HCCCC letter that allow us to monitor the program and actually work to maintain our benefits while holding down costs are in the "replacement" letter. In fact, their whole proposal takes away not only our rights to protect our benefits in the committee, but also in the grievance and arbitration procedure. Under their plan, they could change elements of our benefits and we would have NO RECOURSE. As if their refusal to give a reasonable pension increase weren't bad enough, they even want to take language out of the Contract in which we bargain the interest rate for Cash Balance Accounts. This can have a devastating effect on the growth of those benefits for the future. In another discussion about their removal of "successorship" language, the Company says the language might be a "detriment" to their future attempts to try to sell off parts of the business. This language is crucial to us in just that situation. It protects us if the Company does decide to sell us off. Most of us have been through that at least once in our careers. Again and again, the Company's explanation of why they want to remove things or change language either makes no sense at all or has consequences that could negatively impact us during this agreement or when we try to bargain in the future. We are no closer to an agreement today than we were on April 4th. If anything, our differences have just become clearer. DOWNLOAD**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE in PDF format.

"In the current fight, the CWA is struggling to keep basic rights for its workers. Health care coverage and the right to a job for today's workers, as well as continued health care benefits and pensions for those who have retired, are not out of reach except for the greed of the executives and bosses. During a capitalist crisis, or in other times when the bosses and Wall Street seek to enrich themselves by weakening unions, they will promote anti-union propaganda, claiming that the unions are the problem-that unions are greedy or corrupt if the members don't agree to cuts in pay, health care coverage, retirement benefits and more. The struggle of the CWA members at AT&T affects all workers. Health care is a right that has been won in struggle. Yet it is increasingly under attack by Wall Street. The only way to defend these rights is through organizing. All workers have a stake in defending the CWA workers and should stand in solidarity with them." Download entire article by Chris Garaffa in PDF format.COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE

AT$T's annual shareholder meeting will be held in Dallas, Texas on April 24, 2009. Proxies should be arriving at your home by postal mail or e-mail shortly. To have the union deliver your proxy to AT$T,download instuctions below:

Bargaining resumed today with the Union going line-by-line through the Company's final proposal. Over and over again, they were either unable or unwilling to answer our questions on why they made various proposals and what it would take to get them to reconsider. Over and over they denied our proposals because they wanted to. For example, they eliminated our Academic Awards Program and are replacing it with an award that is $20,000 less (over four years) and is being given to fewer people. The Company bargainers would not even admit that their proposal was a diminishment of a benefit! Talking to a wall would get us better answers than we are getting across this bargaining table. We are currently waiting for the Company to return to the table to continue bargaining this evening. Keep up the pressure out there; that is the only thing that might move this bargaining along. Download report in PDF format.

As all other CWA and at$t Corp. bargaining committees are in recess for the Easter Holidays, the CWA District 4 at$t Midwest "elected" Bargaining Team Members Jay Egan Local 4034, Jack Huber Local 4320, Greg Strebe Local 4009, Liz Van Der Woude Local 4250, George Walls Local 4603 and Pam Wynn Local 4309 have insisted to meet with at$t management during the Easter Weekend in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The District 4 Bargaining Team Chairperson is Jerry Schaeff, supported by CWA Representatives Kristie Darling and Ron Honse. The main focus of the CWA District 4 team has been on the large differences in Health Care issues with the company and they anticipate setting the framework for a mutually agreeable Health Care proposal all can support. As you celebrate the Easter Holidays with family and friends, please keep them in your prayers as they have not seen their family or friends for the past 46 days. They all deserve a special CWA thank you from ALL CWA at$t Corp. Members and retirees across the country. Your thanks and appreciations can be sent to them at the following address: CWA District 4 Bargaining Team Hilton Garden Inn 2425 Barrington Road Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60192 In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 Download, COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE to ALL CWA at$t Corp Members and Retirees.

Artist Name: Special Written By: Ray and Rachael Rodriguez -CWA local 6222 To find out more about the Artist "Special" please visit his website at www.lowproentertainment.com RIGHT CLICK and SAVE To Desktop then Play MP3 file

Download Unity At AT$T Mobilization Flyer in PDF format. PRINT**POST**DISTRIBUTE in all AT$T work locations.

Download excellent two page PDF flyer depicting the Historic milestones accomplished by our union bargaining teams over the past 50 years. PRINT in the LANDSCAPE MODE. Distribute to all Legacy T union members in your work locations.

During the last two days, the Union has been questioning the Company on every change in every Article in the "final" proposal the Company dumped on the bargaining table at 2:30 a.m. Sunday (after the Contract expired). This has been a very lengthy process as the Company scrambles to try to justify their unjustifiable proposals. We have also been slamming them on why they rejected Union proposals that were still being discussed on the final day. From our demand to stop forced overtime for our members in Article 36 to our comprehensive proposal to bring Articles 45 and 46 into line with the rest of the Contract, the Company mindlessly repeats over and over, "We don't want to increase our costs"; "We don't want to limit our flexibility." While they demand "consistency" in the agreement when it takes our rights and benefits away from us, they NEVER want consistency when it means our members will see improvements. We also hammered away at the Company attack on job security in Article 43, where they are attempting to take away our watermark of jobs and the language that requires them to replace full-time contractors with regular full-time employees. A good part of yesterday was spent going over their health care proposal, which we will continue today. We agreed to recess for the weekend. The next report will be on Monday. For those of you working this weekend, remember - NO BUSINESS AS USUAL. Download, COPY**DISTRIBUTE to all Legacy T members.

Nearly 100,000 members of the Communications Workers of America are still on the job at AT&T across the nation, even though their contracts with the telecommunications giant expired over the weekend with many key issues not resolved. The CWA says the contracts will not be extended. Workers are keeping open their option to strike. The AT&T workers recently voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if a fair contract isn't reached. They need 10,000 signatures on their petition of support in the next week to show AT&T that organized labor is united and mobilized behind the CWA bargaining teams. Tell AT$T Executives to Do What Is Right -- SIGN THE PETITION HERE!

"Unbeknownst to most Americans, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson has been lurking off shore like a pirate on the horizon, waiting for his moment to come ashore and fill his coffers with profits he'll obtain by pillaging the hard working middleclass men and women of AT&T, robbing them of their fair and just deserved wages and benefits. CEO Stephenson, a pirate whose sole purpose is to destroy in the name of profits, one of the last bastions of the American middle class worker, and has commandeered the once majestic vessel called Ma Bell, a powerful symbol of American ingenuity, know-how, and the middle class." --- "We, the Communication Workers of America want to be the beacon of light that will lead the rest of American workers back to prosperity, a day when corporate CEO's will once again value the American worker rather than despise them as nothing more than an unfortunate means to an end." Download entire article by Joey Davis, CWA District 9, in PDF format. PRINT**COPY**POST**DISTRIBUTE to all.

We are still at the table, arguing over every line, but this will not be fixed at the table. Your Locals have been given information on what it means to work without a contract. The Union still has the option of calling a strike at the time WE want one. We will not be driven into the street by a Company that is ready to have managers, contractors and scabs do our work. Now it is your turn. If there is "business as usual" in your office, that list above will become your new Contract. YOU MUST mobilize in every workplace. You must affect the Company's bottom line and show them you will not stand for these attacks on our members and our Union. Download entire report in PDF format. POST & DISTRIBUTE TO ALL!

The leadership of CWA has decided not to go on strike . . . yet! We remain very far apart at the bargaining table. Critical issues like wages, pensions, health care, employment security, and working conditions are still at stake. We believe that working without a contract is the best, strongest tactic for us right now. We can still decide to strike at any point. By not striking at this time , we'll show the public that the unionized workers of AT&T care about service quality even if the company doesn't. The company expects a strike and has been preparing for one. It has been training managers and recruiting scabs to do our work. Why should we give them what they expect, and maybe even want? If at some point we decide it is the best tactic, we will strike! Download flyer in PDF format

A common fear about letting the contract expire is that the employer can cut wages, halt payments to benefit plans, cancel vacations, scrap seniority, assign supervisors to unit work, refuse to hear grievances, and so on. In truth, the only areas in jeopardy are union security, dues checkoff, agreements on permissive subjects, arbitration and matters in the employer's final contract offer. Wages and benefits do NOT change. Download, COPY***POST***DISTRIBUTE to ALL at$t members

Washington, D.C. - Contracts covering nearly 100,000 AT&T workers represented by the Communications Workers of America expired at midnight, with many important issues -- including employment security and health care -- not resolved. The contracts will not be extended. For now, employees will continue to report to work, although that can change at any time. Workers are keeping their option to strike open. For workers, the terms of the contracts will remain in effect, meaning that wages, working conditions and benefits like health care will continue unchanged, with the exception of arbitration for grievances. CWA has made it clear to AT&T that it is ready to bargain at any time to resolve the issues and negotiate quality contracts. Unfortunately, AT&T has shown little willingness to move forward and reach settlements. There has been little progress in the areas of health care, retirement security and employment security, among others. "The CWA bargaining teams are very frustrated by AT&T's slow pace in negotiations. Instead of working toward quality settlements that will benefit workers and the company, AT&T negotiators chose to drag out negotiations without a plan for settlement," said CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill. Several CWA districts have filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board, charging that AT&T has refused to provide information necessary to resolve many outstanding issues. "AT&T is very successful and profitable, even in these bad economic times. That makes it all the more difficult to understand why AT&T is demanding that workers take on even more health care costs than they already pay. This company takes care of executives and investors. It needs to set the right priorities and maintain quality jobs and quality benefits for workers," Hill said. Download Press Release from CWA Washington office in PDF format.

We are currently working without a contract and maintain the right to strike whenever we feel it is necessary. We are still very far apart on many issues. The contracts in the Midwest and West Coast have not yet expired. We will continue to bargain through the night and through the day tomorrow to try to develop a framework within which we can come to an agreement. In the meantime, wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions remain in place. Go to work if you are scheduled, but this is NOT business as usual. Step up your mobilization activities. Solidarity is more important now than ever. Download copy of report in PDF format.

Last night we met with the Company until almost 2:30 in the morning. No progress was made. In fact, their demands worsened! The Company now wants to completely eliminate our JOG language (which guarantees a job offer before they can lay a member off), our Card Check language and our Successorship language (to protect our Contract if they sell part or all of the company). After all their nice words to the press about how much they care about their "Union partners," these proposals prove that's just garbage. Eliminating Card Check and Successorship means they want to go Union-free. They also rejected our proposal to increase our protections under Article 30 (Contracting Out). Download entire report in PDF format.

CWA picket lines might be established in front of AT&T locations where IBEW Local 21 members work. IBEW Local 21 supports the CWA and its bargaining goals. We stand in solidarity with them. Their fight is our fight! Download entire message from IBEW Local 21 in PDF format.

The executive board of the Communications Workers of America approved strike action if fair contracts cannot be reached in negotiations between CWA and five AT&T operations: AT&T East, AT&T Midwest, AT&T Southwest, AT&T West and AT&T Legacy, a nationwide unit. The action means that a strike could take place at any or all of the AT&T operations once the CWA president sets the strike dates. The negotiations cover 125,000 CWA represented workers covered by six contracts, including workers at AT&T Southeast; that contract expires Aug. 8. The five contracts expire Saturday night, Apr. 4 Download entire Press Release in PDF format.

"Nine months after announcing that its headquarters would move to Dallas, the company still is trying to unload CEO Randall Stephenson's former Olmos Park home, which it purchased for $1.7 million when the house did not sell quickly.It likely will lose money on the sale of Stephenson's former home. While the company paid $1.7 million, the home had a list price Thursday of $1.5 million, down from an August list price of $1.6 million. AT&T also paid $141,618 to transfer Stephenson to Dallas and nearly $264,000 to move three other top executives, including moving costs, house hunting fees and temporary living expenses, a moving allowance and closing costs on the purchase of a home in the Dallas area, according to regulatory filings." Download entire article By Jennifer Hiller - Express-News provided by Local 4250 Chief Steward/Executive Board Member Harvey, Illinois Belinda Ramos. NOTE: The move from San Antonio to Dallas is about 300 miles via I-35!

Download PDF file, PRINT and attach to ruler and/or pencils at your work Station (cubilcle)

AT$T is a key sponsor of the NCAA playoffs & we will be wherever we need to be until AT$T gets serious about negotiating a fair contract. If not, and we're forced to strike to protect our health care, our rights, and our jobs we'll be at Ford Field in Detroit protesting AT$T's sponsorship of the game. If there is no justice for AT$T employees, there will be no peace for AT$T Download PDF flyer for PRINTING****COPYING**** DISTRIBUTION!

Download pictures from today's just practice pickets at AT$T 10 S Canal Street, Chicago work location, in PDF format

The Union presented a number of proposals on pension improvements, city allowances, a new commuter benefit, an "escalation adjustment" (we used to call it COLA), the Academic Awards (which the Company wants to eliminate), and the 40-hour training requirement. Finally, we submitted a proposal that would commit the Company and the Union to work together for real health care reform. We made clear that if the Company is really interested in dealing with the problem of rising health care costs and not just in shifting the cost to us, this is the route they should be taking. Download entire report in PDF format.

To have the union deliver your proxy to AT$T: If you received only a "notice of annual meeting" without a ballot and return envelope, or haven't received anything: You must request a paper ballot. Requests must be received by April 14th. (But the sooner the better.) Request your ballot: Download updated instructions on AT$T Proxy voting in PDF format

First of all, your bargaining team would like to thank you for your decisive YES vote authorizing a strike if AT&T continues on the road it is going down. With less than two weeks until expiration, there is going to have to be a lot of progress for us to reach an agreement by expiration. Now that we have sent them that message, we have to step up other activities. We need to increase mobilization on the job. We have to let every customer, large and small, know that AT&T is being irresponsible to them by forcing issues that could lead to a strike. AT&T is a financially successful company that is not feeling the devastating effects of this financial crisis. By trying to push massive health care costs onto its employees, it is putting customers - some of whom might be in real financial difficulty - at risk of jeopardizing their telecommunications services. Download entire report in PDF format.

AT&T employees, members of the Communications Workers of America, sent the company a strong message by voting overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if negotiations fail to produce quality contracts. The vote also sent a strong message of support to CWA bargaining teams. CWA negotiators are pressing AT&T to do its part to help the struggling economy and support the middle class, not cut benefits and jobs. AT&T employees are very concerned about the company's attempt to cut health care benefits by shifting even more costs to employees and retirees, and about access for employees to the "jobs of the future," the new work created by changing technology. AT&T employees note that the company has been looking out for executives and investors and needs to also look out for the employees who make it successful. AT&T is a very successful and profitable company, even in these bad economic times. AT&T posted profits of $12.9 billion last year and AT&T executives have said the company will continue to grow this year. Given this profitability, AT&T should be a leader in helping turn the economy around and in providing good middle class jobs. There's no reason to hurt employees by cutting jobs and benefits. Download complete Press Release in PDF format.

As is our past practice, Local 4250 Picket Assignments will be posted on ALL Local 4250 Union Boards as well as this website on Thursday, March 26, 2009. In addition to a mailing to your residence, CWA Local 4250 Chief Steward/Executive Board Members will be distributing a DFR-1 form to all members. When fully completed, signed and on file with the Local 4250 Secretary/Treasurer, the DFR-1 form will entitle a member to receive monies from the CWA Members' Relief Fund (MRF). Disbursements from the MRF begin the 15th day of a strike against at$t Inc., provided the member has met his/her weekly strike duty obligations. It is the members' responsibility to return the "signed completed DFR-1 form" to their Chief Steward/Executive Board Member. Download copy of instruction letter and DFR-1 Form, in PDF format.

Download pictures of CWA 4250/4216 and IBEW Local 21 members at the at$t Corp. building 10 S Canal Street, Chicago from our joint Local 4250/IBEW Local 21 Job Security Mobilization on Thursday, March 19, 2009, in PDF format.

I received the following email from our CWA C&T National Office in Washington, DC Today. Apparently, AT$T has put out a survey to CWA AT$T members called a random "Capitalized Labor Validation Study." Until I hear otherwise from our CWA National Office, DO NOT cooperate with this survey. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 Download email and copy of surveys from CWA C&T National Office in PDF format.

A historic agreement has been reached between IBEW and AT&T that will enhance the bargaining power of AT&T members, located predominantly in New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois and the Northwest in upcoming negotiations. The agreement covers workers who were original AT&T employees and remained working for the company after it was forced to divest of its regional Bell Telephone units due to federal anti-trust enforcement in 1984. Local unions representing the original AT&T members are part of Telephone Systems Council T-3. Labeled "Legacy T," the original AT&T workers were covered by bargaining agreements with differing expiration dates, leaving them out of national negotiations covering thousands of IBEW members in Illinois who worked for Ameritech, one of the regional Bell units. After a series of corporate mergers, Ameritech workers are now back under the AT&T banner. Their contract expires on June 27. Downers Grove, Ill, Local 21 Business Manager Ron Kastner announced that AT&T has agreed to extend "legacy T" contracts to June 27, to coincide with the former Ameritech unit's expiration date. Systems Council T-3 Chairman Peter Pusateri says, "The IBEW is looking forward to combining these two groups into one collective bargaining agreement. Although it will be a challenge, we believe that all of our AT&T members will benefit from it," he said "Economic conditions will surely make this a difficult negotiation," says Pusateri. "But we can take heart that our bargainers will spare no effort to keep our ranks united and strong." Bargaining is expected to commence in May. Download flyer for posting and distribution, in PDF format.

Following are some of the details of the AT$T Management Plan that Upper Management wants union workers to accept, just so the company can stay competitive. Most of management is already in the "Consumer Driven Plan", paying thousands of dollars out of pocket, but then again, they don't have a union. Brothers and Sisters - this is one of the main areas we are battling during ongoing CWA and upcoming IBEW negotiations. Download four (4) pages PDF document for posting and distribtion to all AT$T members

All CWA and IBEW Local 21 Chicago Area AT$T Members/Retirees are invited to join us at lunchtime Thursday, March 19, 2009 in front of the 10 South Canal AT$T Building. Download Job Security Flyer to Post and distribute at your work locations, in PDF format.

CWA Local 4250 members and families ride in unity with IBEW Local 21 on their float in the Chicago Southside Irish St. Patrick's Day Parade on Sunday, March 15, 2009. Download news article AND PICTURES, in PDF format.

The Company continues with its "scorched-earth" policy as they rampage their way through our Contract. They are trying to take back rights and benefits which have taken years to gain, and leave nothing but language that is advantageous to them. They continued putting the same take-backs as they have been pushing for the last week. Download entire report in PDF format.

Download pictures of today's joint CWA Local 4250 and IBEW Local Union 21 HealthCare rally at AT$T 10 S Canal Street, Chicago. Also a copy of our joint handbill in PDF format.

"Let us assure you, bargaining is full of cockroaches and they exist all the way to the top of the tenement building of AT$T. The penthouse cockroaches are passing proposals that can only be given in the dark. Retro-healthcare, un-flex time, un-holiday pay, and tieback to nowhere are proposals to give us crumbs while they eat gourmet dinners at the Ritz. There is a way to deal with cockroaches, and it's time to bring out the Raid. Let's spray the cockroaches with mobilization activities and show them we do not eat crumbs for anyone. Our place is at the table, and our meal is going to be a fair and just contract for all CWA members." Download a message from the CWA Legacy T Bargaining Team. PRINT**COPY**DISTRIBUTE!, in PDF format.

Download joint CWA Local 4250 and IBEW Union Local 21 flyer to be distributed at lunch time March 5, 2009 in front of 10 South Canal Street, Chicago. JOIN your CWA and IBEW at$t Sisters & Brothers on the informational picket line TODAY! It's OUR FIGHT TOGETHER! We are "Set To Talk and Ready To Walk!"

The Company continued its litany of retrogressive proposals. As they continue to claim that all they are looking for is "consistency" across the contracts, they are only consistent in trying to get rid of language that is better for us. Download Legacy T Bargaining Report #6 in PDF format. VOTE YES TO AUTHORIZE A STRIKE, If Necessary!

Local 4250 at$t Strike Authorization ballots are being mailed to all members, in good standing today. Download Intruction letter(s) to Legacy T and Legacy S members and a two (2) page flyer of WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT AT$T, in PDF format.

The following information is a brief summary of the tentative agreement reached between CWA and AT$T Mobility. A more comprehensive summary will follow along with specific information on a contract ratification vote. Date to be determined. Download two page summary in PDF format.

The Robert D. Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund, administered by the Cleveland Foundation, is now accepting applications for the 2009-2010 academic year. Applications must be postmarked by April 30, 2009. Awards will be announced by June 15, 2009. Download flyer with link to download a scholarship application

IBEW Local Union 21 President-Business Manager Ron Kastner announces that a historic agreement has just been reached regarding our upcoming contract negotiations. IBEW Local Union 21 has reached an agreement with the seventeen (17) IBEW Local Unions that currently represent the "Legacy T" AT&T union represented employees throughout the United States. Those Local Unions have agreed to change the expiration dates of their contracts to match IBEW Local Union 21's contract expiration date of June 27, 2009. Working with these other local unions and the IBEW International, our union was also able to get AT&T to agree to nationwide bargaining. The nationwide bargaining will be conducted right here in Illinois and headed up by our President-Business Manager Ron Kastner. Brothers and Sisters, this is the first time in over 25 years that an agreement has been reached on nationwide bargaining with AT&T. So now, AT&T workers in Boston, New Jersey, Philadelphia, California, and many other locations across the country will join together, uniting with us and fighting for the best contract possible. President-Business Manager Ron Kastner believes this historic agreement puts us in an outstanding position as we approach what is sure to be the most difficult contract negotiations our union has ever experienced. Download entire notice with instructions how to sign-up for text message updates. Congratulations to our Sisters & Brothers in the IBEW!

While at$t was presenting our CWA Bargaining Teams their extremely retrogressive health care proposal, the press was reporting that at$t would acquire 100 percent of Centennial Communications Corp. stock at $8.50 per share, for a total equity price of $944 million. Including net debt, the total enterprise value is approximately $2.8 billion. AT&T Inc. and Centennial Communications Corp. said that AT&T plans to acquire Centennial, a regional provider of wireless and wired communications services, for nearly $1 billion in cash. AT$T, DON'T EVEN THINK OF MESSIN' WITH OUR HEALTH CARE! Download Legacy T Bargaining Report # 4 containing an overview of today's SICK at$t health care insult and two (2) news article regarding at$t's CASH purchase of Centennial Communications Corp.

AT$T is going all out to reach out to CWA and IBEW members to try to convince you to support THEIR bargaining agenda. A letter from John T. Stankey, President and Chief Executive Officer, AT$T Operations, Inc. (2008 compensation: $5.6 million) was sent to core employees to introduce the Company's bargaining web site. It's no coincidence that the two articles posted on the site speak to rising health care costs, which is a key piece of the Company's bargaining agenda -- shifting health care costs to us and our retirees. Download UNITY flyer with a link to TAKE ACTION NOW!

Communications and Technologies Vice President Ralph Maly was crystal clear on our position: AT&T is a healthy company in a growing industry, and CWA's goal this bargaining is to "continue to enrich the lives of our members at AT&T, protect retiree healthcare, and gain respect and dignity for our members." The full text of Ralph's opening statement is copied below.

For the first time since the old days of the Bell System, CWA members from all over AT$T are beginning bargaining at the same time. We are 150,000 members strong. We need to stick together for the contracts we deserve. We say to AT$T, we understand this: AT$T is profitable ($12.9 billion in net income in 2008), apparently so profitable that it just voted shareholders a dividend increase. Executives are still making millions. We make AT$T successful and it's time the company recognized that. For the last few weeks we have been standing with our fellow Union members at AT$T Mobility, who have been working without a contract. Now we need to send the message that 100% of us stand together, no matter where we work. Download PDF flyer to COPY***POST***DISTRIBUTE at ALL at$t Corp work locations.

"You need to know that the total CWA family is behind you. Just last week we reached out to our telecommunications workers who work for AT&T and we received hundreds of e-mails of solidarity and support. Lisa from Local 9575 in California wrote, "Our local is committed to help AT&T Mobility workers with any help requested. We will be there for the workers. This fight is not just the fight of workers at Mobility but is also a fight for all CWA members. You can count on Local 9575 to be there for you." Watch for more messages of support like this. With patience, perseverance and solidarity, we will get the quality contract that Mobility workers deserve." Download entire letter in PDF format.

Please take a few minutes of your weekday and/or weekend to handbill in front of an at$t Mobility "corporate" Store in your neighborhood/town to show your support for our sister & brother union members working for at$t Mobility. Make it a family affair and have your kids help. DOWNLOAD **COPY ** PRINT ** DISTRIBUTE the attached PDF flyer for handbilling at all at$t "corporate" Stores until our sisters & brothers receive a fair and just contract!

TAKE ACTION...ON-LINE..Sign On To A Petition That Calls On AT$T To "Quit Breakin' Our Heart" And Negotiate The Fair And Just Contract That We Deserve! Also, Download, PRINT**COPY**DISTRIBUTE This Flyer To All Illinois & NW Indiana AT$T CWA And IBEW Bargaining Unit Members.

The contract for approximately 20,000 CWA workers with AT&T Mobility expired this past Saturday, on February 7, 2009. This includes District 4 CWA members in Illinois and Indiana. Reports from their bargaining team are that negotiations are not going well. It's possible that these workers could strike. The CWA members in Mobility took a strike vote and it passed with 85% their membership willing to strike if necessary. Picket Lines at AT&T Locations It's important that all IBEW Local 21 members understand their rights as it relates to picket lines. Under Article 5.03 of our Collective Bargaining Agreement with AT&T, all members have the right to honor a legal picket line. CWA at AT&T Mobility bargaining updates are available at: http://www.cwa-union.org/att/mobility. Download IBEW Local 21 News Update in PDF format

Download today's bargaining updates in PDF format.

CWA and AT&T Mobility have agreed to a "cooling off" period. That means no talks are currently scheduled, but it also means that the CWA bargaining team and everyone else in CWA will continue to work on ways to move forward on the issues that are important to us. This break in talks isn't unusual; it happens a lot in contract negotiations. We're rolling up our sleeves and working to get this done. And it's important to remember that we're part of a big CWA group at AT&T. We have the support of 125,000 members in the core company who are going into contract bargaining too. Together, we'll be able to make things happen. Download entire Contract Campaign Update for February 9, 2009, in PDF format.

AT$T management says the CWA walked away from the table. That's another management lie. Read the bargaining reports - 20 of them. Read how over and over again AT$T management has refused to listen to our arguments to deal with the issues that YOU asked us to address. Your bargaining committee is still working on proposals on your behalf and ready and willing to discuss them with the company -- sales compensation plan, sales quota relief, union proposals on wages and pensions for current employees, and an abusive management rights clause. We have been ready and willing to bargain for weeks while AT$T management dragged their feet. They have a lot of nerve to try to scare you with stories of the political situation and other companies cutting benefits and laying people off. AT$T gave millions in political contributions to support candidates that supported the policies that led to these conditions. They just gave themselves and their shareholders a dividend increase that will make the leaders of this company even richer. They don't care about you! If they did they would give you a fair wage increase and improve your conditions on the job. This is the most profitable part of AT$T. Why should you pay the price with a substandard Contract? There's a reason the turnover is so high with the way the treat you every day. We have been ready to bargain. Every day they dragged their feet so we are almost as far apart today as we were two weeks ago. We made a reasonable suggestion. We're too far apart. There are too many things that still need to be resolved. Give us 30 more days. Extend the contract while we try to work out our differences. They said no way! They are trying to scare you. We have NOT called a STRIKE. We would have worked with an extension if they agreed to one. Tomorrow you will go to work like you did on Friday. We will work without a contract. They cannot lower your wages or take away your benefits or change your working conditions. You will work under most of the provisions of the old contract. However, our fight is not over. You and the whole CWA and all of your CWA brothers and sisters who work for the rest of AT$T will find ways to keep the pressure on AT$T so they do finally move on the things that are important to you. Don't believe their lies. Mobilize for a fair contract! Download complete bargaining report #21 in PDF format.

We have just received the attached information from AT&T regarding the 2008 Performance Award. In Unity, Ralph V. Maly CWA C&T Vice President

With the clock stopped at 11:59pm Saturday, February 7, 2009, Bargaining resumed today with the Union requesting the Company to extend the provisions under the 2005 Labor Agreement by thirty (30) days to allow for additional time to come to a fair and equitable contract settlement. Awaiting the Company response. Download CWA Mobility Bargaining Report #20 in PDF format.

The Union and the Company have agreed to meet again tomorrow to continue working towards a settlement. Provisions of the current contract remain in effect for at least the next 24 hours while the clock is stopped. Until you are told differently, it's business as usual. Bargaining will continue and updates will be provided as events develop. Download CWA Bargaining Report #19 in PDF format with link for bargaining updates

Picket signs are being sent out to every CWA Local with "Mobility" members as the February 7, 2009 expiration date approaches with little progress at the bargaining table. The best way to avoid a strike is for EVERY CWA and IBEW AT$T member to step up their mobilization efforts, wear your button, wear red on Thursday, February 5, 2009 to show your support for the CWA "Mobility" bargaining team in every way you can.

"Hopefully Royse's email will serve as a wake-up call to anyone that beleives this year's negotiations will be no different than our previous contracts bargained over the years." Download entire letter in PDF format.

In August, Mark Royse, vice president of labor relations at AT$T, sent out his first e-mail to AT$T employees on our upcoming bargaining. He's at it again! Download a CWA response to Royse in PDF format.

"Local 4250 consistently recommends that our members attend as many financial planning workshops and interview several financial advisors before making a decision to invest their hard earned savings and pensions. You can rest assured I will make CWA and IBEW members aware of the offensive and divisive comments made by your advisors at your workshop of January 22, 2009. My sole intent is to forewarn them. The final decision to attend future "The Retirement Network Workshops" will be theirs to make. I will also copy this letter to my union brothers, Ron Kastner, President/Business Manager IBEW Local 21 and Seth Rosen, CWA District 4 Vice-President." Download copy of letter to Timothy F. Crandall, President, "The Retirement Network" located in Geneva, Illinois, in PDF format.

01/22/09- CHICAGO-"In breaking news, IBEW Local 21 has received the ruling in the federal lawsuit that our union filed against AT&T for unjust discrimination against union stewards, union activists, and staff regarding FMLA eligibility and ... we won! The District Court ruled that AT&T's refusal to allow our members to apply for FMLA because of time worked for the Union was illegal." Congratulations to President/Business Manager Ron Kastner, Officers, Union Representatives and members of IBEW Local 21. Download entire news article from IBEW Local 21 Website in PDF format.

"They're calling it a miracle--the successful landing of a US Airways jet in the Hudson and subsequent rescue of all 155 passengers. They're detailing the heroism of all involved, starting with the pilot and including cabin crew, ferry crews, and first responders. What they're not telling you is that just about every single one of these heros is a union member." Download entire article in PDf format.

AT$T Mobility workers are the first group to begin bargaining with AT$T this year-- what happens during Negotiations/Mobilization with Mobility will set the stage for our contract fight with AT$T. We're sending our sisters and brothers at Mobility across the country a message-- We support your fight to get a fair contract with AT$T. We're One Union, in One Fight, because we have One Future together! Download PDF flyer for printing, posting and distribution at all at$t work locations.

Download PDF poster depicting my views and feelings of the Bush years using pictures I have used in postings since February 2002.

Send our sisters and brothers at AT$T Mobility across the country a message--WE SUPPORT YOUR FIGHT TO GET A FAIR CONTRACT WITH AT$T! BY WEARING RED on Wednesday, January 21, 2009 to show the company bargainers that our CWA members at Mobility are not alone in their fight! Download PDF flyer for more information and distribution to all at$t Corp union members.

Our contracts with AT$T expire on April 4, 2009. We need to be ready for the struggle ahead. That's why we're gearing up for the long haul to get fair contracts with AT$T. Download PDF flyer for printing, posting and distribution to ALL AT$T Union Members.

"Our economy now faces the most serious crisis since the Great Depression. The financial crisis that was triggered by the bursting of the housing bubble has now spread to the real economy, and we face a sharp downturn that is spreading across the globe. A serious recession now seems unavoidable in the United States, as well as in Europe and Japan. The developing world is already struggling with financial turmoil and economic decline. For the first time since the 1930s, we face a real risk of deep worldwide economic contraction. Restoring economic growth will require a bold, multifaceted plan. This must begin with a recovery program for Main Street--substantial fiscal expansion to revive the real economy. With a deep and long global downturn now likely, any plan for reviving the economy should be substantial, strategic, and sustained. It should also be coordinated with simultaneous efforts across the world." Download copy of the MAIN STREET RECOVERY PROGRAM in PDF format with a link to ENDORSE the program.

The Officers, Executive Board Members, Members and Retirees of CWA Local 4250 Wish You A Very Merry Christmas and "Smooth Cruisin" Through The New Year! Download Seasons Greetings From CWA Local 4250 in PDF format.

The Arbitrator's decision reflects agreement with CWA that AT&T Mobility's demands were out of line. The Arbitrator agreed with CWA's assessment that "the company has been thriving in this concededly competitive environment, and that it can afford to maintain, in the future, without question, a relatively generous benefit. And the union notes, with some justification, that imprudent increases in health care costs to employees may well result in their declining to sign up for coverage or to leave the workforce entirely," he said. Download stories in PDF format.

In a few months we will begin bargaining with AT$T. When they come to the bargaining table pleading poverty and demanding that we and our retirees share a bigger portion of the cost of health care, we will remind them of this: AT$T will pay out about $9.7 BILLION to its shareholders this year! We refuse to pay for their bad decisions. They cannot line their pockets and expect our retirees to suffer. We cannot allow them to pander to Wall Street at the expense of our members' future. Download Flyer in PDF format for POSTING and DISTRIBUTION.

"At the December 11, 2008 Full Committee meeting held at the union office. AT&T officially notified IBEW Local 21 of the specific "surplus" positions, numbers, and locations. Members can hear these details and other information by calling the IBEW Local 21 Newswire at 630.415.2711, mailbox # 1." Download article from IBEW Local 21 Website in PDF format.

I have received preliminary surplus numbers from CWA District 4 in Cleveland, Ohio (attached). Although I have yet to receive any numbers for CWA Illinois AT$T union members, the total surplus for Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin CWA represented union members is staggering! A total of 1,163 CWA members were declared surplus by AT$T on December 5, 2008. As you will see in the following figures from the AFL-CIO Executive Pay Watch, AT$T CEO, Randall L. Stephenson and his family will have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year this year and many years in the future! In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 Chicago Download PDF for more information

Applications will be available solely online for completion and submission to the Foundation's website: http://www.cwa-union.org/members/beirne/. Applications will be accepted until March 31, 2009. The winners will be chosen by lottery from those submitting the required essay. Additional information about the program can be found at the website. Download PDF for more information, including an on-line link to apply.

This is a process improvement at the AT&T Benefits Center to establish a new payment method for direct billings and payments, allowing participants more choices to pay for their health and life insurance benefits. Also, effective Jan. 1, 2009 the CVS Caremark Maintenance Drug List is being updated to include additional drugs. Notice applies to the Midwest, Southwest, East, West, Legacy T, Mobility and Directory. Download AT$T Labor Notifications in PDF format.

"For more than five years, the Bush administration's mercenary force of choice, Blackwater Worldwide, has operated on a US government contract in Iraq in a climate that has wed immunity with impunity. Today the Justice Department took the first concrete step to hold accountable the individuals responsible for the single greatest massacre of Iraqi civilians at the hands of an armed private force deployed in Iraq by the US government. By: Jeremy Scahill: Anyone who thinks Blackwater is in serious trouble is dead wrong. Business has never been better for Blackwater and its future looks bright. Download entire news article in PDF format.

"We have just received the attached surplus notification from AT&T. We have also received a VTP offer which, following our usual procedure, will be posted to the C&T website this morning. In Unity, Ralph Maly." As more information is received it will be posted on this website. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President, CWA Local 4250

To: AT&T Local Presidents We have just received the attached VTP offer from the Company. In Unity, Ralph V. Maly Vice President Download AT$T notice of VTP in PDF format.

AT&T announced a job surplus on Dec. 4 affecting 4,800 union-represented and 7,400 management positions nationwide. The company cited the declining economy and business outlook for 2009. AT&T says the reductions will begin later this month and continue into 2009. CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill said the union will continue to meet with AT&T to make certain that all job security provisions in our contracts are fully followed and that members' job rights are protected. Under CWA contracts, union members have rights and opportunity to transfer to other positions within AT&T. Some workers also have the option of taking early retirement. CWA and AT&T will begin contract negotiations on Feb. 24. Job security and job opportunity will be a major issue in these negotiations. As of today, Saturday, December 6, 2008, I have not received any information from CWA or at$t regarding at$t SURPLUS announcements for CWA/at$t ILLINOIS union members. If CWA/at$t ILLINOIS union members will be affected, I will POST and DISTRIBUTE the information as soon as I receive it. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President, CWA Local 4250.

Locals are expected to compile their legitimate demands, have the Local President sign them, and forward them to this office by January 2, 2009. Any demand that arrives in this office after the cutoff date of January 2 will be kept for our next round of bargaining. Any demand that is not signed by the Local President will not be accepted.The bargaining committees will be compiling and tabulating the results of the bargaining demand proposals for presentation to the Bargaining Council and Leadership meeting in February. Please keep in mind that good input and support information increases the chances of our being successful in achieving the demand at the bargaining table. Download instructions and demand form. Complete and return your completed bargaining demand form to your Legacy T Chief Steward Paul Bolbat at 10 South Canal Street, Chicago, Illinois as soon as possible. Local 4250 members in outlying areas and non-located Central Region Construction members can mail completed forms to Steve Tisza, President, CWA Local 4250, 3055 Glenwood-Dyer Road, Lynwood, Illinois, 40411 ASAP!

Determined to bring the same energy to bargaining with AT&T that their members brought to the 2008 political campaigns, local CWA leaders from across the country met this week in Dallas to prepare for talks with the telecom giant beginning in early 2009. Although negotiations for AT&T Core will take place at six tables, in addition to bargaining for AT&T Mobility's "Orange" contract, the theme of the bargaining council meetings was one of solidarity. Download entire article in PDF format.

Ron Kastner, IBEW Local Union 21 President-Business Manager and IBEW International Union Telecommunications Director Martha Pultar are on their way to Dallas, Texas to join 300 plus CWA officers, local leaders, international officers and staff for three intense days of preparation to bargain new contracts for 125,000 CWA Core and 20,000 Mobility members, plus 10,500 bargained for IBEW members in Illinois and NW Indiana. Download below for more information. Updated information to follow.

Support your elected CWA/AT$T Bargaining Teams by wearing RED to work on Tuesday, November 18, 2008! Download PDF flyer for more information. POST flyer on all Union boards at all AT$T work locations and distribute to all CWA AT$T workers!

I began my employment with Legacy T at$t on February 9, 1967 and have NEVER signed an AT$T Code of Conduct Employee Review. I am in total agreement with Brother Hegenbart's position on this issue. (SEE ABOVE). NEVER sign anything but your paycheck! Please post and distribute to all CWA Local 4250 members. Download copy of CWA President Roy Hegenbart's letter to members of CWA Local 3250 regarding the AT$T Code of Conduct in PDF format.

Pursuant to the CWA Constitution and Local 4250 By-Laws, as amended on October 24, 2007, a General Membership Meeting was conducted on Monday, October 27, 2008. The agenda included Nominations and Election of Officers/Delegates and Chief Steward/Executive Board Members. The following Officers/Delegates and Chief Steward/Executive Board Members were nominated. Download PDF copy of Notice for distribution and posting on all union boards.

CWA filed a lawsuit on October 16, 2008 in the United States District Court in San Antonio, Texas, against AT&T Inc. and its major subsidiaries in an attempt to halt the company's use of corporate shell games to avoid contractual obligations to CWA and its members. The lawsuit, as filed, is attached to this message. The lawsuit names as defendants AT&T Inc., every subsidiary that is a party to the five regional core contracts, AT&T Mobility (including all four regional wireless contracts), and AT&T Internet Services. The lawsuit asks the court to issue injunctions ordering AT&T Inc. and its major subsidiaries to cease and desist from all contract violations. In addition, the lawsuit asks the court to order AT&T Inc. to recognize that it is a party to every subsidiary's collective bargaining agreement, responsible for contract compliance, and required to negotiate with CWA on issues that rightfully fall under the realm of each of the collective bargained agreements. Download below for more information and a copy of the lawsuit in PDF format.

NOTICE to all CWA Local 4250 dues paying members, in good standing, for the purpose of conducting a General Memberhip Meeting on Monday, October 27, 2008. The agenda will include Nomination and Election of Officers and Chief Steward/Executive Board Members (CSEBM's). Download PDF file for more information and other agenda items.

"The majority of states experienced significant declines in employer-sponsored coverage this decade. A new analysis of the under-65 population documents the variation in both the level and extent of coverage lost between 2000-01 and 2006-07. Forty-one states experienced significant losses in coverage across every region of the United States. South Carolina, Missouri, North Carolina, and Maryland experienced losses in excess of 7 percentage points, while no state experienced an increase. The interactive map below illustrates the loss in employer-sponsored coverage by state, accompanied by coverage of kids and workers." Download Economic Policy Institute (EPI) report by Elise Gould, with research assistance from Emily Garr in PDF format.

One thing has become crystal clear in this ongoing financial crisis: America needs an economic recovery plan that supports American workers, not just Wall Street. So far, we've seen bailouts and handouts for investment banks and big firms, but nothing to create quality jobs, repair our communities and restore the standard of living for American families. The CWA Executive Board, in a special call today, approved this statement on a recovery plan for working Americans that contains three critical components: Job creation, Bargaining Rights and Health Care. Please click the link below to access the statement: Please send it to elected officials and potential coalition partners and urge them to sign on and join us pushing for a recovery plan for American working families. Please email names of elected officials and groups who are interested in joining us to Candice Johnson at cjohnson@cwa-union.org. In Unity: Larry Cohen, President Communications Workers of America

Instead of responding to this meltdown by updating regulatory institutions or investing in job-creating infrastructure, the bailout proposes giving one unelected appointee - the Treasury secretary - complete authority to dole out $700 billion to bank executives, with little oversight. And here's the scary part: That lurch toward dictatorship was motivated not just by crony corruption, but also by a deeper ideological shift. We now face market forces uninhibited by democratic governance - Chinese dictators and Saudi princes can move trillions of dollars without so much as a press release. This bailout, marketed as a speed enhancer, is an attempt to discard democracy's checks and balances and pantomime that kind of autocracy. While our political culture still required a public sales job (thus, the fearmongering), the bill's czarism aims to permanently euthanize democracy in the name of improving our capitalism's global agility. In that sense, this week's spousal killing wasn't random. It was the beginning of a systematic assault on our Constitution and a radical departure from Franklin Roosevelt's original covenant - a dangerous "new deal" we must say "no deal" to." Download entire opinion by David Sirota in PDF format.

It's pretty clear what Republican presidential candidate John McCain would do with your Social Security. He'd gamble with it. He supports putting Social Security contributions into private accounts, invested by Wall Street investment banks, the same Wall Street banks that are going bankrupt and failing because of risky investments. Download CWA PDF flyer for more details.

"Congress and the public must recognize that no financial bailout will be enough to prevent a deepening downturn in the economy. Working families were struggling with recessionary conditions well before this crisis, and even with a bailout, these conditions will worsen before they improve. Congress should address Main Street economic problems by passing a second stimulus package that includes direct job creation through infrastructure repairs and investments, relief for hard-pressed state governments, food stamp and heating assistance, and additional help for the long-term unemployed. The $50 billion package debated last week was far from sufficient. The problems require intervention on the order of $200-300 billion to be spent over the next 18 months." Download article by Lawrence Mishel, Ross Eisenbrey, and John Irons of the Economic Policy Institute in PDF format.

Download Surplus and SIPP Notification letters from Diane Bradley, at$t Labor Relations. Also, affected job titles, business units and work locations, in PDF format.

Two new reports from the EPI and the Center for American Progress (CAP) take a hard look at the effectiveness of "supply-side" tax cuts for the wealthy and find they fail to spur economic growth or increase tax revenues-as claimed repeatedly by political leaders on the right. The reports are being released today at a joint EPI/CAP event examining supply side tax cuts, featuring two former White House economic advisors, Larry Summers and Jeffrey Frankel. Read EPI's Briefing Paper Tax-Cut Snake Oil and the joint EPI/CAP report Take a Walk on the Supply Side for more information.

Two new reports from the EPI and the Center for American Progress (CAP) take a hard look at the effectiveness of "supply-side" tax cuts for the wealthy and find they fail to spur economic growth or increase tax revenues-as claimed repeatedly by political leaders on the right. The reports are being released today at a joint EPI/CAP event examining supply side tax cuts, featuring two former White House economic advisors, Larry Summers and Jeffrey Frankel. Read EPI's Briefing Paper Tax-Cut Snake Oil and the joint EPI/CAP report Take a Walk on the Supply Side for more information.

"Friday we received the attached leaflet and petition from the French Trade Unions that represent Alcatel-Lucent. We think it's a terrific idea and a good send-off to Pat as she makes her much-deserved exit from the company she helped destroy. We already notified those Unions that we will do everything we can to get the word out and get this signed by members all over the United States. Please use every means that you can to share this with your co-workers, fill it out, and get it back to us. To cut out a step, you can fax them directly here at 202-434-1308 because the French unions want as many as they can get by this Friday" Download, sign and fax petition TODAY!

You, your family, friends and middle-class Americans like you will make a big difference to help bring back our "American Dream." VOTE for Obama/Biden on November 4th and volunteer for CWA's ongoing mobilization efforts. "Lest we forget", unions and Democrats shaped America's middle-class and our "American Dream!" Have a safe and Happy Labor Day with family and friends. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250-Chicago Download entire message in PDF format.

The Secret Room: EFF Designer's Cartoon on Illegal Spying Commentary by Hugh D'Andrade. Download below.

AT$T has hired a company to recruit union and management retirees to SCAB next year. It is called "ZeroChaos" This company's mission - "We supply workforce solutions" - is to make it easier for companies to hire contractors without dealing with pesky IRS regulations and to help contractors deal with companies without all the messy paperwork. A big sideline is helping companies hire contracted scabs. The CEO is an ex-Ameritech manager. What a coincidence! AT$T and ZeroChaos has sent out letters to AT$T retirees so they can start their placement and training early. They are also recruiting instructors in the following areas: consumer call centers, credit and collections, POTS installation and repair, copper and fiber cable splicing, U-verse installation, Worldwide Customer Service call centers. AT$T is preparing and we need to prepare also. AT$T instructs in their letter, "Please do not provide a copy of this letter to any other retired or active AT$T employee." Remember, our Contract expires in 8 months. CWA and IBEW Verizon workers were able to achieve a lot of their goals because they showed the Company that they were ready to fight. We must do the same. Download the attached PDF flyer and distribute to all AT$T members and retirees.

Following is CWA's response to the recent remarks by AT&T Vice President Mark Royce. Please make sure all your members see it -- it should be posted in work sites, on local websites, and distributed as widely as possible. Download PDF flyer below.

A new tentative three-year contract settlement with Verizon achieves union employees' major goals of promoting union jobs and expanding bargaining rights, providing good health care for both active and retired workers, and increasing wages and pensions for 65,000 workers from Virginia to Maine, the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers reported. Download entire story in PDF format.

"Members of CWA-Mobility, we need to step to the plate and show the company we are fed up and are willing to do what ever it takes to get a fair contract for healthcare. On 7/11, At&t Mobility introduce the new 3G Iphone, CWA across the country mobilized, our mobilization efforts were successful. We were orderly in our efforts and we got our message out. The gloves have to come off; we are in a fight for of our lives. We need to have a nation wide Mobilization campaign starting now and until we get a fair healthcare contract. We need a grass root effort; we have to reach out to our brothers and sisters of the AFL-CIO, Job with Justice, and your local political leaders, and our communities. But most of all, we need our brothers and sisters of Legacy At&t, Legacy Bellsouth and Legacy SBC. If we are not successful at Arbitration, you can rest assure that the Legacy companies will be using the ruling in this Arbitration as a guide to bargain your future healthcare benefits. We need everybody's help to obtain great healthcare at a minimum cost." Download letter from Walter D Andrews, President Local 3204, in PDF format.

"US retail giant Wal-Mart, criticised for its attitude to organised labour at home, said Friday it had reached collective bargaining agreements with China's official union in several cities. According to China's trade union law, all employees have the right to join the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), the country's only legal trade union which claims some 150 million members and is controlled by the government." Download story in PDF format.

"The November election could bring that extra support in Congress, as well as the White House if Sen. Obama is elected and Democrats extend their control in the Senate. Sen. Obama co-sponsored the legislation, which also is known as "card check," and has said several times he would sign it into law if elected president. Sen. John McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, opposes the Employee Free Choice Act and voted against it last year. Wal-Mart's labor-relations meetings are led by human-resources managers who received training from Wal-Mart on the implications of the Employee Free Choice Act." Download entire WSJ article in PDF format.

The Bush administration's Department of Labor has a clear record of protecting powerful corporate interests at the expense of workers. Sen. Barack Obama is speaking out against this anti-worker record. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, Obama urges the department to address serious failures in enforcing labor law and demands the Labor Department stop dragging its feet when it comes to protecting workers. Download Obama's letter to Chao in PDF format.

"History books teem with six-word phrases, from the comforting ("Nothing to fear but fear itself") to the inspiring ("Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall") to the embarrassing ("Read my lips: no new taxes"). But the six words "on the basis of union membership" could be more momentous than any of those. Though hardly Roosevelt's rhetoric, Reagan's bluster or Bush's clumsiness, the clause could solve America's wage crisis. Of course, when Tom Geoghegan told me this in a Chicago park two weeks ago, I almost snarfed my coffee through my nose. Solving major social problems typically demands more than six words. But as the longtime labor lawyer and author explained his idea to me on a muggy afternoon, it started making sense. Geoghegan reminded me that data show the more union members in an economy, the better workers' pay. The problem, he said, is that weakened labor laws are allowing companies to bully and fire union-sympathetic workers, thus driving down union membership and wages. Enter Geoghegan's six words. If the Civil Rights Act was amended to prevent discrimination "on the basis of union membership," it would curtail corporations' anti-labor assault by making the right to join a union an official civil right." Download entire opinion by David Sirota in PDF format

"This is flat-out secrecy," said Peg Seminario, director of health and safety policy at the AFL-CIO. "They are trying to essentially change the job safety and health laws and reduce required workplace protections through a midnight regulation." Seminario said she was stunned that the administration would consider the rule its top priority, when for years it has "slow-walked and stalled" safety rules that would reduce worker deaths and injuries from diacetyl and beryllium. David Michaels, an epidemiologist and workplace safety professor at George Washington University's School of Public Health, said the rule would add another barrier to creating safety standards, in the name of improving them. "This is a guarantee to keep any more worker safety regulation from ever coming out of OSHA," Michaels said. "This is being done in secrecy, to be sprung before President Bush leaves office, to cripple the next administration." Download entire article in PDF format.

The next step in this process is to meet together with a Mediator who will attempt to facilitate us reaching a tentative agreement. Mediation will begin on July 14 and continue up to ten days. Mediation is an "off-the-record" process that is not binding to either party. Discussions during this period may not be used by either party in the event that no agreement is reached. Download entire update in PDF format.

Senator Obama has made clear his commitment to CWA's four key issues -- the Employee Free Choice Act, universal health care, fair trade and good jobs, and financial security for retirees -- and he has proven his ability to energize millions of people across the country, unite voters across party lines and bring many new people into the political process. Watch this video of Senator Obama thanking CWA membership for our support at our convention on Monday, June 23, 2008:

"FOX NEWS' BRIT HUME is all so eager to point out how violence is down in Anbar Province in Iraq that he couldn't bring himself on the Monday FOX NEWS SPECIAL REPORT show to make a mention that 17 U.S. soldiers have been KILLED in Iraq in the first half of June. Hume, who NEVER served a day of his life in the United States military, also failed to mention U.S. troops have pulled back from Anbar Province because the tribal leaders have taken over security of Anbar Province." Download article by Bill Corcoran, editor of Corksphere.

Download CWA Flyer and Fact-Sheets on this issue in PDF format

"Some might question why Congressman Kucinich has done this now. My question is why 434 other Congress Members have not done it before. Despite the uncountable and unspeakable crimes this administration has committed, George Bush and Dick Cheney remain in power and immune from prosecution. Congress must impeach Bush and Cheney now - before they further abuse their power by pardoning for all of their crimes." Download entire article by Bob Fertik, of democrats.com and a complete text of all 35 Articles of Impeachment introduced by Congressman Dennis Kucinich last night and not covered by the so-called "news media.", in PDF format. PLEASE "READ" before you dismiss Congressman Kucinich as a "kook."

"The differences between Senator Obama and the presumptive Republican nominee, Arizona Senator John McCain, could not be more clear-cut," the resolution states. "It is the choice between fundamental change for the better for working Americans or four more years of policies that favor the rich, that ship jobs overseas, that thwart the rights of workers to organize and bargain contracts, that leave health care decisions to the whims of insurance companies, that attempt, again, to privatize Social Security. And the list goes on." Obama has repeatedly pledged to support and sign the Employee Free Choice Act, telling the AFL-CIO convention in April that, "It's time we had a president who didn't choke saying the word, 'union.' A president who knows it's the Department of Labor and not the Department of Management. And a president who strengthens our unions by letting them do what they do best " organize our workers." McCain not only voted against the Employee Free Choice Act, he has a track record of supporting anti-union "right-to-work" laws, voting to let employers hire permanent replacements during a strike and voting to deny collective bargaining rights for police and firefighters, as well as TSA airport screeners, the Board noted. Download complete article in PDF format.

On June 3rd you will begin bargaining with our Sisters and Brothers who work at AT$T Mobility over their Health Care Plan benefits. We want you to remember one thing: This is NOT an isolated negotiation! Every CWA member, in every CWA Local, in every AT$T Company will know if you try to attack the members of our family who work in the fastest growing part of AT$T. Just because they are some of our newest members and just because this bargaining process is different - MAKE NO MISTAKE - we are all supporting them and we have long memories! We consider these negotiations just "Act One" of the Contract fight we will all be waging in 2009. We stand behind our Sisters and Brothers in Mobility 100% and shame on you, AT$T, if you put outrageous demands on these workers while you rake in huge profits quarter after quarter. When you sit down at this bargaining table, remember you are not sitting across from the members from AT$T Mobility alone. You are sitting across the table from all of us who work at AT$T and the entire CWA. Download PDF flyer and fact sheet on these IMPORTANT AT$T HEALTHCARE NEGOTIATIONS!

Download today's notification letter from Diane Bradley at$t labor Relations listing impacted CWA Job Titles, Business Units and work locations, in PDF format.

"Some will read this and go on pretending the Race Chasm doesn't exist, while others will keep insisting that the black vote is irrelevant. Both sides will claim they aren't prejudiced. But racism, whether from ostriches or minstrel show producers, is racism - and it will persist until we recognize it and reject it." Download entire article in PDF format.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 12:15 PM 45 ERIEVIEW PLAZA - CLEVELAND, OHIO Our contract with AT&T expires in less than a year. We are prepared to fight for a fair contract for our members. Please join us for a rally to show the company that we are united in this Fight for Our Future! Download PDF flyer below.

Our "core" contract(s) with AT$T will expire on April 4, 2009! Getting a good deal depends on... OUR UNITY AND OUR MOBILIZATION! Watch for upcoming activities that will help us build our power, assess our strengths, and show AT$T we mean business! Decide now that YOU will make the difference! Download PDF flyer for posting and distribution in ALL AT$T work locations on Friday, April 4, 2008!

Following is a statement from the Communications Workers of America in response to recent comments by AT&T chief executive officer Randall Stephenson: Download statement in PDF format.

Four unions with more than two million members will be working together in a new strategic alliance to achieve critical economic, political and legislative goals. The Communications Workers of America (CWA), the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the United Steelworkers (USW) have committed to sharing resources around the four key priorities for members of these unions and all working families: the Employee Free Choice Act, health care, jobs and fair trade, and retirement security. The four unions are committed to achieving the four priority goals, through joint political and legislative strategies, mobilization and other work. The Alliance also will work with other unions and organizations to achieve these goals. Download entire statement in PDF format.

"Four thousand Americans have now lost their lives, including twenty-three brave West Virginians. Almost thirty-thousand Americans have been wounded in action, many gravely, and countless thousands of Iraqi civilians have been killed. It is long past time to start bringing our troops home. Our men and women in uniform toppled the dictator. There were no weapons of mass destruction. There is scarce evidence that the Iraqi government is working to achieve the kind of political reconciliation that could end the continuing sacrifice of our brave men and women. At this somber moment, let us resolve to take steps to finally bring this tragic war to an end. In 2008, the American people must not stand passively mute, as far too many of their leaders did five years ago. Let your voices be heard." Download opinion from Senator Robert Byrd in PDF format.

"Stop Loss has been one of the most painful Pentagon policies for those who have served in Iraq. While the film examines how the policy might affect one soldier, this issue affects thousands and thousands of those who serve our nation, in a very similar way. Longer and more frequent deployments have been linked to depression and even suicide among our troops and veterans. We must rally behind our troops, and end this destructive policy." Download flyer for distribution and posting in PDF format

As many members are aware, Illinois IBEW Local 21 sued AT&T in federal court after they refused to arbitrate a grievance our Union filed opposing an unjust performance management program in its Consumer Business Unit. Local 21 won that case in federal court. AT&T appealed that decision to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals which also decided in favor of Local 21. The Company then appealed that decision to the United States Supreme Court. Link to Local 21 website for more informtion

..."a hallmark of the Iraq war is the high wounded-to-killed ratio, partly because of advances in battlefield medicine, enhanced protective gear worn by soldiers and reinforced armored vehicles. There have been about 15 soldiers wounded for every fatality in Iraq, compared with 2.6 per death in Vietnam and 2.8 in Korea." Download entire story in PDF format.

"When Clinton first came to Washington in 1993, one of her first steps was to join a Bible study group. For the next eight years, she regularly met with a Christian "cell" whose members included Susan Baker, wife of Bush consigliere James Baker; Joanne Kemp, wife of conservative icon Jack Kemp; Eileen Bakke, wife of Dennis Bakke, a leader in the anti-union Christian management movement; and Grace Nelson, the wife of Senator Bill Nelson, a conservative Florida Democrat. Clinton's prayer group was part of the Fellowship (or "the Family"), a network of sex-segregated cells of political, business, and military leaders dedicated to "spiritual war" on behalf of Christ, many of them recruited at the Fellowship's only public event, the annual National Prayer Breakfast. (Aside from the breakfast, the group has "made a fetish of being invisible," former Republican Senator William Armstrong has said.) The Fellowship believes that the elite win power by the will of God, who uses them for his purposes. Its mission is to help the powerful understand their role in God's plan." Download complete article in PDF format.

"For the last few weeks, Hillary Clinton has been claiming that she never supported the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). She has explicitly claimed "I have been a critic of NAFTA from the very beginning." Clinton's record of speeches over the last decade, of course, tells a much different story. In 1996, she toured Texas to promote NAFTA. In 1998, she visited Davos, Switzerland to thank corporations for mounting "a very effective business effort in the U.S. on behalf of NAFTA." In her memoir a few years ago, she touted NAFTA as one of her husband's big successes. In 2004, she told reporters that "NAFTA has been good for New York and America." And yet, despite all of this evidence, Clinton has worked to confuse voters by insisting that she has always been fighting against NAFTA. Download entire David Sirota article in PDF format.

"Just before America's entry into World War I, President Woodrow Wilson addressed Congress: "It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war," he said. "...But the right is more precious than peace.' Wilson's words captured two awesome responsibilities that test any Commander-in-Chief , to never hesitate to defend America, but to never go to war unless you must. War is sometimes necessary, but it has grave consequences, and the judgment to go to war can never be undone. Five years ago today, President George W. Bush addressed the nation. Bombs had started to rain down on Baghdad. War was necessary, the President said, because the United States could not, "live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder." Recalling the pain of 9/11, he said the price of inaction in Iraq was to meet the threat with "armies of fire fighters and police and doctors on the streets of our cities." At the time the President uttered those words, there was no hard evidence that Iraq had those stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. There was not any evidence that Iraq was responsible for the attacks of September 11, or that Iraq had operational ties to the al Qaeda terrorists who carried them out. By launching a war based on faulty premises and bad intelligence, President Bush failed Wilson's test. So did Congress when it voted to give him the authority to wage war." Download today's speech by Barack Obama, in PDF format.

"After 5 years of war, there is finally one story on CNN about the prostituting of Iraqi women. "On Deadly Ground: The Women of Iraq" aired this last weekend (March 15 and 16) and in one short,very short segment, reporter Arwa Damon interviewed a prostituted being, a woman selling herself to feed her children. The story was shallow and woefully inadequate and made me wonder why, after years of reporting from Iraq, Ms. Damon has just now decided to pay attention to this, scant as that attention is. And why did she have to begin her report with that ragged untruth: prostitution is the oldest profession. An ugly idea bandied everywhere with not an ounce of accuracy in it. (Procuring and pimping are the oldest professions.) The prostitute interviewed said, "I cannot imagine anyone would do this except to sur-vive." And she said that women did not have to do this before 2003, and the invasion of her country. Both great revelations? Things we do not already know? Perhaps we really don´t know these things although it would seem that we should. And it would seem that the almost complete indifference of the American public, and of American journalists, to the rape and ravaging of the bodies of Iraqi women and girls is just par-for-the-course ignorance. No matter that in all conflicts, women suffer sexual torture, particularly the torture of intercourse with men they do not know, for money, due to starvation and desperation and, often, the need to feed their children. This is seen as standard mili-tary practice, in any war, as is the American ignorance of the fact. And the journalistic ignorance. Download entire article in PDF format.

Applications for CWA's annual Joe Beirne Scholarship Foundation awards are now being accepted for the 2008-2009 school year. This year the foundation's Board of Directors has approved the awarding of 30 partial scholarships of up to $3,000 each. Winners will also receive second-year scholarships for the same amount contingent upon satisfactory academic achievement. Applications must be received by April 30, 2008. Winners will be chosen by lottery from those submitting the required essay. Eligible for the scholarships are CWA members, their spouses, children and grandchildren, including the dependents of retired, laid-off, or deceased members. Additional eligibility criteria, program information, and application forms, can be found below:

"To the Americans, the "Awakening" represents a grand process of reconciliation, a way to draw more Sunnis into the fold. But whatever reconciliation the ISVs offer lies between the Americans and the Iraqis, not among Iraqis themselves. Most Shiites I speak with believe that the same Sunnis who have been slaughtering Shiites throughout Iraq are now being empowered and legitimized by the Americans as members of the ISVs. On one raid with U.S. troops, I see children chasing after the soldiers, asking them for candy. But when they learn I speak Arabic, they tell me how much they like the Mahdi Army and Muqtada al-Sadr. "The Americans are donkeys," one boy says. "When they are here we say, 'I love you,' but when they leave we say, 'Fuck you.'" Download entire report from the front lines of the new Iraq in PDF format.

"April 4, 2009 is the expiration of the CWA/AT&T Collective Bargaining Agreement and it is not too early to start preparing. This will be the most difficult and challenging bargaining that we have engaged with AT&T. Many of our members have already begun preparation and if you have not, a good place to start is individual financial planning. On February 29, 2008, the Union negotiated AT&T Performance Award (APA) will give us a great opportunity to put aside some cash in the eventuality that the company forces us to strike." Download opinion article from Roy Hegenbart, President CWA Local 3250, in PDF format.

CWA District 3 Local Presidents from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, representing CWA/AT$T bargaining unit members at the former Bell South, REJECTED the recently negotiated CWA District 3 AT$T Premise Technician MOA by a VOTE of 82 to 6! It was basically the same Premise Technician MOA already accepted by CWA VPs from Districts 1, 4, 6 and 9. CWA District 3 was the only District that had not negotiated the MOA because the AT$T acquisition of Bell South hadn't been completed. CWA District 3 Local Presidents voted NO to this MOA because of two-tier wages, no pensions, no after employment benefits and contracting out of the work for our new and future members. I congratulate Noah Savant, CWA District 3 VP, for running a truly democratic District and conducting a VOTE by Local Presidents. I applaud District 3 Local Presidents for keeping their "new" CWA/AT$T bargaining unit alive and for their unswerving faith in their "American Dream". Perhaps they can send us their water, as many of us desperately need it. Download my opinion in PDF format.

"In his victory speech last night, Obama hammered the North American Free Trade Agreement, previewing a major economic speech today. Here are some excerpts: "It's a Washington where decades of trade deals like NAFTA and China have been signed with plenty of protections for corporations and their profits, but none for our environment or our workers who've seen factories shut their doors and millions of jobs disappear; workers whose right to organize and unionize has been under assault for the last eight years...So today, I'm laying out a comprehensive agenda to reclaim our dream and restore our prosperity. It's an agenda that focuses on three broad economic challenges that the next President must address - the current housing crisis; the cost crisis facing the middle-class and those struggling to join it; and the need to create millions of good jobs right here in America- jobs that can't be outsourced and won't disappear." Download entire opinion article by David Sirota in PDF format.

Please Click below to download letter (PDF) from Lori J. Smith, Director, AT&T-Labor Relations, on a plan modification to the following benefit plans, effective March 1, 2008:

We have been informed by both the company and numerous AT&T Legacy T Locals that the company will be fully integrating the work of Legacy T Article 43 Techs and their counterparts in the S Contracts. The Telecom Executive Board Vice Presidents have scheduled a conference call for Wednesday afternoon to address this issue and what CWA's strategy will be and how best to deal with these blatant contractual violations. Download Notification From CWA C&T Vice President, Ralph Maly and e-mail from CWA Local 3250 President, Roy Hegenbart, Atlanta, in PDF format.

We received the following Labor Notice from AT&T earlier today. Apparently, Hewitt, AT&T's Plan Administrator sent termination of coverage notices to Aetna for 1,400 Legacy T Retirees in error. At this time, the Company has not determined how many of the 1,400 Retirees are represented Retirees vs. non-represented Retirees. Hewitt systems have been corrected and the systems will be updated by today, January 31st. As new Aetna ID cards have already been received, no new cards should be necessary. Earlier this month, confusion was generated with Retirees received similar notices from United Healthcare (UHC). In that case, the letters were sent because the Company changed the Traditional Indemnity Provider from UHC to Aetna. So, while UHC coverage was indeed terminated, no represented Retiree was without healthcare coverage because Aetna took over for UHC. Download PDF file for more information.

The fund was established by a unanimous vote at the 1999 CWA District 4 Meeting in memory of District 4 Vice President Emeritus Robert D. Johnson. A random drawing is used to select the scholarship awards. The Robert D. Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund, administered by the Cleveland Foundation, is now accepting applications for the 2008-2009 academic year. Applications must be postmarked by April 30, 2008. Awards will be announced mid-June, 2008. Applications can be downloaded by clicking MORE below

We just received notice from at&t that their financial results for 2007 was 95%. Thus, the award will be $500.00 and should be received by our members no later than the first pay period in March 2008. In addition, the COLA provision was triggered this year because the Consumer Price Index (CPI) exceeded 2.25% based on the percentage difference between December 2006 and December 2007. Download notification to AT$T Legacy S members in PDF format.

The 2007 APA for Represented Occupational Employees will reflect a payout of 117% based on year-end financial performance. Based on these results, the full-year equivalent award for eligible employees will be $878. Download notification letter for Legacy T members in PDF format.

"You were a corporate lawyer sitting on the board at Wal-Mart." - Barack Obama to Hillary Clinton on 1/22/08. The exchange lasted about 3 seconds - if you flipped the channel for a moment, you might have missed it. That was the amount of time the two leading candidates for the Democratic nomination for president spent talking about the corporate takeover of our government - the issue that almost singularly drives American politics and that is at the core of our country's most fundamental problems. Download complete article in PDF format.

"In short, the surge has done nothing to overturn former secretary of state Colin Powell's now-famous "Pottery Barn" rule: Iraq is irretrievably broken, and we own it. To say that any amount of "kicking ass" will make Iraq whole once again is pure fantasy. The U.S. dilemma remains unchanged: continue to pour lives and money into Iraq with no end in sight, or cut our losses and deal with the consequences of failure." Download entire article in PDF format.

"I can only assume that labor read too many polls and made too many political calculations. Unsure of who would win they went with the "inevitable" candidate (Clinton) instead of the one who had spent 4 years working for and with them. And as a result, if Obama or Clinton win, Unions are going to get a Democratic president who appreciates their help (just like Bill Clinton did) but who isn't really willing to go all out for them (just like Bill Clinton didn't). The irony here is that if labor had taken a strong stand and put their own best interests first instead of triangulating and currying political favor, the strongest pro-labor candidate would be in the lead today. Unions would have had a good chance to elect a massively pro-union president--who would have owed them his presidency." Download opinion article by Ian Welsh in PDF format.

Download notification letter from Diane Bradley, Assistant Vice President at$t labor Relations, for list of at$t Business Units, Job Titles and Work Locations in PDF format.

"Unakitan's statements last week in Istanbul at an event sponsored by the Turkish business group MUSIAD came while Turkish President Abdullah Gul was meeting with Bush. A senior Bush administration official said after the meetings that the two sides agreed to work together further on Iraq issues, such as the controversial oil-rich city of Kirkuk and the threat from Kurdish separatists. Unakitan, however, was blunt in his criticism of the U.S.-led war in Iraq. "He brings his army forces in the name of bringing freedom and nobody objects. Indeed they support saying that they also were contributing to the peace efforts," he said. "What peace efforts? You all are coming there for your sake, for oil." Former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan caused an uproar after the September release of his book "The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World." "I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: The Iraq war is largely about oil," Greenspan wrote." Download complete article in PDF format.

After dinner in the King's Palace, Bush and Abdullah walked through a large central atrium and picked up cups of Arabic coffee to take into their meetings. Sitting side by side in chairs, Abdullah presented Bush with a gold necklace adorned with a large medallion - the King Abdul Aziz Order of Merit, the country's highest honor, named after the founder of the modern Saudi state. The award was placed around Bush's neck and the two exchanged the region's traditional double kiss. "I am honored," Bush said. Download entire news article in PDF format.

"As UCLA professor Mark Kleiman wrote, "If you went to Harvard, it's plain embarrassing to say you're going to vote for someone as, well, unwashed, as Huckabee."Certainly, Obama's underlying policy platform is good for working-class America  and better than Huckabee's, which is led by a punishingly regressive tax proposal.However, the campaigns' rhetorical themes are critical to consider because they impact what will  and will not  be acceptable topics of political debate in the post-Bush era.Personally, I want to believe Obama's vision of America as a class-free utopia where change comes without rancor or division. But history shows that most positive change in America has been about class and conflict  whether it was the battle for basic labor laws or the fight for Social Security.That's why, whoever wins the primaries, the more class forces its way onto the presidential stage, the better.In short, stay classy, Mike Huckabee." Download entire article in PDF format.

According to a recent OSHA complaint, Legacy T at$t employees may have been exposed to methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) at the at$t 360 Gees Mill Business Parkway work location in Conyers Georgia while installing and repairing fiber optics in confined spaces. Please notify your local union representative immediately if the encapsulant being used in your work location in not isocyanate free, such as the type in use at Legacy B and S work locations . Download the attached PDF file for more information. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President, CWA Local 4250, Chicago.

The Chicago Federation of Labor has begun accepting requests for applications for the 2008 William A. Lee Memorial Scholarship Awards. Applicants or one of their parents must belong to a local union affiliated with the Chicago Federation of Labor. CWA Local 4250 is affiliated with the CFL. Students must submit a written request for an application. For complete information on how to request an application, click below.

"Over 70% of Iowan Democrats voted for candidates who either never voted for the invasion of Iraq (Obama, Richardson, Kucinich) or who have since admitted their mistake (Edwards, Biden, Dodd). I can't tell you how bad I feel for Senator Clinton tonight. I don't believe she was ever really for this war. But she did -- and continued to do -- what she thought was the politically expedient thing to eventually get elected. And she was wrong. And tonight she must go to sleep wondering what would have happened if she had voted her conscience instead of her calculator." Download opinion by Michael Moore in PDF format.

"There is also the economy, and the inroads that globalization and free trade have made on U.S. production capacity and the livelihoods of U.S. workers. Manufacturing has fled the country and globalization has proved to be a race to the economic bottom rather than a boon for U.S. jobs." Download entire article in PDF format.

This year has been the most deadly for American troops in Iraq since the invasion nearly five years ago, US military figures out today show. Download entire story in PDF format.

A pretty reliable gauge of Establishment fear is how far away from factual reality its chief spokesmen stray at election time. With economic populism now driving both the Democratic and Republican presidential contests, professional political pontificators in Washington are attacking candidates for being crazed and angry - when in fact their own rhetoric shows it is the pundits who are the angriest of all. An uprising is on - one against the hostile takeover of our government by Big Money interests. And inside the walls of the Washington palace, the elite are freaking out. Download entire SirotaBlog in PDF format.

"The amendment I am offering with Majority Leader Reid and Senators Leahy, Dodd, Boxer, Kennedy, Kerry, Harkin, Whitehouse, Wyden, Durbin, Schumer, Obama, Menendez, Lautenberg, Brown and Sanders to H.R. 2764, the fiscal year 2008 omnibus appropriations bill is one I have offered before and I will not hesitate, if I must, to offer again and again and again. I'd add that the 17 cosponsors is the greatest number we've ever had for this amendment. It requires the President to begin safely redeploying U.S. troops from Iraq within 90 days of enactment, and requires redeployment to be completed within 9 months. At that point, with our the bulk of our troops safely out of Iraq, funding for the war would be ended, with four narrow exceptions: providing security for U.S. government personnel and infrastructure; training the Iraqi Security Forces; providing training and equipment to U.S. servicemen and women to ensure their safety and security; and conducting targeted operations, limited in duration and scope, against members of al Qaeda and other affiliated international terrorist organizations." Download article by Senator Russell Feingold (D-Wisc.) in PDF format.

"Dennis Kucinich tells voters he's offering "a totally new direction for America." His top domestic priority is to transform Medicare into a nationwide, not-for-profit, single-payer universal health-care system. He's leading the charge to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney, a man he contends lied to get the United States to invade Iraq. He wants to repeal the Patriot Act.Of all the candidates, Kucinich has the most aggressive deadline for troop withdrawal in Iraq, promising to bring the all troops home within three months." Download complete article in PDF format.

"The United States needs a foreign policy that is based on reality and is loyal to American values. The next U.S. president needs to send a clear signal to the world that America has turned the corner and will once again be a leader rather than a unilateralist loner. Getting out of Iraq and restoring our reputation are necessary first steps toward a new strategy of U.S. global engagement and leadership.: Download A Realistic and Principled View of U.S. Foreign Policy from Bill Richardson, in PDF format. BILL RICHARDSON, Governor of New Mexico, is a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.

"In the wake of the Iraq debacle, we must restore America's reputation for moral leadership and reengage with the world. We must move beyond the empty slogan 'war on terror' and create a genuine national security policy that is built on hope, not fear. Only then can America once again become a beacon to the world." Download views on a Return to Moral Leadership in the U.S. from John Edwards, a former U.S. Senator from North Carolina, and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, in PDF format.

Jon Peterson, retired former Vice-President CWA Local 4250, has succumbed to cancer after a valiant fight. "But who will know I've come this way When I have reached life's span If nothing else just let them say He sure was a Union Man" Download information on his wake and funeral services, in PDF format.

"When Bush administration officials I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Karl Rove, Richard Armitage and Ari Fleischer betrayed Valerie Plame Wilson's identity as a covert CIA operations officer, they fell into the category of "the most insidious of traitors." Now we learn from the president's former press secretary, Scott McClellan, that the president himself "was involved" in sending him out to lie to the American public about the betrayal." Download article by Joe and Valerie Wilson, in PDF format.

"Doing better" than one's parents has long been the American Dream. Not only can people earn more, but they can move up the ladder compared to others... But how are they doing today? Are they better off than their own parents were and how much does their eventual success depend on their family background?" This report is by the Pew Charitable Trusts that seeks to focus attention and debate on the question of economic mobility and the health of the American Dream. Download this new report in PDF format.

Attached for your information is the Global Network Field Operations Organizational Structure. With 272 now expired, the Resnick Organization is merging Legacy S and Legacy T managers at the 3rd Level and above. We might also start seeing first line from the "S" side to back-fill for Legacy T managers who left under the recent FMP. There are NO changes in the respective collective bargaining agreements. This office is continuing to pursue our Arbitration Case on Legacy T work, covered under Article 43, which has been moved to Legacy S technicians. We will continue to keep you updated. In Unity, Ralph V. Maly, Jr. CWA C&T Vice President

Presentations will be held on Tuesday, November, 13, 2007 at 12:00 Noon and 4:00 PM at 4513 Western, Lisle, Illinois, Conference Room #402 AND Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 12:00 Noon and 4:00PM at 10 S. Canal, Chicago, in the 26th Floor Conference Room. Download flyers in PDF format for distribution.

The application period for the year 2008/2009 CWA/IBEW/AT&T Academic Awards Program is now open. This is an excellent bargained-for benefit that provides for 28 scholarships of up to $6,500.00 annually, renewable three times. High school seniors must have a minimum of a 3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale and have participated in community or school volunteer activities. Our represented employees may also apply to the AT&T Scholarship Foundation Program. This program provides 630 scholarships to the children and stepchildren of eligible employees. Below is a letter from AT&T regarding the CWA/AT&T Academic Awards Program and the AT&T Scholarship Foundation Program. Applications will only be accepted online this year, with the links for each in the letter below. The application timeframe for both programs runs from November 1, 2007 until February 15, 2008. Download letter (PDF) from at$t with links to apply on-line.

"The letter urges the President to pursue "direct, unconditional, and comprehensive talks with the Government of Iran." In the letter, both attached and reprinted in full below, Hagel warns that "unless there is a strategic shift [from the current situation], I believe we will find ourselves in a dangerous and increasingly isolated position in the coming months." Hagel continues, "I do not see how the collective actions that we are now taking will produce the results that we seek." Senator Hagel encourages President Bush to take the bold strategic step of offering a completely different course for US-Iran relations. He writes about direct unconditional talks." Download article by Steve Clemons and a copy of Senator Chuck Hagel's letter, in PDF format.

I have appointed Sylvia Chapman to the position of CWA Local 4250 Locality Steward at 10 S. Canal Street, Chicago, Illinois. Sylvia had 27 years of service with AT$T Corp. when she was laid off by the company in June 2005. Prior to her involuntary termination by AT$T, she was a Local 4250 Job Steward and Locality Steward for many years. Sylvia was re-called from layoff in October 2007 and has enthusiastically accepted her former position as CWA Local 4250 Locality Steward. She had served the membership admirably for many years and I believe she will do so for a lot of years in the future. I know all of you will join me in welcoming Sylvia back. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 Chicago Download notice for posting and distribution, in PDF format.

Richard Berg seemed to have won a local's presidency election, despite having no job. "Berg voiced confidence that he would be declared the winner as calls were flooding in from friends and well-wishers. He said both sides knew about the mistaken date on the ballots. Last week Berg was mostly thinking about what he would do when he takes over in January. One of his first moves, he said, would be to slash the president's salary of $159,000. "Who deserves that much money?" he asked. Should Berg prevail he will be at the helm of a union local that has shrunk nearly in half, falling from a membership of more than 23,000 a decade or so ago to just over 12,000 today." Over that time many of the local's members have lost their jobs due to consolidation; most work in hospitals, nursing homes, small factories, insurance offices and clerical jobs at several universities, among them Chicago State University, Governors State University and the University of Chicago. Download entire article by Stephen Franklin Chicago Tribune staff reporter, in PDF format

"Instead of exhuming archival footage of gas station lines from the '70s, producers might have re-aired the more recent tape of former Harken Energy director George W. Bush strolling hand-in-hand through the Crawford bluebonnets with Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, just in case anyone was wondering about the durability of the generations-long House of Bush-House of Saud alliance. And speaking of His Highness, perhaps it also would have been useful to see the There He Goes! Here He Comes! Andrews Air Force Base shots of Cheney's 14-hours-each-way flight to see King Abdullah for eight hours in Riyadh, a no-press-corps/no-press-conference trip just after Thanksgiving last year which surely had nothing to do with oil, ya think? And as long as we're connecting the dots, it wouldn't have hurt if some reporter with a decent magaphone had reviewed the number of times that Republicans in Congress and the White House have fought against windfall profits taxes and for juicy new tax breaks for ExxonMobil." Download entire article in PDF format.

On October 24, 2007, the Executive Board of CWA Local 4250 unanimously approved the appointment of Debbie Slimko as Chief Steward/Executive Board Member for the at$t Legacy S Harvey, Illinois Operator Services office. Debbie was a former Job Steward, Locality Steward and is a long time union activist. She is a staunch advocate for our union. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President CWA Local 4250 Chicago

"As the philosopher George Santayana once said, "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Are we condemned to repeat the collossal blunder that is the Iraq war? Or has the United States Senate learned the lessons of history?" Download full remarks to the US Senate by Senator Robert C. Byrd, in PDF format.

Download the attached information (PDF Format) regarding Legacy T Open Enrollment which was put together by Kim Wilburn, CWA Healthcare Coordinator. Kim is a excellent resource for and advocate of our active and retired members. No one works harder to resolve member/retiree healthcare-related issues. In Unity-Strength & Solidarity: Steve Tisza, President, CWA Local 4250, Chicago.

This is a reminder that there will be a Local 4250 General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, October 24, 2007. A VOTE on proposed changes to Local 4250 By-Laws will be conducted at this meeting. Download official notice of Local 4250 General Membership Meeting for more information.

"the UAW has agreed to massive concessions, including the imposition of a two-tier wage system that will slash the pay of new hires to just $14 an hour, a pay freeze for current workers, the scrapping of defined benefit pensions for new workers and major work rule changes." Download articles regarding several UAW Locals whose members have rejected UAW's tenative agreement with Chrysler, in PDF format.

Download Diane Bradley, at$t Legacy T Ass VP Labor Relations, notification letter to CWA/C&T Vice President Ralph Maly of at$t's desire to fire 38 more CWA Legacy T bargaining unit members on December 14, 2007. Includes job titles, business units and work locations, in PDF format.

"Prospects that AT&T and Verizon might follow GM and Exelon may get a boost from the negotiations between GM and the International Union of Electronic Workers-Communication Workers of America. The industrial bargaining unit of the CWA is seeking a new agreement for 2,300 active workers and 21,000 retirees and surviving spouses at GM's Moraine, Ohio, sport-utility vehicle plant that may include a union-run fund, local President Jim Clark, 52, said in an interview. The current agreement expires today. The union will consider a fund for the plant if GM provides sufficient funding, he said. That may set a precedent for telecommunications companies, too. ``Anything we do in the labor area has an impact on all unions, not just the CWA,' he said. The Washington-based telecommunications union also represents workers at AT&T, Verizon and Qwest Communication International Inc. in Denver, the second-, fourth- and 13th- largest companies ranked by retiree obligations in the S&P 500. The union will negotiate with Verizon and Qwest next year and AT&T in 2009." Download complete story in PDF format.

Download two articles regarding Quest that may help you better understand the ramifications on at$t Inc. employees after the "sunset" of Section 272 of the 1996 Telecommunications Reform Act resulting in the combining of the "new-new" at$t's local and long distance services. Combined with at$t Inc.'s new strategy of three-tier wages, downgrades, layoffs,contracting out, no pensions, no after employment health care, etc., etc. they will lower the standard of living for all current and future at$t employees.

"Attached for your information is a possible template for AT&T's bargaining strategy for 2009. This report reveals the company's desire to reduce the technical positions of the bargaining unit and replace them with 3-tiered workgroups at substantially reduced wages. It would be company wide and affect all bargaining units across AT&T. Furthermore; this plan would retain only 5% of current SBC Techs in the highest paid tiered workgroup and increase management to reflect a 15 to 1 management to occupational ratio. We plan to meet this challenge on our member's job security and livelihoods with whatever means necessary. We expect the company to honor the collective bargaining agreement and we will enforce that expectation. Our members need to understand the impact this kind of strategy could have on their jobs and jobs for the future. I will continue to keep you updated on any new information we may obtain and urge all members to mobilize and prepare for bargaining in 2009. Now is not the time to relax our guard as AT&T formulates its plans, we must remain vigilant as bargaining approaches. We have faced these challenges and negotiations before, but we have prevailed due to our intense unity and solidarity for what is fair and just." In Unity, Ralph Maly Vice President C&T

Download CWA Customer Service Professionals "WE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE" flyer, in PDF format.

"We've done a lot of things to help that company," said Ron Gettelfinger, the union's president, in a news conference shortly after the 11 a.m. strike deadline passed. "But look, there comes a point in time where you have to draw a line in the sand." Download complete story from New York Times in PDF format. Note:Sometimes a picture may be worth a thousand words.