Frontier Communications and the union representing its striking West Virginia workers have revived contract negotiations and agreed on an acceptable strike conduct, a step forward since the roughly 1,400 members of Communications Workers of America Local 142 began their strike March 4.þþBargaining committees for CWA and Frontier met Monday and Tuesday to work on a contract agreement covering company workers in West Virginia and Ashburn, Virginia, according to Ed Mooney, vice president of CWA District 2-13.þþThe primary issue in contract negotiations is what percentage of Frontier employees would be protected against layoffs. The union wants 100 percent of employees protected, while Frontier has maintained its offer of 85 percent employee coverage.þþUnion members say that less coverage would lead to layoffs concentrated in Bluefield and Wheeling in West Virginia, and Ashburn, Virginia. In December, Frontier offered buyouts to employees in those areas.þþBut other contract aspects need to be ironed out, too, like Frontier’s use of contractors and its reliance on work from outside the state, Mooney said.þþ“Obviously, when you commit to your employees and get through the rest of that stuff, it’ll make a resolution much easier,” he said.þþRepeating last week’s statement, Frontier spokesman Andy Malinoski said in an email that the company’s objective in contract discussions “has been, and continues to be, to preserve good jobs with competitive wages and excellent benefits while addressing the needs of our ever-changing business.”þþ“At this particular juncture, Frontier is electing not to comment further on the details associated with negotiations,” he added.þþBeth Allen, a CWA spokeswoman, said the meetings are a good sign compared to the limited communication in the early goings of the strike. A report from District 2-13 on Friday said Frontier reignited talks with the union on the seventh day of the strike.þþ“Hopefully they come to their senses, and we apologize to the public for the disruption they’re going through,” Mooney said. “There’s a simple solution here that the company refuses to accept.”þþMeanwhile, Frontier and the union have reached an agreement on what striking workers are allowed to do while picketing. An agreed order between the two parties filed Monday in Kanawha County Circuit Court prevents those workers from “engaging in certain alleged unlawful violence, property damage, mass picketing, and related misconduct.”þþThe order replaces the temporary restraining order granted Thursday by Circuit Court Judge Charles King.þþThe two orders are largely identical, barring workers from “causing physical violence or harm, or making threats of physical violence or harm,” knowingly following Frontier workers to somewhere other than a customer worksite and blocking access to Frontier facilities and worksites. The order is slated to remain in effect until the strike ends.þþFrontier has been seeking an injunction against the CWA to protect those working during the strike against abuse it alleges has occurred, like physical confrontations and reckless driving from picketers. The union has denied the allegations.þþFrontier’s top priority “is the safety and security of our customers in West Virginia, and the employees and contractors who are serving them,” Malinoski said.þþMooney said the order doesn’t affect the picketers much because they have been following the law.þþ“We made sure our members are still allowed to effectively orchestrate the strike, picket the scabs and communicate to the public what our issues are, so it all worked out,” he said.þþThe union won’t be slowing down its picketing practices following the order, Mooney added. CWA has scheduled a rally from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday in front of Frontier’s state headquarters in Charleston.þþAlso, Allen said striking members have been notified by Frontier that their health care coverage will be suspended at the end of the month if the strike continues past then. CWA has funds available to take care of union members’ medical needs during the strike, she said.
Source: wvgazettemail.com
