Conflicts over Efficiency, Equity and Voice

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In a bid to ensure that a contract is renewed, negotiations are taking place between Communication Workers of America and Verizon. At the same time, in the month of August, a two weeks strike was held by members of CWA. Meanwhile, talks are now underway in an attempt to come to an agreement concerning the matter. The management has been involved in pursuing and arguing on matters of efficiency, VOICE and Equity. At Verizon Communications the number of workers is 35000 who are represented by the CWA. The latter want the dispute and strike to be supported by congress. The issues being addressed are on VOICE, Equity and Efficiency (Banerjee, 2011).

There is a need to ensure that jobs, which are middle class, are not destroyed, as well as the employees having rights to collective bargaining. It is believed that the workers who are striking have more advantages, as compared to others. For example, they get time off and their health care is paid for. Verizon does not want to continue awarding these rights to the employees. The striking workers want their wages to be increased (Banerjee, 2011).In turn, management will agree to this so long as evaluation is done and the worker has the requirements. This means that there will be increases, based on progression as well as on an annual basis. There will not be any increase in wages if the worker is not able to meet the requirements of their position.

Workers in the business and consumer call centers will have job titles, which are new created for them. The Efficiency issues are many and should be addressed. The schedule will ensure that the workers are on a wage, which is commissioned based. In turn, the workers will be entitled to pensions. Those who do not meet this requirement will not benefit from the Cash-out option, as well as the death and sickness benefit (Banerjee, 2011). The other issue is that workers will be entitled to benefits such as health care. Those missing out on these benefits will not be entitled to benefits such as dental, accident disability, vision plans, among others.

The issues are many such as Job security, which has been raised. This is meant to ensure that the workers are entitled to provisions of job security. This also applies to Movement of Work Protection as well as the transfer provision, which is 35 miles. Verizon wants to ensure that the new agreement initiatives are disbanded. The purpose of this is to ensure that the contracting levels are increased (Equity News, 2011). The VOICE issues raised are that on Christmas Eve, it will not be half day; the Program for next step will not exist as well. The workers will have to cope without the Reimbursement Fund for Dependent Care. Collective bargaining is another VOICE issue.

CWA wants to ensure that it benefits from the earnings, which Verizon makes. It believes that in order to remain competitive it has to change its cost structure. In regards to the issues, which were raised, CWA wants to change polices and rules at Verizon to cater to the demands of the employees who are striking. The union believes that their pay should increase as the company is earning extremely high profits is an Equity issue. According to many analysts of labor management, the chances of the contract being renewed is extremely unlikely. In conclusion, the management should try and be more accommodating to the demands of the CWA. In turn, they will not suffer from failed businesses as well as reduction in customer numbers (Equity News, 2011).

References

Banerjee, Devin. (2011). Bloomberg BusinessWeek. CWA Union, Verizon Appeal to Congress Amid 4th Day of Strike. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-08-10/cwa-union-verizon-appeal-to-congress-amid-4th-day-of-strike.html

Equity News. (2011). Art Brodsky: The Pebble in the Shoe of the Communications Workers Strike against Verizon. Retrieved from http://www.equitynews.info/2011/08/12/art-brodsky-the-pebble-in-the-shoe-of-the-communications-workers-strike-against-verizon