Latest News from CWA Staff Union
New Member Orientation
New Member Orientation
Staff Union leadership will be having an orientation for new members on Thursday, November 17th from 12pm-2pm ET. This will be geared for members who have been hired within the past year, but all members are welcome. We will be walking through the contract and answering questions.
Please register in advance for this meeting here.
If your are not able to attend, but would like to attend a future date please send us an email.
Cell Phone Reimbursement
If you are not receiving the cell phone allowance, and have your own phone that is not on a CWA account, please email Human Resources to start receiving it.
Net Credit Service
Please take a moment to verify that your Net Credited Service is correct (credit for Service with a prior CWA employer). You can find this on the seniority list which is on the Staff Union website.
If your NCS is not correct, email Human Resources with documentation of employment from your CWA employer.
Contract Implementation
Wage Increase: The pay increase is effective 10/1 and will be in your 10/20 paycheck.
Car Allowance: This will be in your 10/20 paycheck if you meet the criteria to receive the car allowance.
Cell Phone: The November paycheck will show the increase plus $10 from October.
Work from Home Stipend: HR is still working on implementing this. We've requested a list of everyone who will receive this.
Contract Ratified!
The contract was ratified with a 78% yes vote, with a total of 165 members voting.
Voting Details
Ballots for the 2022 Contract Vote will be mailed to your personal email at 8pm ET today (10/3). The voting is scheduled to run until 8pm ET on Friday (10/7). The email will come from invitations@mail.electionbuddy.com.
If you do not receive a ballot this evening, please contact Election Committee Chair Ron Gay at cwastaffunionelection@gmail.com.
In unity,
Garry Jordan, President
Mike Schulte, Vice-President
Erin Spaulding, Secretary-Treasurer
Jessica Ramirez, SIF/Growth Fund Board Member
Amber Brooks, IUE Board Member
Tentative Agreement Reached!
Contract Highlights
Wage Increases
Effective 10/1/2022, a 5% wage increase.
Effective 10/1/2023, a 2.5% wage increase.
Effective 10/1/2024, a 2.5% wage increase.
The Wage scale for Represented Counsel will be 7% above the Staff rep scale
No increases in percentage of healthcare premium!
Path to Permanency for SIF/Growth Fund Employees
Regular full time status after 3 years (possible 6 month extension by mutual agreement)
Car allowance and tuition aid after 2 years (allowance option only)
3 Year Contract expiring in 2025
Additional Improvements as follows:
Improvements to Parental Leave
APP Increase (1% increase in Employer Contribution to 8.5%)
Increased Vacation for Employees with 0-14 years of service
Increased car allowance +$25 each year of the agreement
Increased Car Allowance Mileage to ½ IRS rate
Increased non-overnight meal allowance from $17.50 to $25.00
Increased phone stipend from $55 to $65
Summary
Gendered Language
Remove all gendered language from the contract by replacing “his/her” with “their” and “he/she” with “them.”
Article 1 - Recognition
Eliminated the grouping “temporary staff” and add Senior Campaign Lead, Campaign Lead and Campaign Assistant.
Temporary Staff - New Article
Campaign Titles
Temporary staff with campaign titles are defined as those hired and employed for up to three (3) years on one or more SIF/Growth fund projects or campaigns, and hired into any of the three “campaign” job titles designated in Article 1.1 of the recognition clause.
An additional 6 months may be added for temp staff by mutual agreement
Temporary Staff will be excluded from the following:
Article 9 NCS - except for vacation allotment.
Article 10.1: Temporary Employees do not have access to layoff and bumping language until reaching the three year mark.
Article 12 -Transfer Expense
Article 14 except for 14.6 and 14.7
Article 16 - LOA
Article 19 except for 19.5
Appendix A- (Moving Expense is not exempted)
MOUs:Staff Surplus and Vacancy Plan, Tuition Aid
At the completion of two (2) years of employment in these campaign titles, the Employee shall no longer be exempted from Articles 9, 19 (except eligible Campaign Titles shall only have access to 19.2, Transportation and Mileage Expense Allowance, not staff cars), Appendix A, and MOUs and Tuition Aid
Temporary Staff that are used to replace Staff reps or DOCs will be excluded from:
Article 5, Article 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, Appendix A, Staff Surplus and Vacancy Plan, Tuition Aid
Union Shop- Article 2
The Union will be provided with 2 hours of orientation time.
Employee Information - Article 4
The CWA will provide additional information to the Union
Rate of Pay
Work location
Work and mobile phone number- if on file
Funding source, SIF/Growth Fund & length of funding (if applicable)
Leaves of Absence- Article 16
All represented staff who have less than six (6) months of Net Credited Service shall be entitled to four (4) sick days upon the first day of employment.
Parental Leave- Article 11
6.2 Sick.Parental.Leave (click link for language)
Vacations- Article 15
Less than 1 year of Service: One week of vacation during the calendar year in which at least three months (but less than one year) of net credited service are completed.
0-4 years of service: Three weeks’ vacation during the calendar year in which one year of net credited service is completed and during each subsequent year until the year in which five years of net credited service are completed.
5-9 years of service: Four weeks’ vacation during the calendar year in which five years of net credited service are completed and during each subsequent year until the year in which ten years of net credited service are completed.
10+ years of service: Five weeks’ vacation during the calendar year in which ten years of net credited service are completed, and during each subsequent calendar year.
Vacation carryover language has been clarified to comply with various state laws but no changes to existing practice of carrying over 3 weeks of vacation per year.
Should a Staff Person die while actively employed by CWA, any unused vacation time shall be included in the employee’s final paycheck.
Life Insurance Article 20
Removal of Temp staff language, language cleanup.
Tuition Aid
Courses must be related to work
The cost must be reasonable
A request for tuition aid must be made at least sixty (60) days in advance of any enrollment deadline.
If the employee voluntarily leaves employment within two (2) years of receiving the tuition aid towards a degree program , the employee shall refund CWA the full amount of the tuition aid received within those two (2) years.
The tuition aid shall be capped at $35,000 for all bargaining unit employees per fiscal year. Tuition aid shall be considered on a first come, first serve basis, except that, where more than one request has been made and not yet approved, priority shall be given on the basis of (1) allowing an employee to complete an ongoing program of study where a previous course in that program had already been approved and satisfactorily completed, and (2) seniority.
One-off employee professional development type courses are not part of the tuition aid program, do not count against the cap, and are provided for at the total discretion of CWA.
Work From Home
Agreement has been extended but may be ended by either party with 120 day notice
Job Preference Article 21
Extended to all BU employees
Nothing in this Agreement prohibits CWA from re-assigning employees at its discretion from one SIF or Growth fund project to another, provided this does not result in an involuntary relocation. This may be done in lieu of posting a job.
When CWA determines, at its discretion, a job function and geography for a permanent Growth Fund position within the scope of the bargaining unit, the position shall be subject to the processes under this Article, except where the employee is already performing such a job function in such geography. In such cases, such employees shall fill the permanent Growth Fund position. If multiple employees are performing the job function in the geography, then the most senior of such employees shall fill the permanent Growth Fund position.
Delete SIF/Growth Fund MOA in order to incorporate Campaign Job Titles into contract.
SIF/Growth Fund Clean up
Training and Development Committee
New MOU
Within sixty (60) days following ratification of the contract, the parties shall form a training and career development committee. The purpose of the committee shall be to work collaboratively to assist in developing and implementing a comprehensive orientation program, opportunities for training and career development, and a mentorship program. There shall be four (4) CWA Staff Union members participating on the committee representing Staff Representatives, District Organizing Coordinators, workplace organizers in campaign titles, and legislative/political organizers in campaign titles.
Layoff Article 14
Significant changes made to Layoff Article in order to incorporate Campaign job titles into contract. See full TA of Layoff article.
Uniform Expense Treatment- Article 18
M&I - Increase from $17.50 to $25 dollars on non-overnight meal allowance.
Cell phone- Increase to $65 reimbursement if you use your own phone.
$55 dollar reimbursement for the internet if you MUST work from home- there is no office for you. You do not receive this if you elect to work from home.
Credit card- annual reimbursement up to 95 dollars - must be used for reimbursable expenses
Health Insurance
No changes cost sharing remains at 1.25% of Salary for Employee Only and 2.00% of Salary for Employee, Spouse or Domestic Partner.
Healthcare/Health Services- New Article. Reproductive and Gender Affirming Care Travel Reimbursement
CWA will provide up to $4,000 total in reasonable travel expense reimbursement for a covered person described below to travel to the nearest location in order to obtain reproductive or gender-affirming health services if such services are prohibited in the state where the covered person resides. This reimbursement may also be used to cover travel expenses for one support person. Covered persons are any bargaining unit member, spouse or dependent enrolled in CWA’s medical plan.The process for the covered person obtaining and for CWA providing this benefit will be designed at CWA’s discretion, in consultation with the Staff Union, and with the covered person’s privacy protected to the extent practicable.
Probationary Period - New Article
All new employees will have a 6 month probationary period
Side Letter – Dental Implants
CWA will add the option of dental implants with a 10% employer copay to its existing dental plan for active employees.
Definitions
Added to clarify a few areas of the contract.
Transportation- Article 19
Staff Reps, DOC’s, and represented council will continue be eligible for a staff car.
Effective October 1, 2022, the car allowance will increase to $575 per month.
Effective October 1, 2023, the car allowance will increase to $600 per month.
Effective October 1, 2024, the car allowance will increase to $625 per month.
Regular full-time employees, who have not opted for a staff car or are not eligible for one, are entitled to this allowance.
As of December 31, 2022, CWA will no longer administer Liberty Mutual automobile insurance payments, including payroll deductions, for employees. So long as Liberty Mutual continues to offer the discount, bargaining unit employees may instead obtain automobile insurance directly from Liberty Mutual at a ten percent (10%) discount by identifying themselves as CWA employees.
All bargaining unit employees shall consent to any necessary periodic motor vehicle records check to satisfy CWA’s obligations to its insurance company.
Due to current issues with vehicles being out of stock, CWA will be implementing a trial with alternative options for employees to be able to purchase a staff care. Please see Vehicle “Out of Stock” Purchase. Note: This applies only to Staff Rep, DOC, and Represented Counsel job titles.
Hyatt Legal Plan
Deletion of Legal Plan option. Some limited legal benefits continue to be available from Lifeworks and UnionPlus.
Hyatt Legal will be replaced with the following benefits
Union Plus: https://www.unionplus.org/benefits/home/legal-help
Metlife Insurance has a Will Service for those employees that have Optional Life Insurance, but it will cost a fee to do the fee.
Payment Treatment
0-24 month Steps will be removed for Staff Rep, DOC, and Represented Counsel job titles. Scales will be adjusted accordingly. There are no employees in these steps. This is just language cleanup, since these steps had not previously been used.
Duration
Effective October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2025