Welcome to CWA Local 3101

LOCAL NEWS AND ARTICLES	CWA NATIONAL NEWS
2008 Family Picnic Sunday, September 14th McLarty Park, Rockledge Noon 'till 6:00 pm Admission: FREE A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT Editor’s note: This being printed with the approval of Gary Loucks a retiree from Local 3112. He reminds us that we are customers too! Dear Russ, Thank you for the monthly newsletter. It keeps me abreast of the happenings of the new AT&T and their vested interest in our well-being? I see they have changed much since the early 70’s. I understand though that SBC runs the show under their logo. I have wanted to write and say that if AT&T is reminded that the many retirees and active employees add up to untold thousands of customers. And that, if we all cancel our landlines as well as the cell phones and of course DSL, it will run up into millions of dollars of revenue each month. The competition is already after us for customers. T-Mobile now has $10.00 local service, as well as their go phones, which is about as cheap as AT&T. AT&T needs to understand that if they away any wages and benefits of the active or retired, that the cost will be more than they can possibly save. I am prepared to do as I have mentioned. I really do not need the landline and already have a go phone, as well as the two AT&T cell phones. I am waiting to purchase a cellular laptop, as the contract is a year plus out. Should AT&T deal with us, as they should, I will remain a loyal customer. I hope all the current and former employees take this forth-coming contract very seriously. This will determine what our futures in pay and benefits will be, and for some that is a very long time. I am sure you have been experiencing problems with unpaid and denied insurance claims. They refused to pay my VA claim stating that the VA is not on their list of preferred providers in Florida, they in fact have been all along. I guess that changed 1 January 08. My local 3112 in WPB is handling the case for me. Organized mayhem at its very best at the AT&T insurance/benefits office. Very truly yours, Gary L. Loucks AT&T's Executive Summary AT&T's plans for our futures! 3rd Quarter Surplus Report	THINK ABOUT THIS By Ed Osborne My last article got a lot of feedback, mostly positive. The negative feedback was people upset at my divisive tactics and terminology. WHAAAA cry me a river. I made some nonmember upset my mentioning the word SCAB!!! Since this has sparked debate, let’s delve into it further. It was very nice for some one to add the sanitized definitions under the “terms in labor” heading in the issue with my article. The way I see it, a scab starts as a coagulation of blood that forms over a wound. It hardens, gets crusty and protects the injury until it heals. Sounds like a good thing right? Well it is. Scabs are great for the Company! They are stopping the bleeding. They are stopping the pain. They are actually prolonging the strike. If the Company had to deal with an absolute absence of labor, they couldn’t get much done could they? That is the position we want them in. That’s the position we must put them in. Don’t fool yourselves, people; do you honestly think that C.E.O.’s in the ivory tower cares about you? Does he or she care if you can afford a descent standard of living? A descent home, car, college education for your children and a dignified retirement for yourself, NO!! To them you are just a tool, like any other tool the Company buys. Let’s face facts folks. It’s not hard to look around and see that the country is going into hard economic times. Companies love to cut workers to affect the bottom line. It’s the quickest way to do it. That boils down to a lack of security. One of the major things that is going to be a sticking point in the next contract negotiation is Article 14. Article 14 protects our jobs and keeps contractors out of our plant. Job security…Job security…Job security. How much do you want? How much do you need? For yourself? For your family? For your Union Brothers and Sisters? Technically, people aren’t scabs until they cross the picket line. Unfortunately, in our Local’s jurisdiction there are some people who have the opportunity to join the Union but for one reason or another they haven’t done so yet. Some are just anti-union. Some think they got a raw deal and some want to save a few bucks. The Company sees non-participation as a “sign of weakness” in our ranks. We cannot afford this. Since they haven’t crossed the picket line yet, technically they aren’t scabs yet. Perhaps they won’t cross, but then not being a member now weakens us NOW! They take the benefits members fight for and give nothing in return. I’ve even heard one non-member had the nerve to ask for information on the Union dentist. This parasitic relationship is an intolerable state of affairs for the local to be in coming up on a contract year. Yes, I said parasite. That’s the best way I can describe it. These non-members really need to think where they would be without the Union. They really need to think about job security and the standard of living the Union has negotiated to get them. If you think you would get a sweet heart deal without the Union, next time you see a Bright House guy talk to him. I know most times when I run into one and I’m in uniform the first thing out of their mouth is, how can I get an AT&T job. Do you think they have more job security than you? Better medical? Better pay? Probably not, or they wouldn’t be asking how to get board with us. In closing, I think every one should take a second and think. They should thank God for being in a country that affords commoners the life this country offers. They should thank the Union and its previous members for their sacrifices and for the benefits we now enjoy, and, they should steadfastly resolve themselves to carry on the fight. Not to go backwards, not to give in, and not to let a middle class become a thing of the past in this country. It is time to man up. Take a gut check and commit yourself to the fight.	CONTRACTS view Bellsouth Telecommunications, BAPCO, Bellsouth Utility, and AT&T Wireless Contracts. HERE! NEW ARTICLES Strike Speech The Future Poorest First Shots Fired Knowledge Is Power The Bottom Line Weather Forecast The triangle symbolizes the three major programs of the union: Representation, Organizing, and Community/Political Action. None can stand alone. If the triangle is broken on any side, sooner or later it will be broken on every side. CWA's founding president, Joseph Beirne, called this the "triple threat."

LOCAL NEWS AND ARTICLES

CWA NATIONAL NEWS

2008 Family Picnic

Sunday, September 14th

McLarty Park, Rockledge

Noon 'till 6:00 pm Admission: FREE

A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT

Editor’s note: This being printed with the approval of Gary Loucks a retiree from Local 3112. He reminds us that we are customers too!

Dear Russ,

Thank you for the monthly newsletter. It keeps me abreast of the happenings of the new AT&T and their vested interest in our well-being? I see they have changed much since the early 70’s. I understand though that SBC runs the show under their logo.

I have wanted to write and say that if AT&T is reminded that the many retirees and active employees add up to untold thousands of customers. And that, if we all cancel our landlines as well as the cell phones and of course DSL, it will run up into millions of dollars of revenue each month. The competition is already after us for customers. T-Mobile now has $10.00 local service, as well as their go phones, which is about as cheap as AT&T. AT&T needs to understand that if they away any wages and benefits of the active or retired, that the cost will be more than they can possibly save. I am prepared to do as I have mentioned. I really do not need the landline and already have a go phone, as well as the two AT&T cell phones. I am waiting to purchase a cellular laptop, as the contract is a year plus out. Should AT&T deal with us, as they should, I will remain a loyal customer. I hope all the current and former employees take this forth-coming contract very seriously. This will determine what our futures in pay and benefits will be, and for some that is a very long time.

I am sure you have been experiencing problems with unpaid and denied insurance claims. They refused to pay my VA claim stating that the VA is not on their list of preferred providers in Florida, they in fact have been all along. I guess that changed 1 January 08. My local 3112 in WPB is handling the case for me. Organized mayhem at its very best at the AT&T insurance/benefits office.

Very truly yours, Gary L. Loucks

AT&T's Executive Summary

AT&T's plans for our futures!

3rd Quarter Surplus Report

THINK ABOUT THIS

By Ed Osborne

My last article got a lot of feedback, mostly positive. The negative feedback was people upset at my divisive tactics and terminology.

WHAAAA cry me a river. I made some nonmember upset my mentioning the word SCAB!!!

Since this has sparked debate, let’s delve into it further.

It was very nice for some one to add the sanitized definitions under the “terms in labor” heading in the issue with my article.

The way I see it, a scab starts as a coagulation of blood that forms over a wound. It hardens, gets crusty and protects the injury until it heals.

Sounds like a good thing right? Well it is. Scabs are great for the Company! They are stopping the bleeding. They are stopping the pain. They are actually prolonging the strike. If the Company had to deal with an absolute absence of labor, they couldn’t get much done could they?

That is the position we want them in. That’s the position we must put them in. Don’t fool yourselves, people; do you honestly think that C.E.O.’s in the ivory tower cares about you? Does he or she care if you can afford a descent standard of living? A descent home, car, college education for your children and a dignified retirement for yourself, NO!! To them you are just a tool, like any other tool the Company buys.

Let’s face facts folks. It’s not hard to look around and see that the country is going into hard economic times. Companies love to cut workers to affect the bottom line. It’s the quickest way to do it. That boils down to a lack of security.

One of the major things that is going to be a sticking point in the next contract negotiation is Article 14. Article 14 protects our jobs and keeps contractors out of our plant.

Job security…Job security…Job security. How much do you want? How much do you need? For yourself? For your family? For your Union Brothers and Sisters?

Technically, people aren’t scabs until they cross the picket line. Unfortunately, in our Local’s jurisdiction there are some people who have the opportunity to join the Union but for one reason or another they haven’t done so yet.

Some are just anti-union. Some think they got a raw deal and some **** want to save a few bucks.

The Company sees non-participation as a “sign of weakness” in our ranks. We cannot afford this.

Since they haven’t crossed the picket line yet, technically they aren’t scabs yet.

Perhaps they won’t cross, but then not being a member now weakens us NOW!

They take the benefits members fight for and give nothing in return. I’ve even heard one non-member had the nerve to ask for information on the Union dentist. This parasitic relationship is an intolerable state of affairs for the local to be in coming up on a contract year. Yes, I said parasite. That’s the best way I can describe it. These non-members really need to think where they would be without the Union. They really need to think about job security and the standard of living the Union has negotiated to get them. If you think you would get a sweet heart deal without the Union, next time you see a Bright House guy talk to him. I know most times when I run into one and I’m in uniform the first thing out of their mouth is, how can I get an AT&T job. Do you think they have more job security than you? Better medical? Better pay? Probably not, or they wouldn’t be asking how to get board with us.

In closing, I think every one should take a second and think. They should thank God for being in a country that affords commoners the life this country offers. They should thank the Union and its previous members for their sacrifices and for the benefits we now enjoy, and, they should steadfastly resolve themselves to carry on the fight. Not to go backwards, not to give in, and not to let a middle class become a thing of the past in this country.

It is time to man up. Take a gut check and commit yourself to the fight.

CONTRACTS

view Bellsouth Telecommunications, BAPCO,

Bellsouth Utility, and AT&T Wireless Contracts.

HERE!

NEW ARTICLES

Strike Speech The Future Poorest

First Shots Fired Knowledge Is Power

The Bottom Line

Weather Forecast

The triangle symbolizes the three major programs of the union: Representation, Organizing, and Community/Political Action. None can stand alone. If the triangle is broken on any side, sooner or later it will be broken on every side. CWA's founding president, Joseph Beirne, called this the "triple threat."