We will have International 5th District Vice-President Joseph Davis as a guest speaker at the General Meeting on Friday, February 3rd.  The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Everyone else is doing it...Why not YOU!!

It's our most popular program.  Earn an Associates or Certificate in Mobile Technologies today!

For More Information go to:

http://www.nactel.org/ibew/as-mobile.html

We were notified this afternoon that Verizon is posting 45 positions in the CSSC, effective this afternoon.  These positions are Customer Contact Sales Associates, located in wage schedule D1A.

The location is downtown Tampa.  After all internal (Verizon Core) bids are exhausted, employees in LiveSource, Supply and Buried Wire will be able to bid before any external candidates can be awarded these positions.

The Company notified the Union yesterday evening that there would be a 4th quarter surplus announced today for the following classifications:

• Service Representative - Located in St. Pete Main
  

      5 out of 120, all voluntary

• Truck Driver - Verizon Supply

     3 out of 10, all voluntary

Employees in these classifications were mailed packages yesterday (10/26) and the window opens on November 2nd and closes on November 15th.  The last day on property for those that elect to leave will be December 3, 2011.

If anyone in these 2 classifications have not received their packages by November 2nd, they need to contact their Human Resources Business Partner.

The members of Supply Chain Services overwhelmingly voted to accept a new 3-year agreement.  The new agreement went into effect on September 25th, 2011 and will run through September 20th, 2014.

IBEW Local 824 is pleased to announce a new Supplemental Insurance program for all of its members.  These voluntary benefits were designed to enhance and compliment your existing employer’s benefit package.  The Local has made available several benefits to help members protect their financial well-being.

• Accident Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Whole Life Insurance

This program is only available to active members of IBEW Local 824.  You will need your membership number to access the enrollment system.  Premiums will be conveniently collected via monthly bank draft so please reference a check to determine your Account and Routing Number.

Please click the link below for information and to enroll:

The Online ID is your ibew membership number (located on the postcard you received, highlighted in gold)
Password - ibew824

OPEN ENROLLMENT IS FROM OCTOBER 1-31.

If you have any questions regarding the open enrollment, please contact National Group Protection at (800) 344-9016.

IBEW Local 824 and Verizon Florida will be participating together for the American Heart Association's Heartwalk on Saturday, November 5th, 2011.  There is a 1-mile and a 3-mile walk.  The 1-mile walk is in Raymond James Stadium and the 3-mile walk is across the street at Al Lopez Park.  The registration and festivities begin at 8:00 am and both walks begin at 9:00 am.

To join our Local Union team, click on the link below:

http://tampabayheartwalk.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=454536&lis=0&kntae454536=916998BA76084C078B64C50E68253733

Once on the page, click the "Find a Team" link on the left menu.
Type in ibew 824

Click the link ibew 824 tampa, then click "Join our team", and follow the prompts to register.

Please make plans to attend this event.

On Monday, September 12, 2011, the Union and Company reached a tentative agreement on a new 3-year agreement.  Click the link below for the Tentative Agreement Summary.

Bargaining Update - This message comes from the Unity website

Regional Tables: Aug. 25

Both the North and Mid-Atlantic Joint Regional Bargaining Committees are scheduled to meet in Rye Town, New York on Wednesday, August 31st to reconvene bargaining with Verizon. This “reset” of the company’s bargaining position was made possible by the mobilization efforts of our members up and down the East Coast. Our members made it clear that they would not allow this Verygreedy Corporation to destroy our collective bargaining rights nor would they allow them to destroy more middle class jobs.

Now your bargaining teams will return to address your issues at the bargaining table. While we have returned to work, this fight is far from over. We still have members who have been disciplined for strike related activities and we will not forget them. We must continue to keep the pressure on Verizon.

Bargaining Begins Wednesday

By George Bloom, President, CWA Local 1104
reprinted from The Hub, www.cwa1104.com

We would like to quell any rumors that the CWA or the IBEW asked to come back to work because our members were crossing picket lines. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was Lowell McAdams and Larry Marcus who asked if we could end the strike and work under the current agreement indefinitely so the company could go back and review all of its concessionary demands. There was no quid pro quo other than to take down the picket lines. The union has not sold out and has not agreed to any retrogressive demands. We did agree that we would resume negotiations in the near future and would review the companies’ new proposals. As we have stated the corporation has blinked because we hurt them severely in wireless stores and Spin Doctor Marc Reed can tell all the lies he wants to the press; we know the truth our resolve is stronger than their commitment. All members should read the op-ed on our website by Ralph Nader “Verizon Goes From Wireless to Shameless”. I think he nailed it. Send a copy to friends and family.

The Unions and Company reached an agreement this morning for the members to return to work on Tuesday morning.  There has not been a tentative agreement reached at this point, but the bargaining committees believe there has been progress made in recent sessions.  As we get more information from the Union's bargaining committee, we will pass it along.  After speaking with Myles Calvey this morning, we will continue to accept donations for all IBEW members in the Northeast.  We will have a total of all contributions made from our members and across the TCC-2 available soon.  The Union's bargaining committee expressed their gratitude this morning for everything that Local 824 members did and the moral/financial support that was received.  Again, thank you for your contributions.