February 2013

ContentsOfficers Report ................................1President’s Report ...........................2Attorney Report .............................3Committee Report ...................... 3-4Scholarship Application ................5Good & Welfare ................................6Retirees ..............................................7

AT&T Mobility CornerBy Jeff Spraul, Vice President

We have turned the page on our calendar to 2013. AT&T Mobility is quickly becoming the flagship entity of the AT&T Corporation. Almost all of AT&T’s new products and services are being sold and marketed at the retail stores. Our CWA Members at AT&T Mobility are at the cutting edge of the company.

Do you believe you are treated as a trusted partner in the business or as an hourly employee that is easily replaceable?

CWA firmly believes our Members are the primary reason for the success enjoyed by AT&T’s Corporate Stores. Their hard work, dedication, and unwavering focus on customer service is the only thing that separates AT&T from the other wireless providers in the marketplace. Our Members deserve to be treated with the utmost respect. Some of the managers do treat our Members with the respect they deserve, but some others do not. Some managers believe they are responsible for the success our Members have created through their hard work and dedication. Those managers believe they create success and sales by disciplining and terminating our Members.

How can we help each other when that happens? We can turn to our Union. CWA Local 6300 has an extremely strong emphasis on representation in the workplace. Our Chief

Stewards and Stewards are always available to help our fellow Members with questions about application of discipline, benefits, and labor law issues. Don’t feel you are alone! Reach out to your Union! If you are called into a Disciplinary Meeting, then tell your manager you are requesting Union Representation. If you are in a meeting and have not requested representation, then contact the Local as soon as you can. A grievance can be submitted and we can request that an unfair discipline be rescinded.

AT&T Mobility spends a considerable amount of time and energy telling each of us that we are all part of a “family”. The reality is that we are not. You Union Brothers and Sisters are your “family”. AT&T is our employer, not our family. Your manager has never invited any of us over for dinner, but your Union has invited you to a Christmas Party and summer picnic every single year.

Please participate in your Union by coming to the meeting on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Our Union is stronger when each of us is active. Chief Steward Mike Lavoie is available to help with any questions or representational needs from all of our AT&T Mobility Members. He can be contacted by calling the Local at 314 991-0200.

Local 6300Volume 06/No. 02 United We Bargain, Divided We Fail

For the past two months I have had the opportunity to work with other organizers on a campaign for the American Airlines Passenger Service Agents and their fight to become Union. Before this campaign, I had very little involvement in organizing drives. This experience has opened my eyes to what my Union has provided me and what I take for granted that other non-union members don’t have. The experience has been priceless

From my very first house call, to my first signed representation card, I have been telling people what benefits and assurances are provided because the Union bargained for these items. While I speak to people about being a part of a Union, our problems are all the same, but

the American Airlines Agents do not have a way to voice their concerns. They are promised raises and do not receive them. They get laid off only to be offered the same job at half the pay as an outsourced agent. They are disciplined for no reason and have no grievance procedure to have their side of the story told.

With the excitement growing from many of the employees about the possibility of forming a Union and the possibilities of things to come and gaining a voice in their workplace makes me and reflect on what my Union has given me what it must have been like when CWA was being formed. Every day you are affected by something that has been bargained for in a contract or fought for by Unions.

The biggest thing the Companies preach from the Anti-Union campaign is that you don’t want to lose your independence. What they are really saying is individually we can control you better and keep down your pay and benefits.

I have heard people talk about organizing other companies and other trades and they don’t understand why CWA is worried about other companies. The answer is in order to keep what we have we need to help others experience what we have so we can fight the same fight. There are many people jealous of what Union workers have and want to take our gains away because they want what we have. It’s up to us to help them

Continued on next page

American Airlines Passenger Service Agents and their fight to become Union

By Ken Bates, Vice President

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PresidentMike Mehringer mmehringer@cwa6300.org

Executive Vice PresidentDavid Hoyt dhoyt@cwa6300.org

SecretaryDebora Murray dmurray@cwa6300.org

TreasurerVirginia Anderson-Dunbarvadunbar@cwa6300.org

Vice President ATT Plant 1 / Legacy TMark Crawshaw mcrawshaw@cwa6300.org

Vice President ATT Plant 2Mike Barban mbarban@cwa6300.org

Vice President ASI/FACSKen Bates kbates@cwa6300.org

Vice President MetroSonja Gholston-Byrd sgbyrd@cwa6300.org

Vice President Appendix B and IJeff Spraul jspraul@cwa6300.org

Vice President ATT Directory OperationsMark Kennon mkennon@cwa6300.org

Vice President Centurylink/ VerizonKim Reynolds kreynolds@cwa6300.org

Vice President Print and Media SectorJohn Ebeling jebeling@cwa6300.org

Newsletter Editors/Graphics/Website:Marge DodsonDaniel JuedemannMark Schweigert

*Reprint permission granted to all Union publications

Circulation 5,700Published Monthly by

CWA Local 63002258 Grissom Dr.

St. Louis, MO 63146Phone: 314-991-0200www.cwa6300.org

Office Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pmMonday through Friday

In my December article I recapped many items that were accomplished in 2012. We should all be proud of these accomplishments and confident in the team that you have elected to lead this Local.

As we enter 2013 we continue to face the challenges of Bargaining the AT&T Contract. As many of you know we are voting on a Tentative Agreement with AT&T Core that resulted from early bargaining. If this Tentative Agreement does not ratify, we will go back to traditional Bargaining. Either way, in bargaining with any and all companies where we have represented Members, we need to stand together to protect our rights. We must show these companies that we expect to be treated fairly. AT&T is not the only contract negotiations we have in 2013, it just happens to be the first. All of the contracts should hold the same importance to every Member in this local. It is imperative we stand together with all our Brothers and Sisters at all times.

I want to send a special thank you to the CWA Bargaining Committee for their dedication and sacrifice. I know how hard it is to stay strong at the table and constantly debate with the company to negotiate for what is best for our

Members. Being away from home and family for long periods of time just adds to the difficulty. These Committee Members should be thanked by everyone in District 6 including this Local. I ask that we keep in mind the Bargaining Committee can only bring back what the companies are willing to negotiate. It is up to us whether the contracts are ratified or if we send them back to the table. We, Local 6300, being one of the largest Locals in the District had the voting strength and strong relationships with other District 6 Locals to have placed on the Bargaining Committee the first Premises Technician to ever bargain a contract. Our Chief Steward Joshua Kayser was chosen by delegates all over District 6 to serve on the Committee and we have confidence that he will do all he can to protect all Members of District 6. So when you see Josh please thank him for all the hard work he and the committee have done and will continue to do.

Some of the other contracts CWA will be negotiating later in 2013 that include Members of Local 6300 and their status will be communicated to the membership closer to their expiration dates.

From The President’s Desk

February 2013Page 2

Stand TogetherBy Michael Mehringer, President

achieve all the things we have and bring them to our level - a decent middle class living.. To quote Michelle Obama - “When you’ve worked hard and done well and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you, you reach back and you give other folks the same chances that help you succeed.” It is our duty as Union Members to help all achieve a voice in the work place and dignity on the job.

If you enjoy the benefits that CWA has given you, then you are already an organizer if you pass our message to someone without a Union. Unions are about the people that are willing to come together for a common goal. Even during the tentative agreement we reached with AT&T as Union Members, we have the ability to be happy, upset, and more importantly a democratic vote

as to whether or not we will accept these terms. In a non-union environment you have only one choice to continue to work with what you are given or to hit the door. It is highly recognized that the Union movement built the middle class in this country and if we cannot build and maintain a strong Union movement I hesitate to think what the future would hold.

Unions are never more than a generation away from being extinct. Corporations and politicians are doing their best to take our rights away from us. We aren’t entitled to the benefits that people before us fought for over the years. They were hard fought gains and it is our generations obligation and moral duty to fight and protect these gains as well as pass on our values so future generations can do the same for us.

American Airlines Cont.

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February 2013

Attorney’s Report/Committee Report

Page 3

This month I thought we could discuss in greater detail the interaction between receiving workers’ compensation benefits and also eligibility for short or long term disability benefits. I need to first explain these different benefits so that you can understand how they work together. While not every employee is covered for disability benefits, most Union members do in fact have this coverage. It is important to understand how these benefits effect each other.

If you are receiving workers’ compensation (WC) benefits as a result of being off work due to an injury, you will typically receive 2/3 of your salary up to a maximum level of around $800.00 a week. These are typically called temporary total benefits. You may also as a result of being off work qualify for disability benefits under a short or long term disability plan in place through your employer. This is not the same as disability benefits under Social Security but based on a plan provided by the employer. Typically you can receive anywhere from 2/3 of your salary to full pay for a limited period of time if you qualify under the disability plan. The way the plan often works is that you will first

be placed on short term disability. That is often for up to a year period. During this initial short term disability time, the standard for receiving any benefits is typically whether you can return to your old job with restrictions. The amount you receive is defined by the plan. If you go past the time of the short term disability, you may then be eligible to apply for long term disability. The standard for long term is almost always much stricter than short term. Typically, you would have to prove that you could not return to any employment in the open labor market and not just your old job. This is much harder to demonstrate. This is often associated with the standard for obtaining Social Security benefits. This is where most employees are denied as the law is much more difficult.

If you are receiving WC benefits and at the same time you are eligible for short/long term benefits, you will not be able to keep all the money from each plan. The disability plan will have a procedure to offset any money you get from WC in calculating the amount they will pay. For example, if you receive $800 from WC which is 2/3 of your salary and disability pays 100% of your salary, you will get the

1/3 difference from the disability plan. However, if the disability plan pays less than WC, you will only get WC. Basically you will get the greater of the two amounts but you are not going to be allowed to double dip and collect full amounts from each which would provide more than you earned even if you were working. If you are receiving both, they will catch the mistake and ultimately seek reimbursement of the money. This happens all the time if the employee fails to report the issue. If short term ends and you do not get long term disability, you will only get WC until you are released by the doctor to return to work. This is true even if you can not return to your old job. WC ends typically when you are done with care.

It is important to check to see what type of disability plan you have and the details of the plan. . If you are unable to return to any work ever again as a result of a work related injury, it can become very complicated as you may receive benefits through WC and long term and Social Security. Trust me on this, they are all going to look at shifting the responsibility of payments to the other benefit provider. Do not be afraid to ask for help.

Workers’ Comp and Disability InteractionsBy Michael C. Goldberg, Attorney

CWA Local 6300 Civil Rights & Equity CommitteePresents an Essay Writing Contest

In celebration of Black History MonthBy Sonja Gholston-Bryd, Vice President/Liaison

The topic of the contest is “How were the Labor and Civil Rights Movements effective in bringing about Economic and Social Change?”

Requirements: 500 words minimum, due via email to sgbyrd@cwa6300.org by February 12, 2013, and the entry must

be a Member of CWA Local 6300 in Good Standing. The committee will review all entries, and the winning essay will be announced at the February General Membership meeting.

All Members are welcome and encouraged to participate.THE WINNER WILL RECEIVE A $75 VISA CARD

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Page 4 February 2013

Committee Report

CWA 6300 Community ServicesCommittee Upcoming Events

If interested in volunteering for any of these events please call the localat 314-991-0200 to reserve your spot.

CWA Local 6300 CSC Adopts N. Lindbergh

CWA CSC Teamswith US Postal

Workers To STAMP OUT HUNGER

CWA CSC Teamswith Foodbank to

Restock AreaFood Pantries

Feb 24 • June 9August 25

November 24 Community Services Committee Members and friends will pack

process food to help feed the hungry.

Fighting Hunger..Feeding Hope

March 23 10-1June 29 10-1

CWA Members and friends will package and load food for the STAMP OUT HUNGER program

which restocks area food banks

May 11

A Union is workers joining together to pursue policies and goals beneficial to one and all. Nothing more, nothing less. In other words, a union is you and your co-workers, acting together to better your everyday working conditions.

A Union is what gives the individual worker a voice in decisions and events that directly affect him or her in an undertaking that constitutes a major portion of life, that is, work.

A Union allows workers a say in changing workplace conditions and solving workplace problems. With a Union contract and grievance procedure to back them up, workers don’t have to suffer or feel that their only option to unacceptable conditions is to tolerate it or to quit their jobs.

As a worker, you have a right under federal law to form a Union, select representatives of your choice and bargain collectively with your employer. This helps balance the power that employers have over individual employees.

Belonging to a Union gives you rights under law that you do not have as an individual. Once you have formed a Union, your employer must bargain with you over your wages, hours and working conditions.

HighwayClean Up Days

(weather permitting)

unionprideBy Michael Pipkin, Chief Steward

Litter clean up of a one mile stretch of North Lindbergh in Maryland Heights

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February 2013 Page 5

Scholarship Application

Annual Cwa Local 6300Scholarship Application

Each year, Local 6300 will offer three (3) college scholarships, each for $1,500.00 per school year, $750.00 per semester.

Scholarship eligibility and award criteria are as follows:• Active CWA Local 6300 Members in good standing, spouse of Member or dependent child who is graduating high school or is currently enrolled full time (minimum of 12 credit hours) in a trade or technical school, college, university or private school. • Verification of enrollment will be required.• Money will be held in a trust at the winner’s choice of school.• Only one scholarship will be awarded to a family per year.• Previous winners of CWA Local 6310, 6320 or 6300’s scholarships are ineligible.• Limit one entry per student.• Include with the application, an essay of no less than 500 words depicting your personal view on the Right to Work Legislation and Organized Labor (parental assistance encouraged).• Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Plagiarism will disqualify entry.• Winners will be determined by merit of qualified applications, judged by the Local’s Scholarship Committee and announced at the June General Membership Meeting.• Completed application with attached essay on the Right to Work Legislation and Organized Labor must be received by April 15, 2013 at CWA Local 6300, 2258 Grissom Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63146.

CWA Local 6300 ScholarshipOfficial Application for the 2013 Fall and 2014 Spring Semesters

Applicant Information (please print) Name ______________________________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________________ State ___________________ Zip __________ College _____________________________________________________________________________

Member’s Information (please print) Name ______________________________________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________________ State ___________________ Zip __________ Phone # _____________________________________________________________________________I am an active dues-paying Member in good standing of CWA Local 6300 and the above

applicant is either myself, my spouse or my dependent child, who is graduating high school by June 2013 or is currently enrolled full time (minimum of 12 credit hours) in a trade or technical school, college, university or private school.

Member’s Signature _____________________________________________________________________

6300 News6300 News Good & Welfare

Next Meetings:February 20

March 20

February 2013Page 6

Please see your Union Steward to submit notices of deaths,

retirements, disabilities, or other announcements within your office.

Submit Good

and WelfareAnnouncements

New Members

YP Holding LLCBrianna BarnesCody BonneyMichael BrownRaymond ChambersKarri CostonMichelle DuerrMichelle EngemannJesse FortnerMaria GableKyla GrunwaldJason HillAndre HodgesMichael Hughes

Myra JohnsonAndrea JozicLaura KoesterNikole LaelBrittany LammMichael LewisMichael LucchesiJoshua McCadneyJames McDanielsLindsay McDonaldDenise SmithAntoine WhiteCurra Wourman

Print & Media SectorScreenburst Graphics Walter JohnsonBrown Printing Jessie Fritz

AT&T MobilityEric BrownAlexandria CovaJulio CruzBrian DavitzDouglas Garces

Mark LoyJamie MohanRhianne PeckBelinda Turner

AT&T TelephoneRoberto AguayoRonald ArnettCody CoaleAnthony DavisJasmin DedovicGerry JohnathanKeith JohnsonMichael Linn

David MeyersAnthony MillerLorrne MinorDaniel NierDenise PalmeJudith SimpsonRussell TylutkiCindy Willis

In SympathyBrinda Babcock Member Frank Spohr RetireeVernon Wagner Retiree

Members’ LossesJody Bocklage FatherCharlene Brandenburg MotherTalana Burton GrandmotherChris Chadd WifeVerna Coleman HusbandNatalie Courtland AuntCynthia Duncan AuntSunekka Henley AuntScott Jochim Father-in-lawLinda Kroeger SisterTodd Lamb FatherHelen Medley Father-in-lawShamoneece Mills Father

RetiringKaren Brugger 01/10/2013George Ferris 01/11/2013George Long 01/31/2013Melba Smith 02/01/2013Janelle Ruth 02/08/2013Lyla McCardie 02/18/2013Brenda Pettit 02/28/2013

RETRACTION: Henry Roster is not retiring!!!!

CongratulationsKen & Stephanie Bates Baby Girl

Get Well Soon!Gene Whitfield

POLITICAL/COMMUNITY

ACTION

BARGAINING/REPRESENTATION

ORGANIZING

facebook.com/cwa6300

Motions 1-16-2013Motion: Bill Morton, second Tori Pratt to send five Delegates to the 2013 CWA 74th Convention, April 21st – 24th in Pittsburgh, PA. In accordance with the Constitution and our Bylaws, The President serves as the first Delegate to the Convention; The EVP serves as second Delegate. David Hoyt was appointed to the EVP position and since he was not elected in to that posi-tion, he is not an automatic delegate; The Secretary serves as third Delegate; and the Treasurer serves as the fourth delegate. Virginia Anderson-Dunbar also serves on a National Executive Board and will be in attendance. However, she is not serving as a delegate to our Local. Therefore, we cur-rently have two delegates, President and Secretary to the Convention. We voted in three Delegates John Ebeling, Mark Craw-shaw, and Dave Hoyt In the event one of the Delegates is unable to attend the 4th runner up Mike Barban will take that del-egates place. Motion carried.

COE HolidayExtravaganzaRaised $677.00

And a good timewas had by all!The funds will be used

for conferences, training, education, special events

hosted by the Committee and other events that the Committee Members would like to attend.

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The meeting was called to order by President Bob Huss. Bob said a prayer and led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag.

Bob asked for a moment of silence for deceased retirees Sid Horn, Sr., Clarence Jonak, Melvin Creek, Bob DeVaney, Nellie Heath, Harry Zacher, Tom Nogalski, Marion Patton, Tom Patterson and Arline Hesskamp, beloved mother of Jackie Gansmann.

Secretary Nancy Jinkerson announced the menu for today’s luncheon as well

as the February lunch menu. She read the minutes of the previous meeting. A motion was made, seconded and passed to approve the minutes as read.

Nellie Girouard gave the Treasurer’s report. A motion was made, seconded and passed to approve the report.

Vice President Earline Jones spoke about the tax legislation and how it affects seniors and retirees. She spoke about how the Alliance for Retired Americans is actively working to keep Social Security and Medicare from being modified in a way that would adversely affect seniors. She also discussed the upcoming deficit reduction talks and urged everyone to contact the President and legislators and let them know how strongly we feel about these issues. There is a $2.6 trillion surplus in Social Security and it is not to be touched.

Bob Huss echoed Earline’s sentiments

and shared other thoughts on the subject. He discussed human trafficking and slavery in the world today and tied it in with making people aware of issues of all kinds. There was a discussion of buying American made products. There was also a discussion of gun legislation and the NRA.

Lucent health care has been extended through December 31, 2014. He also discussed AT&T’s healthcare coverage.

There were no January birthdays, so the last ticket drawn would be for the birthday cake.

A motion was made, seconded and passed to donate $200 to the USO.

A motion was made, seconded and passed for the Chapter to pay $40 to join the Missouri Alliance for Retired Americans. The CWA already pays for membership in the National Alliance for Retired Americans. Earline Jones said that she may ask individuals for a $10 donation to the education fund of the Alliance. The money is used to educate seniors on issues.

Ruth Herman announced that her son is running for Alderman in Ward 8 in St. Charles. She asked for support from members in that area.

Drawings were held and monies were given out as prizes until the last ticket was drawn for the cake. It was won by Virginia Heckwolf.

Bob shared a poem about seniors and then told a joke.

Motion was made, seconded and passed to adjourn the meeting.

Retirees

February 2013 Page 7

Retirees Meeting January 14, 2013Retiree Meetings

February 11& March 11

Meeting 11:30 / Lunch 12:00Meeting Location2258 Grissom Dr.

$12 charge per person. Bring a guest but make

reservations:Bob Huss - 636-947-4299

BHuss6350@sbcglobal.netEarline Jones 355-6860

Nellie Girouard314-739-0317

Nancy Jinkerson 314-809-3264

6300 News2258 Grissom DriveSt. Louis, MO 63146-3309

6300

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Postmaster - Please Deliver Dated Material Enclosed

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CWA Community Services Committee presents the 2nd Annual

Trivia NightFundraiserMarch 2, 2013

at CWA Local 6300, 2258 Grissom Drivedoors open 5pm, begins at 6pm

Price includes soda • BYOB$100 per table of eight or $15 per person which includes:

$200 For The First Place • 50/50 • Baskets RafflesPrize for the Best Decorated Table Spaces

This event will fill up quickly, call to make reservationscontact the Local at 314.991.0200.