Windstream, CWA in Lincoln tentatively agree on contract

http://journalstar.com/articles/2007/10/08/news/business/doc470a6c798c1a3887053038.txt

By MATT OLBERDING/Lincoln Journal Star
Monday, Oct 08, 2007 - 01:19:26 pm CDT

The Communications Workers of America and Windstream Corp. have come to a tentative agreement on a three-yar contract for 218 local employees.

Windstream is the incumbent telephone company for Lincoln and southeast Nebraska.

Mike Arnold, president of CWA Local 7470, said the two sides came to the agreement about 6 p.m. Friday, the last day of scheduled bargaining before the current contract was set to expire at the end of the day Oct. 15.
Among the highlights, Arnold said, are a 2.25 percent wage increase for each year of the three-year contract and a $300 signing bonus for each member of the collective bargaining unit.

Though the salary increase is smaller than in past contracts, it is in line with what Windstream negotiated with other CWA locals nationally, Arnold said.

He said the company also agreed to pay some additional health insurance costs, although that will be largely offset by increased prescription costs for the employees.

The union also got a memorandum of understanding regarding job security, in which the union will be allowed to make a case for keeping jobs before Windstream replaces them with new technology or contractors.

FULL story at link.