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May 6, 2010
To: All AT&T Local Presidents
Subject: Misleading Reports on Employer-Sponsored Benefits
Dear Colleagues:
Recent reports in the business press about AT&T and Verizon
considering dropping employer-sponsored benefits are misleading. A
recent article in Fortune suggests that AT&T and Verizon,
among other employers thought about dropping benefits and instead
paying a penalty that would be required under the new health care
reform law.
The first thing to keep in mind is that our negotiated benefits are
protected by the collective bargaining agreement and the company
cannot unilaterally change the benefits. CWA has not and will not
agree to the company dismantling the employee health benefits
package we have built over decades.
Upon reading, you will see that the article does not base its
conclusions on any direct interview or testimony by company
representatives. Instead, it is based on documents provided to the
Energy and Commerce Committee when it was planning a hearing on the
impact of health care reform on large businesses. Both AT&T and
Verizon, along with other companies, had been asked to testify and
submit documents. The documents included PowerPoints and other
presentations by consultants and others analyzing the impact of the
new health care reform law on the particular employers.
A
Republican Energy and Commerce Committee staffer posted the
documents to their website without permission and without
explanation from the companies. However, the Minority Staff did
post their own interpretation of the documents which were included
in a memo dated April 27, 2010. So, it appears that the background
documents and a memo drafted by Republicans were the basis of the
article.
We have requested that AT&T issue a clear statement of their
continued commitment both to quality benefit plans and collective
bargaining. We hope that they make a statement soon in order to
clarify this partisan attempt at misinformation.
In Unity,
Annie Hill
Executive Vice President
c: Vice Presidents
Bill Bates
Staff
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