December 2012 2108News

PUBLISHED BY LOCAL 2108 COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA
VOLUME XXXIII
NO. 12
DECEMBER 2012
Figuring Out Quit-Net May Actually Be Harder Than Quitting Smoking
For those of you who had been trying to navigate your way through
open enrollment at Verizon, one of the required steps was to indicate if
you or any of your covered dependents was a tobacco
user. If you responded that in fact someone was, you
had a $600 increase added to your yearly medical premium. CWA had negotiated language to negate those
charges as long as the tobacco user took part in a smoking cessation program at Quit-Net. This is where the
journey begins!! Upon registering in the program, nothing
indicates what action is actually required to meet whatever criteria Verizon requires to slash the 600 bucks off
your premium. There are numerous links to non-smoking
certification programs for additional fees (not required, by
the way) and resources that are available to end smoking altogether.
After numerous calls to the local by baffled members, Local 2108
reached out to Quit-Net advocates to ascertain what
actually had to be done to be in compliance. After two
song and dances and a classic runaround through a
maze of Quit-Net administers, the answer was finally
drawn out…”We don’t know what is required”. At the time
2108News goes to press, we were still waiting on that
elusive “callback” with details on what hoops members
have to go through to get the surcharge waived. As soon
as we get additional information, we will post it on our
web page (www.cwalocal2108.org) and on our Facebook
page (CWA Local 2108).
Nominations to be Conducted for At Large
Delegates For CWA International Convention
Nominations for one at-large delegate to the CWA International BiAnnual Convention will be held at the January 9, 2013 Membership
Meeting. Nominees and those who nominate them must be members in
good standing of our Local. Nominees must be present to accept the
nomination, or must provide a signed letter of acceptance to the chair of
the Election Committee prior to nominations. In the event the membership Meeting is cancelled due to a snow emergency declaration in Prince
Georges' County, nominations will be rescheduled for the next regularly
scheduled Membership Meeting on February 13, 2013.
Candidates may submit a picture to the Local by December 14, 2012 to
run in the January 2013 issue of the 2108News. Ballots will be mailed on
January 25 and counted on February 15, 2013. A declared snow emergency may delay ballot mailing and/or counting.
Candidates may have use of the Local's facilities for the purpose of mailing campaign literature to the membership beginning 30 days prior to
nominations being scheduled. As membership list labels will no longer
be printed, any candidate who wishes to mail campaign literature should
furnish their envelopes or flyers to the Local. Within four business days
the Local will print the names and addresses on the material. The Local
will not furnish envelopes or postage. This and all other expenses are to
be borne by the candidates.
The Local postage machine may not be used to affix postage to the envelopes. Arrangements for use of the Local facilities should be made
with the Chair of the Election Committee, Dedria Tyree, who can be contacted through the Local office on (301) 595-2108. Use of the Local's
facilities and campaigning may not be done on union-paid time.
A complete copy of the Local 2108 Election Committee Rules are available on our website (www.cwalocal2108.org) or by mail. Simply call the
Local and we will send them to you.
COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA LOCAL 2108
10782 RHODE ISLAND AVENUE BELTSVILLE, MD 20705 PHONE (301) 595-2108
2108News
FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK
Vice President Jenny Sylvester
and I were pleased to represent
Local 2108 at the Jobs with Justice 25th Anniversary celebration
November 29th. We attended for
two reasons: to show support
and appreciation to our JwJ
friends, and to celebrate one of
their founders, CWA President
Larry Cohen, as he received the
“Movement Visionary” award.
What is Jobs with Justice? They are a network of 45 coalitions in
24 states, committed to working together to build campaigns that
empower working people, and to developing new strategic alliances. Since their founding, their mission has been to build a
strong, progressive labor movement that works in conjunction with
community, faith and student organizations to build a broader
global movement for economic and social justice.
Why is JwJ needed? Today, collective bargaining coverage in
America is at the lowest level of any large democracy on Earth. It
has fallen from 35% to under 7% in the private sector over the last
50 years. Public sector bargaining coverage is under constant
attack from Wisconsin to Arizona, New Jersey to New Mexico.
Our numbers are shrinking, and that means we can no longer
effectively fight our employers on our own. We must join with
other like-minded groups to fight for secure family-wage jobs and
to support the rights of all workers to organize and bargain collectively.
CWA’s visionary president Larry Cohen and the other JwJ founders understood this need for solidarity back in 1987. They recognized that we didn’t just need jobs…. We needed jobs with justice, jobs where workers are treated with respect and share in the
profits they make for their employers. They knew the only way to
accomplish this goal was for us to join together to win victories for
workers everywhere.
During our 15 month bargaining battle with Verizon, JwJ was
there for CWA every step of the way. They joined Local 2108 on
our picket lines and at all of our mobilization activities; they handbilled Verizon Wireless stores up and down the East Coast, and
joined student volunteers at the Verizon Shareholder Meeting in
Huntsville, Alabama.
Since we just ratified our new three-year contract, you’re probably
wondering why I’m talking about JwJ now. It’s because it’s payback time! Since 1987, JwJ has asked each of their participants
to be there at least five times a year for someone else’s fight,
as well as for their own. Twenty-five years later, over 100,000
individuals have signed this pledge. We need to support our allies in their battles now. It’s the right thing to do, and we need to
reciprocate the support we received as we fought our Verigreedy
employers. We will have no right to expect their support in our
next contract fight if we forget about our allies now.
Please check our website (www.cwalocal2108.org) and/or Facebook page (CWA Local 2018) often. We will post details of upcoming events and actions that our supporters are asking us to
participate in. They might ask for folks to attend a rally at a Walmart, send an email or call a Senator. While no one can join in on
all activities, imagine if each of us participated in five each year!
We will never be able to match the money the 1% has amassed,
but if we join together in solidarity we can help to win victories for
workers everywhere! I’ll pledge to do five. Will you join me?
In Solidarity,
December 2012
Page 2
CWA Local 2108 Children’s Hospital
50/50 Raffle Tickets Now Available
CWA Local 2108’s annual Children’s Hospital 50/50 raffle tickets are
now available from your Chief Steward or at the Local office.
When you purchase your tickets, your contributions ensure that specialized care is possible for thousands of children in the metro area who otherwise may not receive it. It also reinforces that as a member of CWA
Local 2108, you are demonstrating your long standing commitment to the
communities where you live and work.
Donations are $1.00 per ticket and you do not need to be present to
win.
So when you are approached by your Steward to help support this
worthy cause, remember every ticket sold is a winner because of the help
it provides.
This year’s drawing will be held at the Membership meeting on December 12, 2012 in Beltsville, Maryland.
Union Plus Scholarships Available
Since 1992, the Union Plus Scholarship Program has awarded more than
$3.4 million to students of working families who want to begin or continue
their post-secondary education. Over 2,200 families have benefited from
the programs commitment to higher education. The Union Plus Scholarship Program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation.
This is a competitive scholarship. Applicants are evaluated according to
academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is recommended. The required essay can account for up to half your total score. Scholarship applicants are judged by a
committee of impartial post-secondary educators.
Application Deadline:
A complete application must be received on or before 12:00 p.m. (Eastern
Time) on Thursday, January 31, 2013. Applications received after this
deadline will not be considered.
Scholarship Award Amounts:
Amounts range from $500 to $4,000. These one-time cash awards are for
study beginning in the Fall of 2013. Students may re-apply each year.
Award date:
The Scholarship Committee will determine recipients of scholarship
awards by May 31 each year. During the first two weeks of June award
recipients will be individually notified by mail, and all applicants will be sent
an email with notification that the award list is posted at UnionPlus.org/
Scholarships. Please note that due to the volume of applications we cannot provide any information on the status of an application before award
announcements are made.
Eligibility:

Current and retired members of participating unions, their spouses
and their dependent children (as defined by IRS regulations). At least
one year of continuous union membership by the applicant, applicant's spouse or parent (if applicant is a dependent). The one year
membership minimum must be satisfied by May 31, 2013.

Union members do not have to purchase any Union Plus program
product or participate in any Union Plus programs to apply for the
scholarships and scholarship awards are not based upon participation
in a Union Plus program.

The applicant must be accepted into a U.S. accredited college or university, community college or technical or trade school at the time the
award is issued. Awards must be used for the 2013 – 2014 school
year.
To apply for the scholarships, go to :
http://www.unionplus.org/college-education-financing/union-plus-scholarship
Local 2108 Conducts New Stewards Training
2108News
December 2012
Page 3
Personals
We wish to extend sincere sympathy to the family and
friends of:
Louise Pringle, mother of Lois Alexander who died on November 5, 2012.
Michael Fullerton, son of retiree Kathy Giulieri-Fullerton,
who died on November 5, 2012.
Congratulations to:
Joel and Debbie Shearer on the birth of their grandson, Riley
on October 25, 2012
Anthony and Andrea Swann on the birth of their son, Zachary
Madden on November 26, 2012.
Welcome to Local 2108
New stewards training was conducted November 15th, 2012 at Local
2108. Congratulations to our newest stewards as they take their training into the workplace to assist members on day to day issues.
(pictured above) - Back Row: Linda Warren, Suitland CO -- Lisa
Crosse, VCSI -- Icy Barton, Chesapeake Complex Retention --Arnita
Pinkard, Trade Zone - Front row : Tenise Pope, VCSI -- Dollene
Harris, Chesapeake Complex SFC -- Ijaz Kazim, Largo Garage.
Transferred
Antione Pritchett
Desiree Adams
Donald J. Jones
Karen Lewis
Suzanne Avery
Kevin White
Sheilia King
Electronic Monitoring Update
As reported out in last month issue of 2108News, Verizon had notified
the Union that they were implementing electronic monitoring in the
CSSC’s, MSSC’s, BSBC’s, EVRC’s, FSC’s and the DRC’s per contractual agreements. Since that notification, CWA has received additional correspondence from Verizon indicating that they will also utilize
electronic monitoring in the Collections Center and the MCO’s.
Mark Ward
Eric Hayo
Micki Wade
Cecilia Denver
Donna DillmanButler
Sandra Richard
Amy Batton
Carol Cooper
RMC 2108 Retirees Corner
We can breath a sigh of relief now that the Presidential election is over
and our daily lives are returning to a more normal routine without the
political campaigns on all news media 24-7. Now we can settle down
to the coming holidays, winter and an artificially contrived crisis called
the "Fiscal Cliff".
Some of our conservative legislators are trying to convince us the Social Security program that many seniors rely on every month is adding
to the ever increasing US national debt. Most of us know that social
security is financed by taxes on payrolls and is solvent for the next 21
years! The solvency problem can be taken care of by small adjustments, as was done by President Reagan and Speaker of the
House Tip O'Neill. Those adjustments gave us the Social Security
surplus we now enjoy. Social Security does not add one penny to our
debt .
Many Corporations are spending millions to push for tax wind falls and
at the same time asking for reductions in benefits for seniors in Social
Security and Medicaid & Medicare. Verizon and AT&T are two of
them!
As Congress works toward a solution to this dilemma, I suggest you
call the AFL-CIO hot line (888-659-9401)which will connect you to your
legislator and tell them to oppose benefit cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid during the Grand Bargain deals. This could help
our future!
Please make plans to come to our Christmas luncheon on December
12 , 2012.
See you in December!!
Calvin C Foster Jr
President- RMC 2108
RMC 2108
2108News
December 2012
Page 4
2013 UAW/CAW Union-Built Vehicles
UAW Cars
UAW SUV’s/CUV’s
UAW Trucks
Buick Lacrosse
Buick Verano
Cadillac ATS
Cadillac CTS
Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Cruze
Chevrolet Malibu
Chevrolet Sonic
Chevrolet Volt
Chrysler 200
Chrysler 200 Convertible
Dodge Avenger
Dodge Dart
Ford Focus
Ford Focus Electric
Ford Fusion
Ford C-Max
Ford Mustang
Ford Taurus
Lincoln MKS
SRT Viper
Buick Enclave
Cadillac Escalade ESV
Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
Chevrolet Suburban
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
Chevrolet Traverse
Dodge Durango
Ford Escape
Ford Explorer
Ford Expedition
GMC Acadia
GMC Yukon Hybrid
GMC Yukon XL
Jeep Compass
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Patriot
Jeep Wrangler
Lincoln Navigator
Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
Chevrolet Silverado/Hybrid
Ford F Series
GMC Sierra / Hybrid
Ram 1500
Chevrolet Express
Ford E Series
GMC Savana
5
7
12
12
CAW Cars
15
Buick Regal
Cadillac XTS
Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Impala
Chrysler 300
Dodge Challenger
Dodge Charger
25
Chief Stewards Meeting - 9:30am
Local Office, Beltsville, MD
Holiday Gala - 6-11pm
UFCW Local 400, Landover, MD
RMC 2108 Meeting - 11:00am
Local Office, Beltsville, MD
Membership Meeting - 6:00pm
Children’s Hospital & Pot O’ Gold Drawing
Local Office, Beltsville, MD
Breakfast With Santa - 9am-Noon
Local Office, Beltsville, MD
Christmas Holiday
Local Office Closed
JANUARY 2013
CAW SUV’s/CUV’s
Chevrolet Equinox
Ford Edge
Ford Flex
GMC Terrain
Lincoln MKT/MKX
1
New Years Day
Local Office Closed
9
RMC 2108 Meeting - 11:00am
Local Office, Beltsville, MD
Membership Meeting - 6:00pm
Delegate Nominations
Local Office, Beltsville, MD
Telecommunications & Technologies Conf.
San Diego, CA
Martin Luther King’s Birthday (Observed)
Inauguration Day
Local Office Closed
Delegate Ballots Mailed (If Needed)
9
CAW Vans
Chrysler Town & Country
Dodge Grand Caravan
Volkswagen Routan
11
11--15
21
21
25
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
UAW Vans
DECEMBER 2012
Holiday Gala - Friday, December 7, 2012, 6-11pm
Breakfast With Santa - Saturday, December 15, 9am - Noon
Local Office: (301) 595-2108 :: Local Fax: (301) 595-2412
Web Address: www.cwalocal2108.org
10782 Rhode Island Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705
Marilyn Irwin - President
Amory Proctor - Executive Vice President
Johnny Brown - Secretary-Treasurer
LaTasha Carpenter - Vice President
Jenny Sylvester - Vice President
Published Monthly
Printing Done In-House
Communications Workers of America Local 2108
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
ISSN: 0162-248X
COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA
LOCAL 2108
10782 Rhode Island Avenue
Beltsville, MD 20705-2513
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Permit No. 5128
Hyattsville, Md.