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December 10, 2008

Dear Colleagues:

We're ready, once again, to kick off the CWA Joe Beirne Foundation's annual scholarship offerings for the 2009-2010 school year.

The Foundation's Board of Directors has approved the awarding of fifteen (15) partial college scholarships of up to $3,000 each, and the winners also will receive second-year scholarships for the same amount, contingent upon satisfactory academic achievement.

Eligible for the scholarships are CWA members, their spouses, children and grandchildren, including the dependents of retired, laid-off, or deceased members.  Applicants must be high school graduates or high school students who will graduate during the year in which they apply.  Undergraduate and graduate students returning to school may also apply.

Applications will be available solely online for completion and submission to the Foundation's website:  http://www.cwa-union.org/members/beirne/. Applications will be accepted until March 31, 2009.  The winners will be chosen by lottery from those submitting the required essay.  Additional information about the program can be found at the website.

This valuable scholarship program is made possible by the funding of CWA locals.  For those locals not yet participating in funding the Beirne scholarships, I urge you to do so.  Financial arrangements can be made to accommodate your local's needs.  For more information and assistance, please call 202-434-1427.

Message From Vice-President Chris Shelton on IDEARC Bargaining

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The Collective Bargaining Agreement for IDEARC (formerly Verizon Informations Services) and CWA Locals 1301 and 1302 expired on Saturday at midnight. We have been sitting at negotiations since April with this Company. I use this term "sitting at negotiations" because what has been going on cannot be called bargaining.

The Company has been insisting since April that we give back all the benefit and wage advances we have negotiated over a half century of bargaining. They have not moved one inch since April even though we have bent over backwards to try and reach a fair agreement. This highly profitable company wants to freeze pensions, take away retiree healthcare, slash commissions and totally destroy job security. The Company wants the ability to change any benefit that would remain at will by not putting those benefits in a contract. This Union will not succumb to these demands and I have pledged to the Locals involved that District One and all the Locals that comprise District One will do whatever is necessary to protect their livelihoods, their jobs, their pensions and retiree healthcare.

Local 1301 and 1302 as well as IBEW Local 2213 are currently working without a contract and members are showing IDEARC just what they think of this greedy employer.

Union Plus Scholarship Program

Since 1992, the Union Plus Scholarship Program has awarded more than $2 million to students of working families who want to begin or continue their secondary education. Over 1,300 families have benefited from our commitment to higher education. The Union Plus Scholarship Program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation.
 
For more information, use link below.
 

BJ's Membership... If you are currently a member you will be able to renew at your closest BJ's Club, either at the customer service desk or at the register. It will be $20.00 to renew for a year. Those seeking a NEW membership should contact the union office.

HEALTH CARE BENEFITS COORDINATOR (HCBC)
 
The HCBC acts as a liaison between employees with inquires or disputes concerning thier benefits, and the carrier-administrators. They are available in order to facilitate the prompt, cooperative resolution of employees' questions and/or problems under the Company's Benefit Plans, including Disability, Medical, Dental and Vision but, not the Pension or Savings Plans.
 
Health Care Benefits Coordinator
 
CWA NE/Upstate: Carmen Samara - 1-800-560-3606