FAQ
What agreement has CWA reached with Lumen?
CWA and Lumen have reached an agreement to allow employees to decide to join CWA without any malice or division. Lumen will not oppose this effort, and once an election date is set by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), union representatives will be able to visit work locations to discuss with you what it means to have a union at work. Lumen has agreed to remain completely neutral during this process.
What is the process for organizing a union at Lumen?
Lumen has agreed to be completely neutral regarding workers' right to form a union. Employees will have the opportunity to indicate their support for unionization by signing union “authorization” cards stating that they wish to be represented by CWA. Likewise, employees may refrain from signing union “authorization” cards. If the union requests recognition, an election will be filed and overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). If a majority of employees have indicated support for unionizing by voting yes, Lumen will recognize the Union and begin negotiating a collective bargaining agreement. If majority support is not reached, the company will not recognize the union.
What does it mean when I sign a Union Authorization Card?
Filling out and signing a CWA union authorization card means you want to join together with coworkers and form a union. In order for the union to be officially recognized by Lumen, a majority of employees must indicate union support.
Is the union an outside, third party?
No, the union is made up of workers themselves. If Lumen employees decide to form a union, they will either join the existing CWA-Lumen contract or their own “shop” or “bargaining unit.” They will elect their coworkers to represent each other in the workplace.
What kind of things can we bargain over in a collective bargaining agreement?
Members of the union would decide what they would like to go into their contract proposals, and then there is a back and forth with management. Collective bargaining agreements are unique to each workplace. In other workplaces, collective bargaining agreements have covered things such as regular wage increases, overtime, health insurance premiums, severance packages, the effects of automation and training on technology, job descriptions and reviews, just cause and conflict resolution or grievance procedures, and equity and anti-discrimination policies.
Will management know if I signed a union card?
No, management will not see the signed cards.
What happens to pay and benefits if we form a union? Will our current working conditions, pay, and benefits be frozen?
Under federal labor law, if employees vote to unionize, management cannot change any terms or conditions of employment, which include wages and benefits, without negotiating with the union. If situations arise while a contract is still being negotiated, management and the union can discuss and negotiate those items.
Will forming a union create tensions at work between staff and supervisors?
No. When employees organize, they will have a collective voice to advocate for themselves and to address workplace issues. Most people find this eases tensions and creates a healthy work environment.
We know management has signed a neutrality agreement, but are they really okay with it if we form a union?
Yes, Lumen is committed to being neutral in this process. This decision is entirely up to the employees in the bargaining unit and management will support the employee’s decision. Lumen demonstrated its commitment by agreeing to have any claimed violations heard by a special labor arbitrator with the power to order Lumen to remedy non-neutral actions.
Key Components of the CWA / Lumen Neutrality Agreement
- Lumen commits to remain neutral as workers organize to form a union and commits CWA to not disparage the company. This is normal and the foundation for all neutrality agreements
- This Neutrality Agreement applies to workers from the following states: AK, AZ, CO, IA, MN, MT, NE, ND, NM, OR, SD, UT, WA and WY
- Workers who perform duties similar to currently represented Employees can be included in the existing contract. Other workers will bargain for a new contract.
- Workers must win a National Labor Relations Board certified representation election in order to gain union representation
- Remedies for Violations - Expedited Arbitration this happens when either party violates the agreement, also known as a remedy. Typically this process can take 4+ months, now it can be as short as 3 weeks
What the Neutrality Agreement Means for You
- Supervisors and management have no opinion on this. No one will face retaliation for supporting the union.
- When the majority of a workgroup signs a card or votes yes, we win our union.
- When we have a union, management can no longer change our working conditions without bargaining with us.
- We will have a seat at the table in the decisions that affect our lives.
- We can bargain over critical issues like pay and bonus structures, equity, work from home, job security, and much more.
Formal Written Agreement between CWA and Lumen
The Company agrees to take a neutral approach to unionization by CWA of employees eligible for union representation under the NLRA (Employees) within the 15-state region of CWA District 7. This means that the Company will not hold any captive audience meetings, and when responding to inquiries, will only advise Employees that it is an individual Employee’s choice to support or not support the Union’s organizing efforts and/or join or not join the Union. The Company, including its supervisors, will not take any action or make any statements that will state or imply any opposition by the Company to the selection by such Employees of a collective bargaining agent. The Union agrees that information distributed (verbally or in writing) will contain accurate information that is not disparaging towards the Company or any of its Employees.