Fellow Members,

Safety: "The quality or condition of being safe: freedom from danger, injury, or damage". (WNWD-SCE)

As you may know, our Safety Programs have taken a back seat to the almighty dollar and the mathematical oddity know as ESM. CWA Local 3215 has been working diligently to keep a focus on our established safety committees, but unfortunately we have run up against company managers that don't share our commitment and passion for safety concerns and providing a safe working environment. We have seen Safety Flashes become a thing of the past; we've seen Company-wide role model STEP teams reduced to nothing more than lip service conference calls on an occasional basis; we've seen our fellow members and future members (Premise Techs) accosted and assaulted at gunpoint on the job and our company managers have remained silent, with the exception of expressing concern about whether the thugs stole any company property. They don't care people, because they don't have to. When is the last time one of your managers did his inspections after dark, or during inclement weather, or in an area known for criminal activity? We have been in the midst of a full blown attack from the company on all fronts since March, 2007 but I take the attack on our safety programs personally, and I hope you feel the same.

Safety is not just a Company program or policy, it is a fundamental right and a subject that is second to none in importance in our work place. We have the right to demand a safe work environment and a right to refuse to work in an unsafe manner (as well as a right to refuse a direct order to perform any illegal or immoral acts). With that right comes a personal responsibility as well, a responsibility to comply with all safety policies, to identify potential safety hazards and report them immediately to management. The Company also has a responsibility to ensure we are fully prepared to perform all of our work operations in a safe manner and to provide whatever means necessary to do so, including training, assistance ("helping tickets", Managers demonstrating the practice, etc.) and personal protective equipment. Please do NOT allow the pressures of change, ESM or force reductions to distract you from working safely or lead you down the path of taking shortcuts. We have a very dangerous job with many potential hazards that can cause serious injury or death and we need to stay focused on each task at hand. Take a few seconds prior to performing any work operation to think through what you are about to do and identify any possible risks that may be associated with your actions. A few seconds could save your life.

CWA has a responsibility for your safety as well. Local 3215 has been a strong advocate for our members' safety through our creation of and participation in the Safety Committees for many years. We are committed to making accountability a two way street, particularly where safety is involved. We have implemented a new policy to address safety concerns which follows:

1. You have the right to refuse to perform any work operation that you deem unsafe.

2. You must notify a manager immediately upon discovering any unsafe situation you encounter and ask for further instructions.

3. Should you not receive assistance with your requests regarding safety issues you should contact a CWA Local 3215 Representative immediately. Do not proceed with any work operation that you have deemed unsafe until a Union Rep has responded to you.

4. Report any and all "Safety Flash" type incidents (Near Misses, etc.) to CWA Local 3215 for further investigation and action.

While we strongly support efforts to protect our environment in a responsible manner, we do not agree that diluting the Safety Creed is the appropriate avenue to achieve that goal. At CWA Local 3215  our creed is "No job is so important and no service is so urgent that we cannot take time to perform our work safely."

If you are interested in the history of the Company and weren't here during divestiture, click Phone Company -History for an in-depth explanation.

Ethics:a system of moral principles governing the appropriate conduct for an individual or group.[MECD 2001]

Double standard: principle, rule or expectation that is applied unfairly to different groups, one group usually being condemned for the slightest offense while the other is treated far more leniently. [MECD 2001]

Hang in there,

Billy