THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 16, 1995 TAG: 9509160260
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAVE MAYFIELD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
A bitter labor dispute between Bell Atlantic Corp. and its unionized workers intensified in recent weeks as the company began suspending employees who refused to work overtime.
About 35 members of the Communications Workers of America took a bullhorn and picket signs to the Bell Atlantic district headquarters on Cleveland Street Friday for a lunchtime rally against the phone company's actions.
``Stand together. This may be your last chance,'' one protest leader called out to employees inside the building.
Conflicts between the Philadelphia-based regional phone company and its unions have escalated since a labor contract between the two expired in early August. More than 1,500 Bell Atlantic employees in Hampton Roads are among those working without a contract.
Bell Atlantic wants to set wages and benefits for workers in its new video-services operation much lower than for traditional phone employees. That raised hackles with the union. The phone
company also wants to cut its costs for retiree health benefits and gain more leeway to reorganize and cut jobs.
In bargaining this summer, the rest of the nation's regional phone companies agreed to new three-year contracts that were more generous than Bell Atlantic proposes.
Bell Atlantic has held fast, not surprisingly. It has been the most aggressive of its industry brethren in planning to enter the cable-TV business and other video services. Cable operators have significantly lower wage and benefit costs.
``We need to be competitive,'' said Paul Miller, a Bell Atlantic-Virginia spokesman.
Bell Atlantic's unionized employees have authorized a strike. But union leaders have resisted calling a walkout, opting for other tactics to pressure the company, said Michael Upton, president of CWA Local 2202 in South Hampton Roads.
Among other things, the union has asked workers to strictly follow company-prescribed protocols on installation and service calls - though that may take more time.
A few weeks ago, Bell Atlantic accused the union of organizing a ``sick out'' after the phone company said an unusually high number of workers didn't report to work. Upton denied that union leaders organized such a protest.
Recently, the union's request that members turn down overtime work has led to conflict.
Nelson R. Seely, a 27-year systems technician from Hampton, said he was suspended for three days this week after refusing an overtime order. He said he had never before refused an overtime request.
``But they didn't ask this time. They said, `You'll be required to work.' There's a whole lot of difference.''
Miller said Bell Atlantic has rarely had to require overtime. The union's call for employees to turn it down has forced the company's hand, he contended. by CNB