Unfortunately, many of the things that we would like to discuss are items subject to the collective bargaining agreement, ie: grievance and arbitration process.  And as it was stated and agreed to by the majority of those who voted for this last contract, Qwest employees are barred from mobilizing, discussing in a public forum anything that is covered in collective bargaining.  I don't like it.  But a federal court has determined this to be so.  The South Dakota folks have not gotten their jobs back yet.  Their action was done on their own time, own dime... and yet they were fired.  Be it a sidewalk or an electronic bulletin board, it's still a public notice of what is happening or has happened.

 

The code of conduct is pretty explicit and until we can go thru the grievance and arbitration process on these things and others, it would be in our collective best interests to choose our words and activities wisely.  What you do and say in the union hall is one thing, but discussions anywhere else could be hazardous to Qwest employment.  Many of us don't get to see the entire code of conduct before we are asked to sign it electronically via CBT.  Recently many have had the opportunity to read those chapters or sections in detail, contact your managers for explanation/clarification on anything you don't understand or are unsure of.  Ignorance will not be blissful. 

 

Until there is more funding for the NLRB, a change of leadership within that department, at low level positions, we won't see many, if any changes in how that department operates for some time.  And one of the primary functions of the NLRB is to make sure that the players, Qwest and CWA abide by the agreements that they signed on to in the CBA.  In short, they can't protect us from ourselves.  There are some basic labor laws that we all should abide by, but again those laws are among the things listed in a grievance, and until the grievance process is completed, the lawyers won't step in.  They'll gladly take your money for the time they spend talking with you, but they can't speak for you or take action on your behalf until the grievance process is completed. 

 

Be careful, be smart. Let the stewards and the grievance process procede to get us all relief and justice we want and deserve.  Let's not give those stewards any more work to do, there aren't enough of them as it is.