**This email is being sent to All AT&T SE Local Presidents and District 3 Staff & Secretaries**
Please see the notification below from the Company that VF Imagewear will no longer be the vendor for the "Core" Uniform Program which is described on page 310 of the BST Agreement (Appendix C Part XVII).
Please note that the AT&T SE Uniform Program ordering web site will be suspended 05/26/19 for a period of 4 - 6 weeks during the transition to the new vendor, "Image Solutions" and Locals should advise their members to place all orders no later than 05/26/19.
There are no other changes to any of the uniforms or the Program as a result of the change of vendor.
In Unity,
Billy O'Dell
Administrative Director
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**The SE Core Uniform ordering site will be open for orders as usual through 05/25/19. Due to a change in vendor the site will be suspended for 4-6 weeks.
Once the ordering site is restored, orders will route to the new vendor, Image Solutions. Image Solutions will take over management of the current inventory and any future inventory to fulfill orders submitted.**
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Communications Alabama, Florida, Georgia 3516 Covington Highway
Workers of America Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi Decatur, Georgia 30032
District 3 North Carolina, South Carolina Phone: 404-296-5553
AFL-CIO Tennessee, Puerto Rico Fax: 404-299-6165
April 5, 2017
TO: AT&T SE Local Presidents, District 3 Staff & Secretaries
FROM: Nicholas E.M. Hawkins, Assistant to the Vice-President
SUBJ: Wire Technician Uniforms – Branded Apparel Program
The District 3 Office has been engaged in discussions with AT&T management for several months concerning the 2016 Wire Technician uniforms. As you know, the shirts are made of 100% polyester and CWA’s position is that these shirts pose a risk to our members’ health and safety, as they are not flame retardant and they increase the risk of heat exposure. As a result of our discussions, the Company has committed to deploying a 100% cotton uniform for Wire Technicians in District 3 as follows:
Wire Technicians in District 3 can begin ordering the new 100% cotton uniforms on Monday, 4/10/2017.
The new 100% cotton uniforms will begin shipping on 9/30/17.
We also posed several questions to the Company and received the following answers:
Q: Will Wire Technicians in District 3 be permitted to wear older uniform shirts until the 100% cotton uniforms arrive?
A: Yes. All of the SE Directors have agreed to let WTs wear old BAP uniforms (pre Cintas) until the new BAP arrives which is scheduled for 9/30/2017.
Q: Will the “transition shirts”, or (pre Cintas) shirts be ordered for all Wire Technicians or just new hires?
A: Last summer we offered transition shirts to all Wire Technicians that were new or that said that did not have the old BAP. This year we plan to allow all the Wire Technicians hired since last year’s transitional shirt (October 1st) was offered, an opportunity to get transitional shirts.
Q: We are requesting that Wire Technicians in District 3 be permitted to begin wearing 100% cotton personal clothing, while at work, until the Company has provided a safe uniform for them to wear.
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4/5/17 Wire Tech Uniforms |
January 19, 2017
TO: All Local Presidents and Staff
AT&T Southeast Bargaining Units
FROM: Nick Hawkins, Assistant to the Vice President CWA District 3
SUBJECT: AT&T SE - Wire Technician Uniforms
Over the last couple of weeks, the District 3 Office has received several questions from Locals regarding the uniform program for Wire Technicians. Below I have listed the questions that we received from Locals as well as the answers provided by the Company.
- Why are Legacy DirecTV Technicians not able to order Uniforms? The Legacy DTV
Technicians are in the same national uniform program as the Premise and Wire Technicians, BAP "Branded Apparel Program". Due to the OSHA complaint in California, the Company will be moving toward 100% cotton apparel and orders have been put on hold until the new 100% cotton apparel is available.
- Why are Wire Technicians who were hired prior to 01/01/2016 not able to order outerwear? Wire Technicians hired prior to 1/1/16 had the opportunity to order outerwear prior to 2016. If outerwear is torn or worn out, this is looked at on a case by case basis. Wire Technicians should report torn or worn out outerwear to their supervisor for replacement.
- Wire Technicians are being told by their managers that there are no 2017 units showing available for order because the company is switching vendors. What is the situation?
We are moving to a 100% cotton program in 2017, so we have not authorized Cintas to turn on the ordering because all of the current Cintas inventory includes polyester.
- Why are Wire Technicians with outerwear that is torn and/or worn out being told that their outerwear cannot be replaced? Please provide specifics of outerwear that is torn and/or worn out and we will work with local management to investigate those instances.
Wire Technicians who were hired in 2016 were only provided with short sleeve shirts. Why are there no long sleeve shirts available for them to order?
There are many long sleeved shirts available for purchase through the BAP. Please provide the ATTUIDs of the employees that have said they could only order short sleeve shirts and the Company and Cintas will check their orders.
As soon as I have more information on new hires ordering uniforms and an estimated date of when the 100% cotton uniforms will be available, I will distribute additional correspondence to the District 3 Staff and Locals. Should you have any questions or concerns surrounding this issue, please feel free to contact me at the District 3 Office.
C: Richard F. Honeycutt, Vice President
Booker Lester, Administrative Director
Thelma Dunlap, Administrative Director
Billy O'Dell, Administrative Director
John Quin, CWA District 3 Legal Counsel
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1-20-17 Wire Tech Uniform Memo |
Communications Alabama, Florida, Georgia 3516 Covington Highway
Workers of America Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi Decatur, Georgia 30032
District 3 North Carolina, South Carolina Phone: 404-296-5553
AFL-CIO Tennessee, Puerto Rico Fax: 404-299-6165
December 13, 2016
TO: AT&T SE Local Presidents, District 3 Staff & Secretaries
FROM: Nick Hawkins, Assistant to the Vice-President
SUBJ: BST Uniforms – Core Contract
Hopefully we have reached the conclusion of what has seemed to be a never ending story. We have been in continuous discussions with the Company concerning their failure to provide uniforms to our members in a timely manner. Today we received the following commitment from AT&T Labor Relations:
The managers responsible for the uniform program have confirmed that the Company is going to extend VF Imagewear’s contract through the end of 2017. So essentially, we’ll offer the same catalog to the same participants in 2017 that we ultimately did this year. The Company met with VF Imagewear last week to discuss the backorders and were assured that they have completed most backorders and will be current by the end of 2016. VF Imagewear has also confirmed that they have the appropriate amount of inventory for 2017.
Should you have any questions or concerns surrounding this issue, please feel free to contact me at the District 3 Office.
cc: Richard Honeycutt, Vice President
Thelma Dunlap, Administrative Director
Booker Lester, Administrative Director
Billy O’Dell, Administrative Director
John Quinn, District Counsel
NH/paj
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December 2016 Uniform Memo |
Communications Alabama, Florida, Georgia 3516 Covington Highway
Workers of America Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi Decatur, Georgia 30032
District 3 North Carolina, South Carolina Phone: 404-296-5553
AFL-CIO Tennessee, Puerto Rico Fax: 404-299-6165
Corrected
August 18, 2016
TO: AT&T Southeast Local Presidents, Staff and Secretaries
CWA District 3 FROM: Nicholas E.M. Hawkins Assistant to the Vice President, CWA District 3 SUBJ: Wire Technician Uniforms | Branded Apparel Program (BAP)
In response to our concerns surrounding the health and safety of our members, with regard to the summer heat and the new Wire Technician Uniforms, the Company has agreed to the following:
Wire Technicians will be permitted to wear shirts from the 2015 Branded Apparel Program (BAP), provided they are in good condition. Wire Technicians will be allowed to wear these shirts until October 1, 2016. Additionally, for Wire Technicians hired after January 1, 2016, the Company will offer to provide two (2) of the 2015 (BAP) shirts, which can also be worn until October 1, 2016. Labor Relations will be working with the (BAP) staff to establish the ordering process. On October 2, 2016, all Wire Technicians will be required to wear the 2016 (BAP) shirts.
The District 3 Office will continue pursuing a long-term solution to this problem. Currently, the Company’s departmental management team are consulting with (BAP) management in an effort to reach a resolution. Should the Company fail to produce a plan that will provide Wire Technicians with a uniform that is suitable for working in high temperatures, prior to Spring of 2017, the District 3 Office will consider the Company’s actions a disregard for the health and safety of our members and will act accordingly.
Should you have any questions or concerns surrounding this issue, please feel free to contact me at the District Office.
cc: Richard Honeycutt, Vice President
Thelma Dunlap, Administrative Director
Booker Lester, Administrative Director
John L. Quinn, District 3 Legal Counsel
NEMH:paj
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8-16 Wire Tech uniforms |
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April 22, 2106
TO: AT&T Southeast Local Presidents & Staff
FROM: Nicholas E.M. Hawkins
Assistant to the Vice President
SUBJ: AT&T Uniforms
First, let me apologize for the mass confusion that has taken place regarding this issue. It seems the root of our problem is the strained relationship between VF Solutions and AT&T. Because AT&T has decided to bid out the contract for the production of their uniforms, VF Solutions has become increasingly less responsive to the Company’s directives. We at the District Office have continued to meet with the Company and express our displeasure with the roadblocks that our members are experiencing when they attempt to order uniforms. Time after time, we have reached agreements with the Company on this issue, only to have VF Solutions fail to follow through on our agreements. We have made it clear to the Company that the same contract that requires our members to wear uniforms also requires the Company to provide our members an avenue to order those uniforms. Below I have listed the current status of this ongoing issue:
The one month window of opportunity for our members to order uniform items that had previously been listed as out of stock, has been extended indefinitely.
There are a few items that were closed out mid-year 2015, and VF Solutions will have to recreate the pages for their website listing all of the sizes. VF Solutions has advised this might take two weeks. These items include: the 100% cotton pleated pants, charcoal or grey pants, and the rough duty pants.
For some items, VF Solutions will add the missing sizes to the website. This includes the poly/cotton plain front and pleated pants in both navy and khaki. VF Solutions has advised that this should be completed within a week.
VF Solutions customer service representatives will stop making statements such as “AT&T requested that we stop manufacturing uniforms for them”.
Rough duty pants have always been available in only the navy color, no khaki.
Plain front pants have always been available in only the poly/cotton blend, no 100% cotton.
Orange polo shirts are now available on the website in all sizes.
In addition to these updates on the Core Uniform Program, Wire Technicians now have the ability to order shorts through the Cintas website. Again, I would like to offer my sincerest apologies, as much of the information contained in my previous correspondence on this issue has not come to fruition. Should you have any questions or concerns surrounding this issue, please feel free to contact me at the District Office.
NEMH/paj
opeu2/aflcio
cc: Richard Honeycutt, Vice President
Thelma Dunlap, Administrative Director
Booker Lester, Administrative Director
John Quinn, District 3 Legal Counsel
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2016 At&t Uniform memo |
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