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Local 1170 Rallies Against Outsourcing and Union-Busting

​On September 29, after months stagnant negotiations, CWA Local 1170 members rallied alongside other labor and community allies to demand a contract with Frontier Communications.

CWA Local 1170 members, who live in the communities they serve and are well-trained on the jobs they perform, are seeing their work taken by low-wage, out-of-state contractors hired by the company. This not only undermines the Frontier employees’ collective bargaining agreement and takes work — and jobs — from Rochester’s hometown, union workforce, it also puts the quality of service for this community at risk. Meanwhile, the company is continuing to stonewall negotiations, demanding massive cuts to worker and retiree healthcare.

“Frontier is turning its back on the very people who built and maintain its network,” said Local 1170 President John Pusloskie. “Our active members have devoted their lives to this community. Our retirees helped build Frontier into the company it is today. Every single one of them have earned a fair contract, job security, and the ability to retire with the healthcare they’ve earned.”

CWA Local 1170 is calling on Frontier to put a stop once and for all to outsourcing, respect the current contract and the efforts of the union workers who have devoted their careers to the Rochester community, and return to the bargaining table ready to bargain in good faith in order to settle a contract that benefits both the workers and Frontier customers.

Meanwhile, in Connecticut, members of CWA Local 1298 voted overwhelmingly this month to ratify their own contract with Frontier. In the face of tough bargaining, attempts to outsource our members’ work, and repeated delay tactics, 1298 members held strong and mobilized with rallies, member trainings, and community events to show their solidarity and commitment to winning a contract.

The new three-year contract guarantees wage increases, including retro pay going back to September 2024. The bargaining team was also able to maintain retirement benefits and call center worker protections.

“After more than a year of bargaining, and with the patience and support of our members, the CWA Local 1298 bargaining committee was able to deliver a contract that secures jobs, maintains affordable healthcare and pensions and increases wages, including one year of retro pay,” said Local 1298 President David Weidlich. “It was critically important to maintain our job security as we continue to prepare for a transition to Verizon.”

"It's absolutely critical that we have strong contracts in place for each and every member working for Frontier as we prepare for the sale to Verizon sale to be finalized and for those members to join our Verizon membership," said Billy Gallagher, Assistant to the Vice President for CWA District 1. "I couldn't be more proud of the work being done by these locals to fight for their members and retirees and to make sure that the transition to a new company is as seamless as possible, and to continue fighting for work in all of our areas to be done by trained, skilled, union professionals."