IMPORTANT NOTICES

You can now sign up to be a member of CWA Local 3111 electronically.

Due to many employees working from home or scattered around the area and have not signed up, now you can !

At the moment, this is only available for Southeast BST, Mobility, and Utilities.  Dues are 2.25% of your hourly wage and are paid monthly.

Dear CWA Member,

I am writing to you today to share important information that may impact your health.

If you work in telecommunications, you may be exposed to lead as a result of working with and around lead-sheathed cables and other telecom plant, such as old lead splice cases, or chipping and peeling old lead paint in Central Offices or other areas. Lead is toxic and can have serious health consequences, including neurological and reproductive issues.

Because of the risks of lead exposure, telecommunications employers are required to implement voluntary blood lead testing programs. I strongly recommend that every CWA member who is eligible for a voluntary blood lead test through their employer get tested.

If a blood lead test reveals the presence of lead in your blood and you have been working with or near lead within the past month, this means that you have been exposed to lead, and your employer will determine the source(s) of exposure and ensure you have the necessary safeguards and information to avoid further exposure.

        
Your health matters, and blood lead tests are crucial for protecting you from the potential risks associated with lead exposure. If you meet employer’s eligibility criteria, you should follow your employer’s procedure for requesting and obtaining this test. These voluntary programs should be conducted on company time with no loss in pay or impact on performance metrics.

Please be assured that the healthcare provider conducting your blood lead test must follow a specific protocol for blood lead testing and the laboratory that analyzes your blood sample for lead must also follow a specific protocol. Your blood is only being tested for lead and your employer plays no role in the medical conduct of the blood lead test.

We urge you to schedule your blood lead test today – it's a proactive step toward a safer and healthier future for you and your family. You can learn more about testing for and preventing exposure to lead in telecommunications here.

For more information, please consult “Preventing Exposures to Lead in Telecommunications: What Every Member Should Know” available at cwa.org/lead.

In Unity,

Claude Cummings Jr.

President

Please see the benefits notice from Labor Relations below regarding virtual healthcare visits.

In unity,

Billy O'Dell

Administrative Director 

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As per our discussion, effective January 1, 2023 (retroactively) through December 31, 2024, employees who are enrolled in an AT&T self-insured medical program will have the member cost share waived for all virtual healthcare visits offered through Your Personal Healthcare Team by Included Health.

Currently, the member cost (pre-deductible) is $35/visit for Virtual primary care visits, Urgent Care and Behavioral Health visits, outside of preventative services. These services will now be provided at no cost to the member.

This change coincides with a bill Congress passed which allows plan sponsors to pay for telehealth services pre-deductible for qualified high deductible health plans. This legislation is in place until December 31, 2024.

The Included Health app is available via smartphones or tablets.  To access Your Personal Healthcare Team, members can download the app at includedhealth.com/get-the-app/, or they can call 1-800-374-1009.

A Summary of Material Modifications will be sent to employees detailing this change as soon as administratively feasible, likely in late February.

The Company reserves the right to modify, terminate or extend this waived service fee at the discretion of the Company.   

Check out the new Partnership website

 For too long now, CWA represented employers continue to decrease the amount of training they offer to their workforce, which is why we are here for you. Check us out, or for some, come back and see what is new. 

​Over the years, CWA/NETT Academy, has assisted more than 50,000 members and their families with their specific training and personal development needs. We invite you back to explore all the new features to some of our more traditional products. These products continue to add content that is relevant to our membership.