Frontier Communications has struck a deal with Local 1298 of the Communications Workers of America to extend a contract that the union’s members have with AT&T, which is selling the Stamford-based telecommunications company its land line phone business and UVerse television product.
Local 1298’s contract with AT&T was set to expire in April 2016, but the agreement between the union and Frontier extends the length of that deal to April 2018. The agreement also calls for:
— The same benefits, pension and retiree medical plans that are already in place, plus wage increases of 2.5 percent and 2.25 percent for the two years that the contract is extended.
— Healthcare benefit costs that are in place in 2016 will remain unchanged through 2018. Eligible retirees who leave during the terms of the agreement will pay what active union members pay for the life of the agreement.
— The company agrees to add 85 new union jobs, with 75 to be hired within six months of the time that the AT&T-Frontier deal closes.
— Frontier commits to maintain a union workforce size of 2,433, which includes the 85 new employees and no layoffs for any existing employees through April 2018.
— All union and non-union employees will receive 100 shares of Frontier stock when the deal closes, an estimated value of $600 per employee.