Your Local is one of the most pro-active locals in the state in the interest of safety and worker protection.
Safety Committee Chairperson, Dennis Garrett, is involved with the day to day safety matters in Tacoma, attends statewide conferences and is a liaison with other utilities in our community.
Work Area Protection, Working Aloft, Ladders, Working after Dark, Working beyond 7pm (notify the night manager) Report contractor violations, to Safety Chairman, Officers and Stewards.
Safety Hazards, fill out form RG09-0085 available in supply room. Violent Customers, leave the area and call your boss. We all want to go home healthy at night!
.The Cole Vision plan that is now Qwest’s plan of choice has replaced the previous plan administrated by Met Life. This change was indicated in the last health provider open enrollment packet (2001), but since the packet’s opening statement is “If you are not making any changes in coverage you need read no further,” most employees didn’t and, hence, missed the announced change, creating the confusion and phone calls to the Local. There is plan information on Qwest’s web site as well as access to necessary forms, or ask your Supervisor for information. That's why they get the big bucks.
Basically, if your optometrist is not enrolled in the Cole group, they can sign up. But if your doctor is like mine and refuses to (Cole seems to have a Qual Med reputation) then he will be considered an “out of network” provider, and you will be required to pay the bill out of pocket. You then send a reimbursement form and copy of the bill to Cole to get a check equivalent to the CWA/Qwest bargained coverage remitted to you.
There is a list of preferred providers in the Cole packet where you may go where all coverage is considered “in network” with special rates.
Unlike Sedgewick, the Cole reps appear to give the same answers and are actually relatively pleasant and patient. If a problem is experienced call the Local on 253-572-7804 for assistance.
Now to Sedgewick. These jokers handle all Qwest Labor and Industries and long/short term benefit cases and do an outstanding job of it—for Qwest. But for the employees they are batting nearly zero. Their standard procedure is to outright refuse coverage in 80% of the cases or create so many roadblocks (I.e., no paperwork received; inadequate explanations; conditions not covered; setting unrealistic back to work time frames, many times against your doctor’s recommendations; etc.) that the patients, us, become worn down, confused and just give in and return to work. There are unacceptable tactics.
But in order to combat them, we, as the employees, need to—No—not need to—MUST follow certain self protection procedures. First: At the outset of any claim, injury or illness that involves Sedgewick KEEP A LOG OR DIARY OF THE INCIDENT. Record keeping needs to include all dates, names, time and content of any contact between you and Sedgewick or your doctor and Sedgewick.
Secondly: Any correspondence between Sedgewick and you or your doctor needs to be sent certified mail. Tell your doctor to do it, also, even if he requires you to pay the mailing cost. Why? Because that has become Sedgewick's favorite ploy: “We didn’t receive any information or records.” Unless your doctor or you can “B.S —my ‘delivery successfully completed’ signed receipt show the opposite is true” they will play dumb ;but, then, as if by magic, the paperwork will be found.
Thirdly: if your doctor sends requested records to Sedgewick without delivery certification, Sedgewick has again in far too many cases demanded more and more copies which not only delays the process but in some cases has caused some doctor's to charge the patient as much as $30 a sheet for Sedgewick's request. If your doctor is willing, ask him to provide you with the duplicate copies.
. Fourthly: Notify the Local immediately if and when you experience any problems with Sedgewick; and have all your logs, diaries, and copy work available. District 7 has requested that any and all problems, with all pertinent records of same, be made available to CWA District 7 for further action because Qwest and Sedgewick are saying that they have no record of ongoing problems being experienced by employees. District 7 needs substantiated proof of the opposite.
For those who still have no realization of who I am, let me introduce myself. The name is Dennis Garrett. I am your Local 7804 Vice-President, Safety Officer, and a Steward. I am the CWA co-chair of the Tacoma Safety Committee, a member of the Washington State Safety committee and one of the three CWA Local officers appointed to the CWA/Qwest regional safety committee known as the Mutual Occupation Safety and Health Committee (MOSHC), representing all 14 Qwest States. I have also been employed by PNB-USWest-Qwest for 34 years as a Net Tech.
Why you may ask do I pass on all of this information? I do it in hopes that when you hear or read any information that I put forth for your edification that you will, after seeing my qualifications and background, take it seriously, be it my Safety Committee minutes, daily Safety line message, through personal contact, or in the form of these articles.
Why is this of concern? It is a concern because I still see safety risks being taken, safety violations constantly happening and a rather cavalier attitude toward safety being exhibited by some techs.
Some out there in Qwestland need to wake up and smell the roses concerning their safety attitudes. The number of employees of any seniority level either being terminated, put on final notice with suspension, or being disciplined with first step letters in their files are growing unbelievably day to day. Qwest’s Code of Conduct, of which Safety Violations are part, are being lumped together in many cases to facilitate an almost instant termination to avoid the steps that should be used under normal conditions. So let a word to the wise be sufficient—get it together.
Safety items to be especially aware of:
One last item. Code of Conduct, violence in the workplace, which makes an unsafe workplace is been used to terminate a growing number of employees. This accusation is very hard to defend due to the lack of exact detailed criteria. All it takes is an accusation, a half baked investigation by a voice on the phone and you’re toast. We as employees have definite rights and our own course of action but you as a potential target must follow and demand them:
First: Never go into any meeting with management without asking what it is for and if you are in doubt-DEMAND UNION REPRESENTATION. If it is denied say nothing and notify us ASAP. Managers represent QWEST; CWA represents you, the employee, so protect yourself and ask for Union rep. Management is under no obligation to remind you. This criteria needs to be followed especially where safety is concerned because the termination path is very short that direction.
Second: Do not Put up with management’s use of inappropriate language or their attempt to intimidate. QWEST is using the Code of Conduct violation against employees so we need to retaliate. Supervisors are not immune to Conc. policy dictates but you must keep a record and try to have a witness but in any case management must be made accountable for their actions so immediately contact Union rep for a follow up grievance. Respect is a two way street.-that is Company and CWA policy.
Contact me for safety questions and all Union reps if any contract questions arise.
Its your right.
Yours in Safety,
Dennis Garrett
Vice President
Safety Officer
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