CWA Local 4611 Representatives Meet With Wisconsin Public Service Commission Officials on Ameritech Customer Service Problems.

MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 1999--

Union officers from Communications Workers of America Local 4611 met Wednesday with officials from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to discuss Ameritech's customer service problems in the Racine, Kenosha area. The Local has been battling the telecommunications giant for more than a year over the company's forced overtime policy.

Customer complaints to the State Public Service Commission have risen 41% in Wisconsin during the second quarter of this year, according to a report issued by the Commission. Commission administrators indicated that Ameritech's customer service problems are building up to be the worst since 1995.

The meeting with union officials came two days before Ameritech Vice-President, Mike Lach is to meet with Commission representatives regarding worsening customer service problems.

The Commission was especially concerned with the Milwaukee metro area, which includes Racine and Kenosha, where repair times are rapidly rising, according to reports Ameritech is supplying the Commission. The administrators said customers calling in with problems are being told they may have to wait 10-12 says for the repairs to be completed.

In Wednesday's meeting with Commission representatives, Local 4611 officials said the poor service is the result of Ameritech cutting back on repair crews and maintenance. Local 4611 Vice-President, John Walterman said cuts in staffing have virtually eliminated the company's maintenance program. "We just have enough time to put out fires," Walterman said, referring to the situation where technicians only have enough time to fix problems, and not enough to perform necessary maintenance.

Walterman said that if a technician, while doing a repair, finds a situation which may cause future outages, such as a corroded cable, he can only fix the immediate problem, and must issue a trouble report for the maintenance situation. Walterman said the maintenance issue is usually not addressed, and often leads to further outages.

The Commission wanted to know if there are physical problems with the outside plant in the Milwaukee area that may be causing the high number of customer service complaints. Walterman, along with Local President, Rich Hinderholtz, told the Commission administrators that Ameritech takes a "Band-Aid approach" of adding digital signaling equipment instead of analogue cabling to deal with increased volume. He said the digital equipment is more sensitive to wet weather, and faults in the cable.

Asked if he sees any quick solution to Ameritech's customer service problems, Hinderholtz said there is no short-term solution, as far as he can see. "The company needs "to get back to a regular maintenance schedule. They need to give workers the ability to do the job the way they've been trained." He said he believes the situation is "going to get worse before it gets better."

Local 4611 technicians service and repair customer lines and outside equipment in Racine, Kenosha, and Lake Geneva. The long-simmering forced overtime dispute came to a head this spring when union technicians refused to work extended hours as mandated by the company. Ameritech contends the overtime was necessitated by weather related problems, which the union disputes. Last week Local 4611 members were told they must again begin a 60-hour per week work schedule because of rains in the area some two weeks previously. That schedule began Sunday, October 10th.