YellowPages.com status on bargaining - June 2010

In a recent meeting held in Henderson, NV bargaining was discussed in great detail. As I have stated over the last several months, your Union leadership is as frustrated with the ongoing delays in bargaining as you the membership are. However, I must ask you to consider this; what is the alternative? Would you actually prefer to have the company introduce whatever it wants? I hope the answer to that question is self evident.

I am aware from the membership that the Company wants many of you to believe that the Union is somehow responsible for the continuance of the use of deal counts for commission payouts. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is true that while negotiations are ongoing that the commission plan cannot change, it is not true that things would be better for you if no negotiations were ongoing. Both parties have agreed early on that the deal count system doesn't work any longer. The sticking point is what to replace it with. At least with the current deal count environment you can manage your renewal commissions into a double digit range. What if there were no deal count but no way of obtaining a reasonable commission rate for renewals? The Union feels very strongly that renewal commissions are hard to obtain, time consuming and represent a significant role to our future success in growing revenues in the Henderson, NV and Charlotte NC Telephone Sales Centers. It does nobody any good if all we are doing is selling new revenues only to see them churn out in year 2. This has been a major source of issue for both sides in discussions on your compensation plan. New business compensation is easier. It really is a matter of a reasonable obtainable goal which will allow each of you the ability to build up a good stream of commissions for the efforts you place in growing your new sales results. The Union believes that long term growth is the key. In other words, not just a monthly quota, but a long term annual growth of new business. And new business which sticks. Not quicky sales for deal counts. We want well thought out, well conceived advertising programs which will be easy to renew year in and year out.

I attended a bargaining session last week in San Francisco, CA in which the Company announced some additional changes to their bargaining committee. The new Chairman for the Company bargaining committee is Jon Irelan. Jon was recently promoted to Executive Director, Labor Relations. I have known Jon for a great many years and hope this change for the Company is the last one and the change which actually brings us a conclusion to your first ever collective bargaining agreement. We will meet this Tuesday, June 15, 2010 for a complete review on the compensation plan. It is my hope that we can begin to come closer together on the final BIG issue of sales commissions. It should not escape your attention that another BIG issue, Medical Benefits must be concluded before open enrollment this year. These two primary issues will be front and center this Tuesday. Please stay close to this website to find out the most current status on bargaining for YP.com.

Lastly, don't lose your patience. This process has taken longer than anyone could imagine. The efforts on your behalf should not be shortchanged. I have worked with your bargaining committee and with Mike Tracy very hard to completely understand your issues and to insure that you are represented at the bargaining table. Even though this effort has dragged on for far too long, don't throw in the towel. We are close to a contract. Now is the time for you to be telling the Company through your managers that you want a contract. You want to have a voice in the future of OUR Company. YP.com products and services are not going to sell themselves! It is  you and your efforts which will make this Company strong and profitable. You deserve to be compensated for your efforts. It is you who are talking to the customers everyday, this experience should be utilized in the future plans the Company is making to go to market. Telephone Sales built the foundation for YP.com and that should matter. Not in words, but in deeds. As my favorite football coach puts it; DON'T TELL, ME SHOW ME!. This needs to be our motto with the Company, if you really value me and my effort then don't tell me show me! Give me a fair and reasonable contract which allows me to earn a substantial living.

Casey M. Lewis