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AT&T Workers Authorize Strike
40,000 Threaten to Walk This Weekend
The Communications Workers of America have announced that workers have authorized a strike if a new deal can't be reached with AT&T. The current contract expires at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday. The CWA notes that AT&T is the largest and most profitable company in the communications industry and the 12th biggest company in America -- and therefore should continue to "provide good, middle class jobs and not taking the low road of outsourcing, layoffs and cost shifting in order to meet competitive challenges." AT&T continues to shed jobs as the landline dies, and there's some growing pressure to eliminate a significant amount of DSL markets to focus on wireless.

Most recommended from 103 comments


SpectrumDude
join:2002-04-14
Kernersville, NC

2 recommendations

SpectrumDude

Member

Will it do any good?

Sure it may inconvinience AT&T for a day or so but they've planned for this. They probably have contractors already in place to fill the gaps. With such high unemployment the death star will have no
Problems filling these jobs. Strike just dont mean as much as they used too. Is AT&T right? Hell no with the money they make they should be able to keep
Quality employees.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

2 recommendations

FFH5

Premium Member

Customers dropping landlines give CWA no power

As customers keep dropping landlines for wireless cellphones, the need for line workers will keep dropping and dropping. AT&T is in the drivers seat here in negotiations with the union. The rank & file union member with long service will willingly trade any pay increase or higher healthcare contributions for some job security. And they will throw younger employees with less seniority out the door to keep their jobs.

I expect an agreement to mostly consist of SOME small job protections in exchange for cost savings to AT&T on wages and benefits.