11,000 AT&T workers across the midwest have been on strike since last week, protesting what they claim are unfulfilled promises and a refusal to meet them halfway in negotiations over a new contract. These workers have been without a contract since April, and say AT&T failed to follow through on hiring promises in the wake of its recent, massive tax cut. Despite endless promises of new jobs courtesy of the recent corporate tax break, many AT&T employees were laid off just before Christmas.

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“I don’t believe AT&T took it seriously enough that we would walk (out) on them,” Versmesse said. In December, after employees received $1,000 bonuses as a result of federal tax cuts, Versmesse said 36 South Bend AT&T workers were laid off.

“A lot of the people that got that $1,000 bonus lost their jobs,” said Ray Nelson, standing on the sidewalk next to Versmesse. Working as specialist who installs AT&T U-verse and DirecTV, he said the remaining workers have had to pick up more time since the layoffs.

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