After a month-long strike action, the agreements have been reached, and workers are anticipated to resume their jobs on Monday.
AT&T and the Communications Workers of America have released statements regarding the recent strike action.
CWA members have successfully negotiated robust tentative agreements with AT&T Southeast and AT&T West for new union contracts. These contracts were negotiated separately.
After a 30-day strike, the longest in the history of the Southeast, an agreement has finally been reached between the union members and the company. The strike, which took place across nine states, saw the union members putting pressure on the company to negotiate in good faith. As a result of this agreement, the members of the CWA will resume their scheduled shifts on Monday, September 16.
After members rejected a previous tentative agreement on September 6, an agreement has been reached at AT&T West.
CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. expressed his belief in the power of unity, acknowledging the exceptional display of unity among the members and retirees during the contract negotiations. He emphasized that their unwavering support provided the much-needed backing to the bargaining teams, enabling them to secure strong contracts. Cummings Jr. commended the remarkable determination of the striking AT&T Southeast members, highlighting their significant contribution. Furthermore, he noted that CWA members and retirees from all regions and sectors of the union actively mobilized to support the bargaining teams. This included distributing flyers containing information about the strike at AT&T Wireless stores.
The latest agreement in the Southeast region will benefit a total of 17,000 workers, including technicians, customer service representatives, and other professionals responsible for installing, maintaining, and supporting AT&T’s wireline telecommunications network for residential and business purposes. During the negotiation process, wages and healthcare costs emerged as crucial concerns, resulting in a five-year contract that addresses these issues. Notably, the agreement includes a comprehensive wage increase of 19.33% for all employees, with an additional 3% increase specifically allocated for Wire Technicians and Utility Operations. Furthermore, the contract ensures stability in healthcare premiums for the first year and introduces reductions in the second and third years, with slight monthly increments in the final two years.
Here is the re-written paragraph:
“Here is a statement from Jeff McElfresh, AT&T’s Chief Operating Officer:”
We are excited to announce that we have achieved two tentative agreements with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). In District 9 in the West, we quickly returned to the negotiating table and made constructive progress towards a new deal. In District 3 in the Southeast, the work stoppage will come to an end on September 16th. From the very beginning, our objective has been to reach fair agreements that acknowledge the dedication of our employees in serving our customers.
We strive to provide them with competitive market-based pay and benefits that are among the best in the nation, and we have successfully accomplished that goal. These agreements also reinforce our competitive position in the broadband industry, enabling us to thrive and outperform our primarily non-union competitors. We will share more details about the tentative agreements once the CWA shares them with its members, and we anticipate ratification votes taking place in the upcoming weeks.
