T-Mobile USA Techs Ratify First-in-USA Contract

Ver.di leaders joined the CWA-TU bargaining team.

Technicians at T-Mobile USA in Connecticut have ratified a first-ever contract with management that provides for a grievance and arbitration process, just cause, a ban on contracting out technician work and strong language prohibiting management discrimination against the unionized Connecticut techs in terms of wages, benefits and working conditions.

The tough negotiations covering the unit of 16 technicians lasted nearly a year. At several sessions, leaders from ver.di, the union that represents Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile workers in Germany joined the CWA-TU negotiating team. They expressed disbelief over the tactics of the union avoidance attorneys hired by T-Mobile USA management to stall the negotiations. 

At bargaining in July, Lothar Schröder noted that, "it had not been possible to reach an agreement regarding even the simplest things such as the installation of a bulletin board for union information or the provision of the technicians with the tools necessary for their work. The expensive attorney (management has hired) likely had cost Deutsche Telekom more money than all the demands CWA has been bargaining for. This borders on the absurd."  

T-Mobile USA workers will continue to work together, with CWA and ver.di, to win bargaining rights and a union voice in the U.S., and to move T-Mobile from its use of fear and intimidation in the workplace.