T-Mobile Downsizing Call Centers at High Cost to Families and Communities

DOJ Actions Hurting Workers Across the Country

Washington, D.C.—Events in Oakland, Maine last week focused attention on the dramatic downsizing of jobs at T-Mobile U.S.A. call centers across the country, the Communications Workers of America said today. These job losses come at the wrong time for American workers in these tough economic times.

According to T-Mobile employees, in 2009, the Oakland, Maine call center had almost 800 workers; today employees report the number at fewer than 400. This is a trend that has been reported by employees at T-Mobile call centers across the nation.

• Wichita, KS, last year, there were nearly 600 employees, now only 285 remain on the job;
• Lenexa, KS, last year, there were nearly 650 employees, now just 377 remain on the job;
• Redmond, OR, last year, there were over 450 employees now just over 300 remain on the job;
• Frisco, TX, six months ago there were 800 workers, now fewer than 700 remain on the job; and
• Chattanooga,TN, six months ago there were 600 employees, now just 450 remain on the job.

“Job losses at T-Mobile are the result of Deutsche Telekom’s decision to stop investing in the US. The Department of Justice must move to settle its suit quickly, so the benefits of the AT&T/T-Mobile merger can be realized. AT&T promised job stability and a return of 5,000 jobs from overseas and also committed to an $8 billion build-out to reach 98 percent of Americans, furthering the Obama administration’s goal of high speed wireless access for all.” said George Kohl, Senior Director at the Communications Workers of America.

A red flag was raised earlier this year for T-Mobile’s ability to exist as a stand alone company when Philipp Humm, CEO T-Mobile USA, stated in testimony before the House Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Subcommittee that "T-Mobile's parent Deutsche Telekom is not in a position to finance the necessary large scale investments in the U.S. for T-Mobile to remain competitive."

T-Mobile is up for sale and AT&T made an offer to purchase with a guarantee of job security for all current call center workers after the merger was approved, while also bringing back 5,000 call center jobs from overseas. However, the Department of Justice is suing to block the sale, which will delay much needed job security for current T-Mobile call center workers. Deutsche Telekom, the German parent company of T-Mobile USA, has made it unambiguously clear that they are withdrawing from the U.S. market at the cost of over 40,000 jobs if the merger with AT&T does not go through.