Bargaining and Mobilization Update

AT&T Southeast

This week, CWA members at AT&T Southeast's BellSouth, Utilities and Billing units ratified five-year agreements covering 20,000 workers. The agreements were reached in August after a historic four-day unfair labor practice strike.

The new agreements provide wage increases of 13.25% over the life of the contracts, pension and 401(k) plan enhancements, improved job security, and additional customer service positions. There will be no increase in the health care cost sharing percentage for the life of the contract and employees will now have the ability to contribute to a Health Savings Account via payroll deduction.

"CWA members in the Southeast were united behind our bargaining team," said CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt. "We were able to negotiate substantial improvements to our contracts because our members were truly willing to do whatever it took – including going on strike to protest the Company's unfair labor practices – in order for us to reach a fair agreement."

AT&T Southeast CWA members stood strong on the picket lines to reach a fair agreement with the company.

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Nokia

In his joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö this week, President Trump mentioned Nokia, calling it a "great company," and making it sound like Nokia is creating U.S. jobs. In reality, while Nokia wants access to lucrative 5G business opportunities in the United States as well as taxpayer-funded government contracts, the company is currently trying to eliminate all of its CWA-represented U.S. telecommunications installers by offshoring good jobs and terminating its highly-skilled U.S. workforce. These actions will cause U.S. workers to lose their jobs and place the health and security of tens of thousands of retirees at risk.

"Trump's comments about Nokia could not be more wrong about what Nokia is doing to U.S. jobs. Trump should listen to the CWA members who've been in bargaining for over a year with Nokia who are urging the company to bargain a fair deal that allows the company to invest in our communities, keep its long-standing installer workforce, and maintain quality of service for customers, and he should tell Nokia to do the right thing for U.S. workers." said CWA Telecommunications & Technologies Vice President Lisa Bolton.