AT&T District 9 Members Ask: Where's the Fairness?

CWA AT&T members in California and Nevada have a simple question for management: "Where's the Fairness?"

As bargaining for a new contract covering 18,000 workers at AT&T West continues, CWAers are taking that message everywhere. "This simple, direct question is not just a slogan. It is a collective question by workers to their employer. Workers who know they can't get answers to questions like this unless they ask in unison," said CWA District 9 Vice President Jim Weitkamp.

For a while, management wasn't sure what to do about it. When premise and U-Verse technicians from garages throughout the state wore the stickers, management in Reno, Sacramento and San Jose sent some workers home, though workers in other location went about their normal schedule. As other technicians and workers joined in solidarity, management seemed "to be in complete disarray," the district said. Customer service representatives in some locations were told they couldn't wear the stickers, others heard nothing from supervisors.

Here's a video of members of Local 9423 talking about their actions.

"We will continue on the offensive until justice is achieved. The simple equation is this: our labor, delivered peacefully, for fair compensation, working conditions and dignity in the workplace. This is why we fight, and this is why we don't give up," Weitkamp said.

In a separate AT&T development, CWA Vice President Ralph Maly, telecommunications and technologies, will speak to shareholders at the company's annual meeting on April 27 in Salt Lake City.