AT&T Internet Services Workers Organize in Birmingham

A unit of 179 Tier 1 DSL customer support representatives at AT&T in Birmingham, Ala., joined CWA through majority card check, with results certified by the American Arbitration Association on March 24, reported District 3 Vice President Noah Savant.

The workers wanted CWA representation so they could gain the benefits and protections that some 1,800 workers who are covered under CWA's national Internet Services contract with AT&T already have. Night differentials, premium pay for Sunday work and a guaranteed wage progression were big issues for the workers who will be members of Local 3902. A new tentative agreement covering all of the workers now is being voted on by Internet Services members.  

"The local did a terrific job of helping the workers organize," said CWA Executive Vice President Jeff Rechenbach, who heads the union's Telecom Office. The Internet Services jobs are part of the nearly 5,000 outsourced jobs that AT&T is returning to the United States as part of an agreement with CWA.