AT&T Legacy T Mobilization Report #12

For many of us, it seems like bargaining has slowed down significantly.  We haven’t seen any major movement at the bargaining table in the last couple of weeks, according to reports, and our bargaining team needs our help!

We all can do something to help change the pace of bargaining!

Members have been moving into action across the country this week.  If you haven’t been part of it, you need to get involved.  We need everyone doing something to apply pressure on the Company.

Check with your Local Mobilization Coordinators or Local Officers if you are not aware of actions in your area.

Organizing continues in full swing nationwide.  Best Buy & Radio Shack are 2 major resellers of AT&T products and services.  It is important for us to help organize workers that are doing the same work that CWA members are doing at AT&T.  It is very easy to talk to workers at major retailers.  Get together with one or more co-workers and select a store location near you.  Report your actions to the District Mobilizers below.

Check out the organizing action by Local 13550!  They have received a great response from the workers at Aegis.  Those are the kinds of actions & targets that are best identified by your Local Mobilization Committee.  Make sure you send in your reports & pictures if you have them.

We have also begun distributing information publicly in our communities.  California made plans for handbilling the American Idol finals, which are sponsored by AT&T.  Locals have already been to Golf Tournaments, Major League Baseball Games, Street Festivals, Outdoor Concerts, Summer Fairs, Farmers Markets, etc.

Anywhere people are gathered, we should be there informing the public about AT&T’s attack on good middle class jobs, and their refusal to help rebuild the nation’s economy by bringing work back to the United States.  (It doesn’t have to be an AT&T-sponsored event.)

This Memorial Day Weekend will be a great opportunity to leaflet parades and events about Corporate Greed at AT&T & Verizon.

Our collective action inside and outside the Company is the only way to maintain affordable healthcare and get the fair and equitable contract we all need and deserve.

CWA Members continue to apply pressure inside as well.  Many Locals have stepped up actions.  If yours hasn’t, what are you waiting for?  If you need ideas, have your Local President talk with a Mobilization Coordinator.  (Because actions have been escalating, not all actions are reportable).  You can also take a look below.

If you are not currently involved in Local Union activities, it is not too late.  Call your Local Union office or talk to a Steward or Officer in your area to see how you can help.

It is your future and your family's livelihoods that are under attack.

Here are this week's reportable actions:

Local 1051 members are wearing RED Thursdays & BLACK Fridays in solidarity.  They continued with their organizing drive that started last week at Radio Shack and expanded to Best Buy this week.

Local 1150 continues daily stands and noisemaking; also 6 members participated in the organizing actions at Radio Shack, Best Buy and Apple.

Local 1152 members continue solidarity actions including mass walk-ins, daily stands, increasing noise levels, & weekly rallies.  Activists began a letter-writing campaign, and Local members and Organizers continued the campaign at Best Buy and Radio Shack.

Local 1153 members participate in weekly rallies on Wednesdays, wearing RED Thursdays & BLACK Fridays.  Activists participate in the organizing campaign at local retailers.

Local 2204 passed out flyers to all members, and members are wearing red shirts.  They are sending messages to AT&T local management with signs in their car windows.

Local 2252 continues its inside actions.  Members and Activists also participate in the organizing drives at local retailers.  Thanks again to member Tommy Martinez, who has provided fabulous flyers to the National and T&T mobilization teams; many have been distributed to the Locals.  Awesome work, Tommy!  We appreciate your assistance & dedication!

Local 3106 members have been busy organizing Radio Shacks & Best Buy stores in their areas.

Local 3108 began their organizing drive this week at Best Buy.  Activists also leafleted the public regarding AT&T’s corporate greed.  Inside actions continue.

Local 3207 members and activists continue to organize retail stores that sell AT&T products and services.  This week they expanded the campaign to include Costco and WalMart.  Members continue to wear red, stand up at 11am and 2pm every day, have balloons in the locker rooms, leave locker doors open, and take health breaks on Friday.  Ten members of the Local were term completed Friday. 

Local 3250 had demonstrations against AT&T’s Corporate Greed popping up at many locations across their 7 states, which received much support from the community.  Their organizing drive at local retailers expanded to include additional stores that sell AT&T products and services.

Local 4050/4090 activists continued with the organizing drive at Radio Shack and Best Buy.  Inside actions continue.

Locals 4250 & 4252 members and mobilizers campaign to organize workers at Best Buy and Radio Shack continues.   

Local 4320’s aggressive organizing plan that was laid out last week for the Columbus area has been followed and expanded.  Inside actions continue.  Members attending the CWA Young Worker Conference joined members of CWA Local 7250 in Minneapolis for their weekly rally against corporate greed at AT&T.

Local 6143 began their organizing drive at retailers that sell AT&T, like Best Buy.  Local 6143 reported having rallies outside the AT&T building; they have had RED shirts made up that say "Fighting for the American Dream" for Thursdays and continue to wear BLACK on Fridays.

Local 6201 has daily actions happening in their work locations, including walking in together while chanting “What do we want?  A Contract.  When do we want it?  NOW”.  Members continue to wear armbands, RED Thursdays & Black Fridays, among other actions.  Customer service remains the focus with every interaction with each customer.  Activists keep members informed on what is (or isn’t) happening at the bargaining table, and send a strong message to the Company’s bargaining team that 6201 is committed to staying active in mobilization until we have a fair contract.  Organizing Best Buy and other retailers has started, with participation growing. 

Local 6350 continued to make noise this week.  Members held a rally and demonstration at 8AM Thursday.  Weekly rallies will continue at varied times until a settlement is reached.  Members continue inside actions including wearing RED Thursdays & BLACK Fridays.  The organizing effort at Best Buy and Radio Shack continued with the members from Local 6300 and will be expanded to other retailers in the future.  

Local 6450 continue inside actions, including wearing RED Thursdays, BLACK Fridays & making noise to let the Company know that no one is happy.  Mobilization continues in the workplace, online through social media and via the website.  Support from Local Elected Officials has increased, and 6450 has been invited again this year to the Emmanuel Cleaver Democratic BBQ.  Saturday evening a few members, about five hundred Democrats, party activists, and office holders gathered in Kansas City for the Jackson County Democratic Committee's Truman Days gala dinner.  Speakers included Jackson County Executive (and Missouri Democratic Party Chair) Mike Sanders, Representative Emanuel Cleaver, Senator Claire McCaskill, and keynote speaker former Virginia Governor (and current U.S. Senate candidate) Tim Kaine.  The organizing work at retailers like Best Buy and other stores continues.

Local 7050 activists distribute information to keep members informed.  They continue with the organizing drive at Best Buy and Radio Shack.  Members provide the highest quality of work to our customers daily.

Local 7250 held their weekly lunchtime rally Thursday.  It was joined by members from Locals 4320, 6360 & 9003, who were also attending the CWA Young Worker Conference in Minneapolis.  Members continue the organizing campaign at Best Buy and Radio Shack.  Inside actions continued with a daily stand and walk around the office 3 times daily.  Handmade signs are posted at most members’ desks with messages to the Company about the contract including WTF buttons, stickers and signs.

Local 7601 started their organizing drive at Radio Shack, and will continue working on that project. 

Local 7750 inside actions continue.  Flagpole rallies are held weekly.  Members continue with organizing at retailers that sell AT&T products and services.

Local 13550 activists participated in organizing events this week, including a visit to a vendor in West Virginia where over 200 flyers were distributed to workers at that location.  This action was very important because the vendor does much of AT&T’s contracted customer service work that used to be done by CWA members across in our CSSS titles.  Local Mobilizers passed out purple “WTF – Where’s the Fairness” flags to all members, and everyone hung one in their POD.  Members continued inside actions, including adding "Fighting for the American Dream" as a signature line on emails and audix messages; health break action each day; “forgetting” all login information and AT&T badges on Friday; wearing WTF buttons daily, “Fighting for the American Dream” T-Shirts, RED Thursday, BLACK Friday.

Local 13552 has everyone wearing RED on Thursdays and Black on Fridays.

AT&T IN THE YEAR 2012

I think that I shall never see
A company that’s greedy as AT&T.

A company with such corporate wealth,
But they try to hide it like a sly flying stealth.

Occupational employees belong to CWA,
A Union that protects from being screwed and led astray.

Upper management decisions keep emotions abuzz,
But the Company exists because of workers like us.

You lay off our members to save money, you say,
But your corporate sponsorships seem to be here to stay.

You outsource our jobs and send them overseas.
It’s not fair and we deserve them; return them home, please.

Cutting our workforce creates a big mess,
Our health falls apart because of the stress.

If CWA members were treated with respect and care,
Maybe our health wouldn’t be in such disrepair.

We deserve to be paid for sick time, you see.
We earned it earlier; we shouldn’t have to plea.

Union members are here to stay,
We go to work and we earn our pay.

AT&T, we’re tired of your game,
Sit down to the table and don’t be so lame.

The American Dream and a fair contract,
Can’t happy employees be a part of the pact?

Bargain, bargain, bargain please,
Stop dragging it out and being a tease.

AT&T don’t you realize it yet?
CWA employees are you best asset.

~ A poem by Local 6450 Member Pam Groszek

All members should continue to work safely and provide the outstanding quality that CWA members are known for.  If you witness any unsafe working conditions or OSHA violations, report them to your Local Stewards or Officers.  You can also contact OSHA directly and then notify your Local Union.  Make sure your safety and protective gear is functioning properly.

We need you to apply public pressure to help move the bargaining table.  If your Local mobilization committee is unsure what type of actions you should be doing, please contact your District Mobilization Coordinator listed below.

Nationwide actions continue this weekend:  If your Local Mobilization Committee hasn’t contacted you… why don’t you ask them how you can participate?

If you experience a change in working conditions, please report them to your Local Officers or Stewards and bbates@cwa-union.org.  Also report all violations of our right to concerted actions to bbates@cwa-union.org and your District or Sector Staff.  You will likely be directed to file charges against the Company for violating our right to participate in concerted activities.

Mobilization reports and pictures should be sent to your District Mobilization Coordinator.  If your Local President and Local Mobilization Coordinator have not been receiving flyers or information, please let us know.

Send pictures and mobilization reports to your mobilization coordinators:
D1 Chris Wise christopherjwise1@gmail.com
D2/13 Mary Lou Schaffer marylouschaffer@msn.com
D3 Glenda Poindexter gotorganize@gmail.com
D4 Dave Skotarczyk davecwa@sbcglobal.net
D6 Sarah Harreus sharreus@sbcglobal.net
D7/D9 Shari Wojtowicz whatawitch@hotmail.com
Staff Rep Jim Cosgrove jcosgrove@cwa-union.org 

Mobilization Coordinators: If you are unsure what to do during Mobilization Phase 3, please contact your District Coordinator above.

If you have any problems or questions, call your District Staff person or the National T&T Office.

"If you ever get to the place where injustice doesn't bother you, you're dead." -Myles Horton, American Educator, Civil Rights Activist and Union Organizer

Stand Strong.  Stay Mobilized.

36 Reasons Why You Should Thank a Union:

Weekends
All Breaks at Work, including your Lunch Breaks
Paid Vacation
FMLA
Sick Leave
Social Security
Minimum Wage
Civil Rights Act/Title VII (Prohibits Employer Discrimination)
8-Hour Work Day
Overtime Pay
Child Labor Laws
Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA)
40 Hour Work Week
Worker's Compensation (Worker's Comp)
Unemployment Insurance
Pensions
Workplace Safety Standards and Regulations
Employer Health Care Insurance
Collective Bargaining Rights for Employees
Wrongful Termination Laws
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
Whistleblower Protection Laws
Employee Polygraph Protect Act (Prohibits Employer from using a lie detector test on an employee)
Veterans’ Employment and Training Services (VETS)
Compensation increases and Evaluations (Raises)
Sexual Harassment Laws
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
Holiday Pay
Employer Dental, Life, and Vision Insurance
Privacy Rights
Pregnancy and Parental Leave
Military Leave
The Right to Strike
Public Education for Children
Equal Pay Acts of 1963 & 2011 (Requires employers pay men and women equally for the same amount of work)
Laws Ending Sweatshops in the United States