AT&T Legacy T Mobilization Report #13

Week 8 working without a contract has many Locals and members heating up mobilization inside work locations & also in the public's eye.  

We all can do something to help change the pace of bargaining!  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 to find out what you can do!

Members continue to move into action across all states as we bring our campaigns against AT&T's corporate greed into more community events.  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.)

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.

Here are some of the reportable actions from around the country:

Local 1152 held a rally before work; they distributed flyers about Healthcare Day and the importance of filling out the post card.  Members continue other inside and outside actions.

Local 2204 members are continuing to wear RED shirts. 

Local 2252 passed out the Healthcare Action flyer to all members and encouraged their participation on the website for healthcare feedback from members, family and friends.  They continued noise activity levels within the office and wearing RED.

Local 3250 members had previously called OSHA over some concerns that could impact our members’ health.  Mobilization continues around that issue; an OSHA hearing has been scheduled.  Members stand strong with mobilization, held rallies at 2 buildings on Thursday, and participated in National Healthcare Day.

Local 3902 has been standing every hour for 10 minutes, leafleting, and participated in healthcare day.

Local 4050/4090 members have continued on-job and public actions keeping AT&T's Corporate greed in the forefront.  Organizing drives continue throughout Michigan.

Local 4250 members and retirees participated in a rally this week around healthcare.  Activists continue with organizing drives in the greater Chicago area.

Local 4252 wore RED Thursday and BLACK Friday, with a group of members that are wearing RED and/or bracelets every day.  The healthcare flyer was distributed along with packages including "Affordable Healthcare under AT&T's plan" containing a q-tip, cotton ball, aspirin, and band-aid.  Activists continue to sign up for organizing at Best Buy.

Local 6201 continues daily walk-ins together in unity at the start of the day, followed by chanting and tapping actions.  Members wear RED Thursdays, BLACK Fridays, RED armbands and Where's The Fairness stickers daily.  The highest level of service is provided to every customer.

Local 6350 had healthcare day on Wednesday & distributed the healthcare flyer.  Thursday brought the weekly informational picket in front of the building, which was joined by Occupy St. Louis and other members of the community.  Members are wearing RED Thursdays and BLACK Fridays.  Activists also continued the organizing drive at several area retailers including Best Buy and Apple.  

Local 6450 members participated in "Spirit Week".  Members were notified that upper management would be visiting the center.  Monday members wore blue shirts, because they are blue without a contract.  Tuesday they were asked to "Dress for Success"; members showed up to work in Pajamas!  Managers were very upset over this action, as they were expecting people to be dressed professionally!  Wednesday members wore scrubs, mobilizers passed out masks, band-aids, and fliers for Healthcare day.  Managers tore down the Where's The Fairness signs, “Impeach Stephenson”, and other red flyers that members had posted at their desks.  Thursday members participated in a rally where the Local served hot dogs for lunch, and Friday members wore BLACK.   Local activists continued the organizing drive at retailers in several cities over the weekend.

Local 7050 members received National Healthcare information.  They remain focused on high quality and customer service with customers.

Local 7250 filed NLRB charges against the Company for interfering in concerted actions.  An unknown number of members from the credit and collections center in Minneapolis were called into meetings and threatened with discipline up to and including termination if they continued to participate in mobilization actions.  This was the 2^nd attempt to silence activists from the escalating actions in the call center; the first was prior to contract expiration.  What started for weeks as silent 5-minute stands three times each day holding signs in support of negotiations was escalated to include walk-arounds in the interior perimeter, and again escalated to include mini-rallies in the elevator banks including chanting, clicking, and other noisemaking.  Local 7250 members obviously got to the Company, because management has now attempted to squash all actions again.  5-10 members continue with silent office walks 3 times daily with tape over their mouths, while others stand in solidarity at their desks.  The Outside Plant workers continue to focus on safety and quality.  The membership was proud to receive a shout-out in a mobilization text last week!  Members have been moved into other actions and will continue to show support for contract negotiations.  Organizing drives at local retailers continue throughout the week. 

Local 9415 members in Pleasanton mobilize by standing up in the workplace in solidarity, letting management know they are CWA and won't settle for anything but a fair and just Contract.

Local 13500 members continued to make noise every hour on the hour and continued to take Health Care breaks on Friday.

Local 13550 mobilizers passed out flyers to the membership for Healthcare Action Day, and communicated the importance of going to the website to fill out the postcard telling AT&T how important Healthcare is for our members.  Friday “We built it – You broke it” flyers were distributed and members wore black T-shirts with that design.  The campaign to add "Fighting for the American Dream" as a signature line on emails and audix messages continued.  Members participated in health break action each day and continually increase the noise levels in the office.

Local 13552 has everyone wearing RED Thursday and BLACK Friday.

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 to 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.

Stand Strong.  Stay Mobilized.