AT&T Mobilization Report #7

Mobilization Report #7

The only thing that was quiet leading up to the tentative agreement was the communication from the Bargaining Team. 

In the field members continued to turn up the heat until the TA was announced Wednesday.

Several Locals held grievance strikes in hopes of resolving issues that otherwise could not have been heard outside of the Article 9 grievance process after our 2012 agreement expired.  While those actions are not called by the National, they are legal actions and very real strikes. 

We want to thank the entire Bargaining Team (and Support Staff in the T&T office) for all of the sacrifices they made including long days (with no overtime pay), longer nights, months away from home, many hours of research, tumultuous arguments and lots of waiting for the Company to “do the right thing”.   Thank you, thank you, thank you!

With the Mobilization cranking up last week and this week, our CWA Legacy T Bargaining Team was able to reach an agreement with the Company that the committee recommends for ratification by the Members.  

Here are some of the Local actions:

Local 1058

Officers kept Members informed about progress at the bargaining table.  Members continued to focus on providing the highest possible level of service every day.

Local 1150

Members wore red, posted signs and made noise in some locations.  Other locations focused on safety on the job and took the opportunity to review Personnel records.  Mobilizers worked in conjunction with Local 1153 to distribute literature about AT&T at several Major League Baseball games. 

Local 1153

Members remain focused on quality and safety on the job.  Mobilizers worked in conjunction with Local 1150 to distribute literature about AT&T at several Major League Baseball games. 

Local 2252

Members continue to focus on safety and quality on the job.  Wearing red, making noise and keeping members educated on the progress at the bargaining table.

Local 3108

Members were driving Management crazy with the hourly noise making leading up to the tentative agreement.   Members were using squeaky toys, rattles, clappers, maracas and anything else they could find to help draw attention.  Legacy B members were also participating in support, and in preparation for their contract expiration in August.   They will keep up the actions to build momentum for the BellSouth contract.

Local 3250

Members and Mobilizers had actions happening across all units and all states, including noise actions inside and safety checks outside.  Members can continue to submit the ATT163 forms to review Personnel records even with the Tentative Agreement. 

Local 4250

Much of the Local’s actions revolved around the TPP.  Activists rallied at 2 locations in Chicago. Flyers were distributed for our Mobility workers at their flagship store in Chicago, with another rally scheduled for next Friday.  On the job, signs supporting our Bargaining Teams (Legacy T and Midwest) were refreshed.  Members continued to show our solidarity by wearing Union clothing and red on Thursdays.

Local 4322

Members participated in a grievance strike where 100% of the members walked off the job in support of a grievance.  Grievance strikes are protected actions.  Great job!!

Local 4998

Members honored state wide grievance picket lines in Indiana under the Midwest Contract.  Way to go 4998!!  

Local 6150

Members continued to work to rule, focused on quality and safety and wearing red; job actions continued. 

Local 6215

Members participated in job actions in solidarity with Local 6150.

Local 6350

Local leaders asked Mobilizers to stand down and revert to Phase I Mobilization, while Members are going back to working voluntary overtime.  Regular mobilization, making noise, wearing red and information sharing will continue.  We are poised to kick back in HIGH GEAR if for some reason the Contract is not ratified.  CWA Local 6350's Executive Board wants to thank all its Members who held the line on NO OVERTIME and other key mobilization activities, both in the workplace and in public.  We would also like to thank our phenomenal CWA NATIONAL BARGAINING TEAM for their tenacity and strength in beating back all AT&T's horrible retrogressive proposals.  YOU ROCK!!!

Local 6450

This week Members continued to boycott all balloons.  Mobilization actions were stepped up and the Local announced to the Company that Members were going to boycott all overtime, at which time the company suddenly stopped all mandatory overtime. Members of the Lee's Summit Call Center continued to make noise in solidarity and handed out fliers regarding the Company’s loss of $25 million, due to outsourcing.  President Billy Moffett and EVP Sarah Harreus attended a radio show on Thursday, KKFI 90.1 Labor Forum, to discuss efforts at the bargaining table to get members a fair contract.  Activists attended two TPP rallies at Missouri Senator Clair McCaskills’ office in the last week and asked members to call the Senator to vote “NO” on the TPP. Several Stewards attended the Right to Work (for Less) hearing in Jefferson City, Missouri this week.  It has now passed out of the House and we are expecting Governor Jay Nixon to veto it. Local 6450 is committed to solidarity within our Local and National Union.  Thank you to the Bargaining Team for reaching a Tentative Agreement on May 13, 2015.  The Local will hold a contract interpretation meeting in the next week.  

Local 6733

Members put beans in water bottles and made noise every hour.  Things were getting REALLY loud! 

Local 7050

Members are continuing to turn in the ATT163 forms to review Personnel records.   Technicians will remain focused on safety and quality. 

Local 7250

Members walked off the job mid-day Tuesday to draw attention to an ongoing issue AT&T refuses to resolve with the most senior members in Minnesota. The grievance strikers ranged in service from 1 year to 30+ years, standing together against AT&T’s corporate greed, and asking AT&T to “do the right thing” and resolve the grievance.  Amazing work!  The Company launched an investigation of Area VP Kieran Knutson, who was one of the lead organizers of the strike, after Mike Gott and other Managers solicited complaints asking if 7250 Union members felt threatened or intimidated by the Union leaders.  Post TA, Members continue to hold a weekly informational picket on Thursday through ratification.  Technicians remain focused on quality and safety on the job.  After the TA was announced, the Mobilization Committee reverted to Phase 1 Mobilization.   Now members continue to wear red, stand and click for 2 minutes once per day, continue the daily silent walk and weekly Thursday informational pickets.     

Local 7200

One member honored the 7250 grievance strike picket line, despite management calling Local Officers to advise that failure to return to work immediately would be considered job abandonment.   Thanks Christina Hollie for your courage and amazing show of solidarity and the support you received from Local leaders.  

Local 7750

Mobilizers passed out bad ethics flyers about AT&T. Members participated in daily informational pickets, the Big Wednesday Rallies at flag pole. Members continue to wear red everyday. Red balloons are still floating in the main work area. Passed out car window shades with “CWA Local 7750” imprinted in red and members are placing them in their front windshield daily. 

Local Presidents met in Baltimore Sunday to hear details of the Tentative Agreement.   Check with your Local to find out where/how to get more information and how voting will be done in your Local.   Ratification information will be out soon.   Learn about the agreement before you vote.

Let us know what your Local is still doing and any actions that may not have been reported during Bargaining.  Send reports to cwa.mobilization@gmail.com.

Check out the Mobilization photo album here.

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