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CWA, AT&T Open National Talks
As CWA began national negotiations with AT&T on March 11 in Washington, D.C., CWA locals representing AT&T members were "practice picketing," sending the message that keeping quality jobs at the company is critical for workers and customers.
CWA Vice President Ralph Maly told AT&T negotiators that the union was prepared to bargain "24 hours a day, seven days a week to get the contract our members deserve." The contract covering 28,000 AT&T workers expires May 11.
CWA's bargaining goals include access for members to jobs in the growth areas of the company, improvements in retirement security, maintaining quality health care, improved working conditions for customer service representatives and the ability for workers to make a fair choice about union representation.
From Pleasanton, Calif., to El Paso, Tex., to Pittsburgh, Pa., AT&T members picketed company locations, to let the public know that AT&T's pattern of slashing jobs and contracting out work is jeopardizing the quality service customers want. In El Paso, members of Local 6733 told AT&T that "we're ready and willing to fight for our jobs." Late last year, AT&T shut down a call center in San Antonio, putting 600 people out of work and closing one of only two Spanish-language centers.
Separately, CWA President Morton Bahr is pressing members of Congress to investigate AT&T's hiring of Indian nationals as potential strikebreakers for possible violations of immigration law. AT&T has recruited hundreds of foreign nationals and is training them in network provisioning and maintenance, but claims the workers would be a contingency force used only in case of a strike.
CWA Vice President Ralph Maly told AT&T negotiators that the union was prepared to bargain "24 hours a day, seven days a week to get the contract our members deserve." The contract covering 28,000 AT&T workers expires May 11.
CWA's bargaining goals include access for members to jobs in the growth areas of the company, improvements in retirement security, maintaining quality health care, improved working conditions for customer service representatives and the ability for workers to make a fair choice about union representation.
From Pleasanton, Calif., to El Paso, Tex., to Pittsburgh, Pa., AT&T members picketed company locations, to let the public know that AT&T's pattern of slashing jobs and contracting out work is jeopardizing the quality service customers want. In El Paso, members of Local 6733 told AT&T that "we're ready and willing to fight for our jobs." Late last year, AT&T shut down a call center in San Antonio, putting 600 people out of work and closing one of only two Spanish-language centers.
Separately, CWA President Morton Bahr is pressing members of Congress to investigate AT&T's hiring of Indian nationals as potential strikebreakers for possible violations of immigration law. AT&T has recruited hundreds of foreign nationals and is training them in network provisioning and maintenance, but claims the workers would be a contingency force used only in case of a strike.