CWA Takes Fight for Fairness at AT&T to Elected Officials

CWA's campaign for fairness at AT&T garnered support from dozens of elected officials during a bargaining update meeting hosted by CWA and the Alameda County Central Labor Council.

CWAers are taking AT&T mobilization to the next stage with a campaign that calls on members of Congress and elected officials at every level to support AT&T employees in the fight for fair contracts.  

CWA members have been e-mailing and calling members of Congress, urging them to contact AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson and ask him to rethink his company's campaign to cut workers' standard of living and shift even more health care costs to employees and retirees.

AT&T already is getting the message.

In her letter to Stephenson, Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) urged the company to "conclude negotiations quickly, with a fair and equitable agreement." She also noted that AT&T has been profitable over the last year and that "California consumers hope and expect that profitable companies will treat their employees fairly."

Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-Calif.) reminded Stephenson that the contributions of employees across the country are a major part of the company's continued success. In California, we "expect that these workers will be treated fairly. This includes maintaining the health benefits for employees and retirees that are essential to their families and futures." 

Go to http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/triplehealthcare/iknk5zh7x7dnnn? to send your member of Congress a message asking for support for CWA bargaining at AT&T.

Members of CWA Local 1051 show their support for bargaining.

CWA and AT&T have negotiated path-breaking health care agreements for more than 20 years, said CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill. "Now isn't the time for a financially successful company to try and cut working families' standard of living. Instead, AT&T should continue to work with us for real health care reform as well as sustainable AT&T health care benefits," she said.

Next week, at rallies in a dozen or more communities, CWAers will deliver nearly 90,000 petitions to AT&T locations. The petitions have been sent by activists and average citizens concerned about corporate greed through CWA's online advertising campaign and by CWA union members and supporters. The petitions call on AT&T to not copy the worst of Wall Street behavior and to support the employees who make the company so successful.

There's still time to add your voice at www.standupforworkers.com.

The campaign also is building support from local, state and county elected officials nationwide. A briefing on the negotiations hosted by CWA and the Alameda County, Calif., Central Labor Council for elected officials drew lots of support. The meeting included at least 70 participants, including mayors, city council members, university trustees and members of the Interfaith organization and religious community.

Members from several CWA locals attended and gave personal testimony about the impact AT&T bargaining proposals would have on their lives.

"It was a great meeting and we are confident that Alameda County elected officials and the Alameda County Intefaith Community understand what's at stake for us, and that we can count on their support," said CWA District 9 Vice President Jim Weitkamp.

In Grand Rapids, Mich., CWAers rallied outside the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum to get the attention of Congressman Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.) who was speaking at the museum as part of a town hall meeting.  

Members of Local 4603 hold night vigil informational picketing outside AT&T's corporate office in Milwaukee, Wis.

CWAers have been rallying in D4 states every week; recently hundreds of AT&T workers, members of CWA Local 4108, held a night rally and march in Saginaw to build even more public support for workers’ fair contract fight.

CWA locals in District 4 also have a letter-to-the-editor campaign underway, with members submitting letters to newspapers district-wide on AT&t’s attempt to cut workers’ standard of living.

For a full roundup of the continuing AT&T mobilization actions, go to ga.cwa-union.org/att.