German Green Party Member Gets First Hand Look at T-Mobile US Attack on Workers' Rights

In an official visit, Beate Müller Gemmeke, a member of Germany's Parliament (Bundestag), met with T-Mobile US workers who are fighting for bargaining rights at the German-owned telecom company.

Activists leaflet outside the Menaul Call Center in Albuquerque.

Below: MetroPCS and Verizon Wireless workers in New York City with ver.di and CWAers.

Müller-Gemmeke, who belongs to Germany's Green Party, and ver.di leaders Kornelia Dubbel and Ado Wilhelm traveled to New York City and Albuquerque, N.M., for a week of meetings with T-Mobile US workers who want union representation. The delegation met with CWA President Larry Cohen, and political leaders like Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) who are sympathetic to the range of issues affecting the workers.

They also met with local elected officials in both cities who support municipal legislation for flexible scheduling for workers. ver.di is the union that represents 2 million German workers, including those at Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile. Müller-Gemmeke will report on her findings to the president of Germany's Parliament.

In NYC, the Germans and CWAers got a first-hand look at organizing in the wireless industry and employer campaigns to intimidate workers who want union representation. They met with CWA members at the MetroPCS wireless store in Harlem (owned by T-Mobile US) who withstood an incredible attack campaign by their employer, voted for CWA representation and ratified their first contract in December 2014. They also met Verizon Wireless workers, including workers from six Brooklyn stores who voted for CWA representation last May.

Another stop took the delegation to an AT&T Mobility store, where workers can fairly choose union representation and nearly 100 percent of Mobility workers are CWAers.

In Albuquerque, Müller-Gemmeke had requested that Deutsche Telekom, parent company of T-Mobile US, arrange a tour for her of the call center. T-Mobile US officials denied that request. The group leafleted outside the call center, met with Albuquerque TU members, and met with community groups Olé and other organizations supporting fair scheduling for service workers.