Global Unions Take on T-Mobile: 'The World is Watching'

The global union movement has joined with CWA and ver.di, the union representing German workers at T-Mobile and parent company Deutsche Telekom, to press DT to end its double standard of supporting workers' rights in Europe but completely opposing them in the United States.

CWA and ver.di formed TU, a bold and innovative global union, that represents T-Mobile workers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Now, the International Trade Union Confederation is launching a major global campaign telling DT that "We Expect Better." The ITUC is working with CWA and ver.di, to persuade Deutsche Telekom that it must allow T-Mobile USA workers the right to join a union if they choose. ITUC members are the labor federations in nearly every country, including the AFL-CIO. The ITUC represents about 150 million workers worldwide.

Deutsche Telekom has repeatedly refused to stop the anti-union campaign being waged by T-Mobile USA. "We expect better from Deutsche Telekom," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. "With operations in some 50 countries, it has established union relations with much of its workforce. However, in the USA in particular, the company massively violates its responsibility to be neutral towards trade unions, and tries to keep unions out of its workplaces. We're simply asking Deutsche Telekom to respect fundamental rights for all those who work for it around the world, in line with international legal standards." In the United States, billboards and other public advertising with the "We Expect Better" message are going up in several cities where T-Mobile USA operates, including Richmond, Va., Allentown, Penn., Salem, Ore., Thornton, Colo., and more to come.

The message to the company, being sent in English and German is T-Mobile: We Expect Better. You can follow the campaign on twitter @realtmobile and on Facebook at loweringthebar.