Groundbreaking Pact Brings Back AT&T Jobs

It's estimated that as many as 400,000 customer service jobs have been sent overseas since 2000, yet CWA has been doing its part to reverse that trend, starting at AT&T. Like many other corporations, AT&T had been having Tier I Internet and DSL support conducted by workers in foreign countries. Now the work is coming back to the United States — to CWA members — thanks to a groundbreaking agreement with the company in 2006.  

AT&T has agreed to bring back 2,000 to 3,000 jobs as part of the agreement, and, so far this year, it has announced seven new call centers that will employ more than 2,000 workers when fully staffed. Already, a new customer care center in El Paso, Texas, is now up and running, and hiring is underway for centers in Indianapolis, Ind., Jacksonville, Fl., Louisville, Ky., and Shreveport, La. In late 2007 and early 2008 additional centers are scheduled to open in Las Vegas and Reno.

"Being able to reverse just some of the flow of jobs out of the United States is a tremendous achievement," said CWA Executive Vice President Jeff Rechenbach, who heads up CWA's Telecom Office. "Our goal is quality jobs and quality customer service and this agreement sets an example other corporations should follow," he added. "It's certainly clear that the public is concerned over the loss of jobs overseas and is fed up with the foreign-based customer support we've been getting."

In July, CWA and the company held a ribbon cutting at the new center in Indianapolis, which will employ 435 CWA-represented workers. "A lot of the workers are very young and without union experience, but nearly all of them have been eager to join up," said CWA Local 4900 President Kurt Shrum. "The company can't get people hired quickly enough," he said.

In Indiana, CWA was instrumental in the passage of legislation that provides tax incentives to companies that keep telecom jobs in the state. The measure was a major factor in AT&T's decision to locate the center in Indianapolis. Just recently, the company also announced it will be opening a new AT&T Wireless call center in Evansville employing 500 employees.

Workers have also been eager to apply for positions at AT&T's call center in El Paso, which will eventually employ more than 400. "We're excited that these jobs are being returned," said CWA District 6 Vice President Andy Milburn. "If companies want to provide a decent service to U.S. consumers they should hire American workers."