Members Strike Sprint-Nextel in Four States over Takeback Demands

CWA members on strike against Sprint-Nextel local phone companies in Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Indiana were reporting strong community support in their fight against major concession demands as their walkout entered the fourth week at press time.

The strike, affecting nearly 1,000 workers, began on Oct. 10 over Sprint's insistence on lifting caps on health care premiums, slashing disability benefits in half, eliminating overtime for Sunday work, weakening seniority protections, reducing paid leave time and cutting 401(k) contributions, among other issues.

At events like a recent Nextel-sponsored NASCAR race in Virginia, strikers have been taking their message to the public - amplifying the theme of CWA radio and newspaper ads - that Sprint-Nextel is turning its back on both workers and customers as it prepares to spin off its mostly-rural local phone operations next year.

"Sprint has been using local phone service as a cash cow for years, siphoning off billions of dollars to build their wireless network and purchase Nextel, and now they are abandoning rural America - but not before trying to gouge our members," said Jimmy Gurganus, CWA vice president for Telecommunications.

Sprint collected revenues of over $6 billion last year from its 7.5 million local phone customers. Much of the net profits goes back to the parent company rather than into maintaining local networks and providing high-speed Internet service for these rural areas.

The spin-off plan requires the approval of regulators in 14 states, as well as the Federal Communications Commission, and CWA is letting regulators know that it's a bad deal for customers.

By saddling the new spin-off with over $7 billion in debt and imposing other stringent terms, "They are setting up the new local holding company for failure and eventual bankruptcy, which would be devastating for our members and for the rural customers whose service is in decline already," said Gurganus.

Citizens in the strike areas seem to be getting the message, members report. "Support from the public has been great. We get lots of horn honking and a thumbs up from folks driving by the picket lines," said Local 3176 President Bob Campbell of Ocala, Fla., whose local represents about 500 Sprint workers.

Similar community backing was reported by other striking locals - Local 3871, Bluff City, Tenn., representing 300 workers; Local 3672, Hickory, N.C. representing 100, and Local 4700, Evansville, Ind., with 40 striking workers.

CWA is mounting further pressure on Sprint with a campaign to urge customers who use Sprint-Nextel wireless and long distance to switch to Cingular Wireless and AT&T. The AFL-CIO is helping promote the switch campaign through activities of central labor councils and electronic communications with union members.

Meanwhile, CWA is negotiating with Sprint on behalf of 1,300 more North Carolina workers, whose contract expires at the end of November.