Mobilization Report

As we end our 2nd month without a contract, the Company is slow at bargaining; members are quick to mobilize…

2252's Richmond, VA location has held an informational picket and rally every Wednesday for the past month.  Members and mobilizers continue inside actions including standing & clicking.

3150 members in Puerto Rico continue to mobilize with the support of other Unionists in San Juan.

3902 members are standing every hour, wear black on Tuesday and red on Thursday.  They have mini informational picket signs at their cubicles showing solidarity.

4320 built large wooden signs with different slogans on them; they drive them through the city in pickup trucks and park them at at&t locations during prime lunch hours.  They are welcoming the visitors to the Memorial Golf Tournament which started Thursday.  One of the signs says "AT&T Sponsors EVERYTHING EXCEPT THEIR EMPLOYEES".  They think this is a good one since the Company is sponsoring Tiger Woods.  The members in the Call Center in Reynoldsburg continue taking a stand every hour, and brought in black balloons because they are still in mourning over not having a contract.  Pickets continue at garage locations, the downtown complex locations, and the Call Center in Reynoldsburg.  Thursday was Family Picketing Day, which went well despite the rain.  They hold a weekly contest to see which location has the most pickets during the week, and a separate contest for the best picket sign.  They have also ordered magnetic "bumper stickers" that say "AT&T...STOP THE ATTACK ON MIDDLE CLASS JOBS."  Their members are wearing a rubber "Randall the Rat" with a miniature copy of our contract in its mouth.  Some members wear them as a necklace since they are allowed to wear jewelry.

6150 has started mobilization for the Retirees by forwarding an example letter for them to send to their State/Congress Representative(s) to put pressure on Randall Stephenson to work with CWA to get a fair contract.  At the monthly meeting for the Retirees in Dallas, copies of the letter will be passed out to members.  Since not all Retirees attend the meetings, they will also be receiving the forwarded letter by email.

6450's Secretary-Treasurer secured another letter for CEO Stephenson from Congressmen Ike Skelton!  Last Saturday, May 30, approximately 20 CWA'ers and staff from 6450 & 6327 attended a barbeque at the home of Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.  They thanked him again for the letter they had already obtained from him to Stephenson, as well as for being one of the original co-sponsors of EFCA.  On Monday, thank-you letters were sent to all legislators who mailed letters to Stephenson on our behalf: Cleaver, Clay, Kander, Carnahan, Skelton, LeVota, and Moore.  Members are staying strong with internal mobilization with decorated desks, union attire, standing & clicking.  6450 members are prepared for Destruction Day activities!

7250 had over 50 members gather for an ergonomic stretch break Thursday, where they walked through the office with noisemakers.  During Thursday's lunchtime info picket, members walked to the busy mall and past the CBS television station with signs (pointing out AT&T's corporate greed) during the Noon local news broadcast.  Once again, their weekly picket included labor support, and another visit from DFL Gubernatorial candidate Matt Entenza.  Commitments were received from several legislators to send a letter to Randall Stephenson, though no copies have been received yet.  Members continue daily mobilization actions, including standing hourly and clicking in support of a fair contract with quality affordable healthcare.

7750 mailed the letters written to President Obama asking for his assistance in getting a fair contract for the middle class working families at AT&T on Friday May 29th.  They continue to wear Red, Black or Union daily to let management know they won't stop till we have a fair contract.  The buddy walks and hourly Ergonomic stretch breaks continue; the "silence" is growing as more brothers and sisters step into action.  They held another informational picket Wednesday with their retirees, and the mobilization committee was hard at work coming up with new ideas for our members.  Their flyers this week say, "THEN DON'T WALK If you like this", with a list of what management wants to change in the contract.

9415 has been concentrating on the mobilization.  Hundreds(!) of CWA members joined members of more than a dozen other unions for a big AT&T support rally yesterday in downtown Oakland.  CWA members assembled in front of City Hall and displayed signs and banners along Oakland's busiest street as the commuters, buses, and trucks honked their support.  They marched to the AT&T facility on Franklin Street, where they paused to send their message to the AT&T managers inside:  no contract, no peace!  The march continued to the plaza in front of the State Building for a very spirited rally, with other northern California unions joining in to express anger at AT&T's greed and intransigence.  Members of Locals 9400, 9404, 9408, 9410, 9412, 9415, 9417, 9421, 9431, and 9432 turned out, as did our brothers and sisters from AFA and TNG, along with a large and enthusiastic group of District 9 retirees.  Randall the Rat&t and the Corporate Greed Puppet also made an appearance.  We actually got press coverage, and the event was a HUGE success.  We have ongoing events in both Pleasanton and Sacramento locations. 

Vice President Ralph Maly stressed, during the Presidents conference call this week, that AT&T has offered little more than retrogressions at the bargaining table (high healthcare deductibles, high employee premiums, decreases in sick pay, vacation & Alliance funding just to name a few):

"EVERY member and retiree that is not willing to accept that offer needs to get up and do SOMETHING to make a difference this round of bargaining.  AT&T is attacking your family, and threatening your family's standard of living."

EVERYONE should be angry.  Everyone should be active. There are many different types of actions CWA is taking around the country.  Ask your Local Steward or Officer what you can do. 

Every location has something planned for Destruction Day, June 6th.  Make sure reports and pictures come in!  (Some pictures may not be able to be posted due to the drastic nature of some of the events.)

If you experience changes in working conditions (i.e. change in office policies; Company refusing to pay for sick time per the contract) or any other Unfair Labor Practice, make sure to get specifics to bbates@cwa-union.org.  He is working with CWA Legal to keep track of the ULPs committed during bargaining.  Locals should be filing charges with the National Labor Relations Board.

Our organizing drives at Apple, AT&T Authorized Agents, Best Buy, Radio Shack, and Wal-Mart continue.  We want ALL of the workers who sell our products and services to have the same rights and working conditions that CWA negotiates for us on the job.

CWA members pride themselves on performing quality work safely.  If you experience unsafe working conditions, please be sure to report them to your Local Steward or Officer.  You can also contact OSHA directly, then notify your Local Union.  Make sure your safety and protective gear is functioning properly. 

Stay Strong; Stay Mobilized.