Mobilization Report

CWA Rocks the AT&T Shareholder meeting…and mobilization nationally

 Hundreds of CWA Members and Retirees attended the AT&T Shareholder meeting Friday reminding shareholders that "CWA members are the network", and sending a clear message to Randall and the Executives that we deserve a fair contract.   While approximately 125 CWA members were in the main meeting room, an addition 300 in the overflow tent, and well over 200 more on the street info picketing.  Many C&T Local Officers and members from across the country participated in today's actions.

Back at home, Locals distributed the "We are the Network" information to members.

2252 continues hourly actions & has been standing in support of a fair contract.  They are clicking for the return of suspended Local 2252 President Sean Linehan who was suspended for the concerted action in Oakton last month.

3106 Members are standing up 5 minutes every hour, making noise & wearing red.

3250 members remain active with some locations picketing daily, other do the "wave" during daily click times.

3607 sent a message to at&t during an informational picket that we here in the southern part of the country( District 3) may not be able to STRIKE at this time but we are SUPPORTING our sisters and brothers across the Nation 100%.

3902 is standing every hour. Health care day was on Monday April 20th.

4340 held a rally Thursday in conjunction with District 4 Locals, and continues to focus on safety.

4603 On a windy chilly day with rain threatening over 100 CWA members from across the State of WI gathered at the AT&T Corporate Offices in Milwaukee.   Milwaukee, Fond-du-Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton, Racine, Green Bay & Madison Locals were present, along with CWA Staff Representative Tom Verkuillen. 

District 6 Locals stepped up actions, including active and retired members attending the shareholder meeting.

7250 Had Dr/Patient healthcare day in the Minneapolis call centers, drawing attention to the refusal to bargain retiree healthcare, and the drastic "cost sharing" the company has proposed for active employees.

7750 members have been wearing RED or Union attire, (hats, shirts pins etc) daily. Black on Fridays.  Solidarity walks continue daily, with chanting. (this week the big one is: They say take backs, We say fight back)    U-N-I are not a bunch of ding-a-lings, the mobilization committee gave bells to everyone and we ring them at 10 AM, Noon & 6 PM daily.  Wednesday "quit doggin' us, give us a fair contact" an informational picket with the retirees will be held. The mobilization committee will provide a hot dog, chips and soda for all who walk the picket line.

9415 members spent their lunch break showing their solidarity against AT&T.  Their message "AT&T IS NOT GM"

13500 Continued clapping hands, clicking, making noise, every hour on the hour.

Wearing red every day.  Tuesday, April 21 -- "No Balloon day" for sales managers had to track sales manually.  Decorated the office with approximately 80 Black balloons affixed with a sign stating that "CWA wants a fair contract now"

13550 increased clicking and standing each day, Continued Practice picketing everyday at lunch. Handed informational flyers out each day of the week. Started a POD decoration contest which will be judged on 5/1 with a winner receiving gift card.

Had children of 13550 participate in clicking, standing during the Bring Your Child To Work sponsored by AT&T.  Had a rally Friday 4/24 focus on Corporate Greed and CWA Shareholder's Meeting response, members and retirees participated.   Black balloons were distributed.

13552 has been busy contacting AT&T customers including: Astra Zeneca, Bank One, Centocor, CSC (Dupont), DeLange Landen, Motorola, PJM, PECO, QVC, JP Morgan, Level 3, Sungard, Merck, Philadelphia Stock Exchange.  Local Chief Steward, Ron Jones, made follow-up calls to most of the above with the following results: JP Morgan will not let anyone in to work other than ATT technicians.  Level 3 contractors can not use our access card because you need a palm scanner to get in.

Merck will let other than an ATT technicians in only in an extreme emergency, and will hold ATT responsible if anything goes wrong. PECO will not cooperate with contractors/scabs  Others did not comment, but found the entire situation disgusting.

C&T Local Presidents have come up with actions for phase 2 of mobilization.  It is time to increase our activity & make sure every Local is participating.   A special thanks to 6215 for the use of the Union Hall, and all of the work your members (and all Locals in Dallas) put into coordinating the actions at the Shareholder meeting.

A reminder that we have added Apple stores to our list of organizing campaigns, as AT&T is the exclusive service provider for the Apple iphone.  We would like to make sure that workers at Radio Shack, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, AT&T Authorized agents, and now Apple, have the same information on how to form a Union where they work.

If you experience changes in working conditions 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 ULP's committed during bargaining.

Remember to have people sign the e-petition to AT&T by accessing www.standupforworkers.com so we can send a strong message to AT&T that corporate greed is not tolerated in the United States.

If you would like your actions to be included in the next report, or if you were accidentally omitted, please submit your report to cwainfo@gmail.com