New York City MetroPCS Workers Vote to Join CWA

From left, Julian Gonzalez, Dany Cardenas and Stephen Arnaud celebrate their union election win at the MetroPCS store in Harlem.

Below: Yesenia Cabrera shows her support for a union voice.

New York City retail store employees at a MetroPCS store in Harlem voted Wednesday for a union voice and representation by CWA. The vote was 7-1.

The number may seem small, but it's a huge victory for these workers and for thousands more across T-Mobile US who want representation to address their issues on the job. MetroPCS merged with T-Mobile US earlier this year.

Jose Ortiz, one of the Metro PCS workers, said: "This has been a David versus Goliath struggle and I'm beyond thrilled to say that David won. We look forward to bargaining a fair contract that gives MetroPCS workers a real voice at work. When we stick together we win!"

At a store with nine employees, T-Mobile US executives kept up an intense campaign on workers who are looking for representation on their issues and fairness. T-Mobile US CEO John Legere and other top executives trekked from Bellevue, Wash., headquarters to the Harlem store.

Today's vote ensures representation on issues and fairness on the job.

Before the election, MetroPCS workers were excited when the CWA 1039 union bus rolled up outside the store.

Thousands of union members at T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom in Germany – who have a significant voice on the job, collective bargaining and many seats on the company supervisory board – have taken on U.S. workers' cause and are protesting their company's treatment of T-Mobile US employees. Recently, their union, ver.di, sent a letter to Deutsche Telekom, the parent company of T-Mobile US, telling the company it should cease the captive audience meetings that workers were forced to attend as the workers had requested.

The Metro PCS workers tell their story in this video.

More information available at www.weworkbettertogether.org and www.tmobileworkersunited.org.