SBC-AT&T Merger Merits Quick Approval, CWA Tells FCC

Washington, D.C. -- The proposed merger of AT&T Corp. and SBC Communications will result in a financially stable, global leader in telecommunications and should be approved quickly, the Communications Workers of America stated in a filing to the Federal Communications Commission.

The merger is clearly in the public interest, CWA said, noting that it will create a "premier U.S. communications company," one with the ability to expand the delivery of advanced technologies, services and features to all classes of customers.

This merger will "create a company with the resources and end-to-end network essential in the deployment of advanced next-generation Internet-Protocol enabled networks and services," CWA said.

The merger makes certain that national security will be safeguarded, by ensuring that AT&T, "on which the government heavily depends for national security and other needs, will be a strong American company," CWA continued.

The merger also passes other key tests. It will enhance, not reduce, competition by combining the different strengths of the two merger partners – AT&T's global network and research innovation and SBC's financial strength and local exchange, broadband and wireless capabilities, the CWA filing noted.

The merger also will provide employees at both companies with "the opportunity to share in the growth of the merged entity rather than the job loss that has been the fate of all too many AT&T employees in recent years," CWA said. "CWA is fully confident that SBC's progressive human resource policies and strong labor-management partnership that have resulted in a highly-skilled career workforce providing world-class service to SBC customers will continue at the merged SBC-AT&T."