Telecom News: Members Mobilize at AT&T Mobility as Contract Talks Near

Local 3511 Executive Board Member Kelvin Banks and Betty Witte, assistant to District 3 Vice Pres. Noah Savant, share their experiences negotiating AT&T Mobility contracts to help the “Orange” team prepare for 2009.

Talks with AT&T Mobility for 20,000 "Orange" contract members are a month away, but the most important conversations are already happening at worksites across the country.

CWA local leaders are working to reach out to the relatively young Mobility workers to help them better understand the enormous value of a union contract.

Local leaders also want them to understand that good contracts aren't won at the bargaining table alone: an active, unified army of union members mobilized to support the bargaining team is essential.

Local CWA officers — many of whom have long represented workers on the wireline side of the business — shared ideas in Dallas for better communicating with and educating the new generation of wireless workers.

They left the conference feeling empowered. "I'm really excited to be with this group," said District 7 bargaining team member Rick Meinking.  "We're going to be well prepared for these talks."

But they also know it won't be easy, as cautioned by a panel of CWA leaders who have negotiated other contracts with Mobility in recent years. They gave examples of lack of preparation by company negotiators and their refusal to answer questions at the table, among other challenges.

"We can vent and fuss and get agitated, but we also have to keep a level head and get strategic," said Local 3511 Executive Board Member Kelvin Banks. "We have to come out of bargaining always looking forward."

Economic issues, job security and union and workers' rights issues will be key topics when bargaining begins Jan. 21 in Richmond, Va.

AT&T's agreement to allow organizing by majority sign-up has helped create what CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill called a "unique, multi-faceted relationship" with the company. "We've been able to organize 40,000 new wireless workers, which is positive." she said.  "But bargaining tends to be confrontational and we are going to represent our members and get what we need."

In addition to Meinking, members of the Mobility Orange bargaining team are Pat Telesco and Richie Meringolo from CWA District 1; Sharon Harrison from District 2; Holly Sorrey from District 4; Val Afanasiev and Joe Sison from District 9; and a District 13 member who was still being selected as the CWA News went to press.

As the members introduced themselves to the larger group in Dallas, they expressed enthusiasm and optimism for the hard work ahead. "If you mobilize out there, we'll get you a good contract," Meringolo said.