AT&T Union Workers to Continue Serving Customers as Contract Expires at AT&T Southeast

ATLANTA – After the expiration of the union contract between AT&T Southeast and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union on August 3, CWA members will continue to report to work, providing quality service to millions of customers across the region. By working without a contract, union members give the two sides more time to reach a contract agreement that provides workers with the pay and benefits they have earned.

Last month, CWA members voted overwhelmingly to authorize union leaders to call a strike at AT&T Southeast if the company did not reach a fair agreement with its 15,000 union employees. Based on current progress at the bargaining table, union leadership has chosen to continue working without a contract while attempting to negotiate a fair contract. The strike authorization remains in effect if conditions at the bargaining table change.

CWA represents more than 15,000 union workers employed by AT&T in the Southeast region, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

“Our members are prepared to stand together for the contract we have earned and they deserve,” said CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt. “Our members want to be on the job, providing the quality service that our customers and communities rely on, but for this to continue, we need to see AT&T make progress towards a contract that secures better working conditions for our dedicated members and better lives for their families.”

With many issues still outstanding at the bargaining table, union members are calling on AT&T to reach an agreement that delivers the wages and benefits that the workers have earned and deserve. The workers will further call on the company to resolve abusive job practices and pay disparities that have increased attrition among Wire Technicians, making it harder for customers to get the high-quality service they deserve.

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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

cwa-union.org @cwaunion