Montgomery Sees First-In-Nation Successful Union Campaign at AT&T Authorized Retailer Prime Communications

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Workers for Prime Communications, which runs an AT&T Authorized Retail (AR) store in Montgomery, Ala., have voted to form their union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The Montgomery location is the first among Prime’s approximately 2,000 authorized retail stores to join a union.

“I can officially say I am now a proud member of CWA,” said Mary Frison, a store employee. “I hope our win as the first Prime AR retail location in the country inspires and encourages other AR retail locations to fight and win like we did!”

Alabama has seen growing union support in the wireless industry, with workers at Alliance Mobile, an AT&T authorized retail store in Selma, Ala., and AT&T In-Home Experts (IHX) workers choosing union representation with CWA last year. New union organizing in authorized retail stores comes as AT&T has been closing union-staffed stores and outsourcing to non-union authorized retail stores in an effort to cut union jobs and increase company profits.

“By forming their union, the workers at Prime Communications are adding to the growing movement of wireless workers who are fighting back against corporate greed in the industry,” said Richard Honeycutt, CWA District 3 Vice President. “Together, workers at authorized retail stores, from Prime to Alliance Mobile and others, are raising standards across the industry to provide dignity, respect, and good jobs to the Americans working in wireless retail.”

The Prime AR workers join a wave of labor organizing, similar to workers at Starbucks retail stores and Wells Fargo bank branches, that unites small units from locations across the country. Prime Communications is the largest AT&T Authorized Retailer in the country, with locations from coast-to-coast.

"The strength and solidarity among these AT&T Prime employees is a testament to collectively being part of the organizing wave among AR stores,” said Akeyia Johnson, CWA Sr. Campaign Lead. “Alabama is truly paving the way for all AR locations across the country. This has been an exhilarating experience for all of us, and I am proud to say they will be the main component with a voice for the changes to come in their workplace.”

###

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