Why 17,000 AT&T workers are on strike against telecom company
Approximately 17,000 AT&T employees in the southeast US have been on strike for three weeks now. The Communications Workers of America (CWA) union, which represents these workers, withdrew from negotiations over a new contract last month. The striking workforce includes internet service technicians and customer service representatives across nine states including Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
Demands for higher wages and benefits
The CWA union is advocating for a contract that offers increased wages and benefits, including more for healthcare. The union has accused AT&T of violating the National Labor Relations Act by not bargaining in good faith to reach a contract that meets these demands. However, AT&T has denied these allegations and expressed disappointment over the strike action taken by union leaders.
Leaders blame AT&T for stalled negotiations
Ed Barlow, President of CWA Local 3204 in Atlanta, has stated that the lack of bargaining is the direct cause of the strike. He warned that if AT&T doesn't send the right representative to negotiate, their members are prepared to continue striking until they achieve their goals. Despite agreeing to AT&T's proposal to resume negotiations with a federal mediator present, CWA announced on Monday that it was withdrawing from this process.
Union's urge to get serious about negotiations
Following the withdrawal from mediation, Richard Honeycutt, CWA District 3 Vice President, urged AT&T to stop making excuses and start serious bargaining. "We appreciate the mediator's efforts. Our message to AT&T is: no more excuses. It's time to get serious about bargaining so we can get back to work serving our customers," said Honeycutt. An AT&T spokesperson responded by emphasizing that progress on the contract for thousands of workers will require some compromise, regardless of neutral third-party intervention.
Strike impacts services and customers
The strike has led to service disruptions for AT&T customers, with reports of internet outages and repair delays surfacing on social media. Tom Smith, an economist at Emory University, suggested that these disruptions could continue until a deal is reached. He also noted that if the strike didn't negatively impact customers, AT&T might not feel pressured to negotiate. This indicates the broader implications of the ongoing labor dispute on AT&T's operations and customer satisfaction.
AT&T remains committed to reaching a fair agreement
In response to the ongoing strike and service disruptions, AT&T has stated that it remains focused on reaching a fair agreement. The company is also committed to providing customer service throughout the work stoppage.
