Worker strike looming over AT&T Mobility on contract expiration
By Will Park on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 4:30 PM PST In AT&T, Announcements
Last week we saw the Communications Workers of America issuing picket signs to union members, leading up to a vote that authorized a strike in case an agreement could not be met before the contract’s expiration. Today the CWA has announced that the contract covering its 20,000-member strong worker union has expired. CWA’s move to extend negotiations by 30 days has been shot down by AT&T (NYSE: T), paving the way to a full-on strike on AT&T Mobility.
The CWA says that the union and AT&T Mobility negotiators had failed to reach an agreement as of Feb. 8th and that a strike has been authorized. All that remains is for the CWA’s executive board to sign off on the strike and the president to set a strike date before we see AT&T Mobility workers walking the picket-line.
It should be interesting to see how the CWA’s strategy pays off. The already-cold economic climate in the US has killed off thousands of jobs in a wide range of industries. With thousands and thousands of workers looking for jobs, can the CWA’s strike on AT&T Mobility put enough pressure on the wireless carrier to negotiate with the worker union?
[Update]
Corrected: AT&T refused CWA’s extension request.
[Via: MobileBurn]
The CWA requested a 30 day extension and this was “shot down” by AT&T. AT&T spokesman Walt Sharp said AT&T turned down the request because negotiations have been ongoing for more than two weeks. “We’ve negotiated every day since Jan. 22,” Sharp said. “We felt that was more than enough time to reach an agreement.” Sharp also pointed out that even though AT&T had agreed to extend the negotiating window until midnight, the CWA cut off negotiations at 2:30 p.m. Sunday even though AT&T had a new deal on the table.
I would like it to be known that by 2011 workers in the states of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Missouri and Louisiana will make 10 cents more per hour than those in California. Now, I know that our people in those states work hard, but when the cost of living between Sacramento and San Antonio is about $8000 for that year, well yes, I find it to be a bit of a slap in the face. We in California are a part of the two most profitable markets in this company (PAC and NCA) and it is time the company realizes that. There is no excuse that someone who works at a store for ten years and is great at taking care of their customers makes $14.41 per hour now and in 2011 after 14 years of service will only make $15.81 (this is a true story and I am not this person). What we need is a 120 month pay schedule, not a 24 month one like we currently have. REWARD LOYALITY, HARD WORK AND DEDICATION! That is my AMERICAN DREAM.
Mr. Union