Congress to AT&T: Where Are Those Jobs You Promised?

What is AT&T doing with its massive profits from the Republican corporate tax cut bill? That's the question members of Congress are now asking.

Last week, Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), and 23 colleagues sent a letter to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson calling on the company to disclose plans for their profits from the tax bill – in particular on job growth.

In addition, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) led a group of U.S. Senators urging AT&T to settle on a fair contract with workers that protects and create jobs – as was promised by AT&T before the tax bill passed.

"Since January 2016, AT&T alone has laid off thousands of call center workers and closed dozens of U.S. call centers," Brown's letter says. "We urge you to continue negotiating in good faith until an agreement is reached, and we urge you to include commitments in the contract that improve job security for your highly competitive workforce and reverse the trend of call center offshoring in our states."

Before the tax bill passed, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson promised that every $1 billion in tax savings would create "7,000 good jobs for the middle class." Instead, ongoing layoffs have compounded workers' concerns about the company's practice of shifting work to low-wage overseas contractors

"The time is now for AT&T to follow through on its tax bill promises to create good, family-supporting U.S. jobs and invest in workers," said CWA District 4 Vice President Linda L. Hinton. "While AT&T stonewalls workers at the bargaining table over offshoring and outsourcing, the company is pulling in billions in profits from the tax bills. AT&T workers will not give up on their fight against layoffs, cuts, and closures."

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