News

AT&T Mobilization Report #2

23 Mar, 2015

AT&T’s outrageous retrogressive proposals at the table, and the 86 person layoff announcement March 13th, helped send Locals into a frenzy of Mobilization activity across the country for the past two weeks.

Go to www.CWAatATT.com to sign up for text and email alerts regarding bargaining.

Reports from Thursday’s healthcare actions are filtering in. It sounds like Locals had fun drawing attention to the seriousness of AT&T’s proposed take backs regarding healthcare premiums, sick time and disability. AT&T is a healthy company with SICK ideas. Attacking Retiree and active employee healthcare is unnecessary. The company continues to make multibillion dollar profits each year, even with the current healthcare responsibilities. Shifting healthcare costs only further lines the pockets of the corporation and their greedy executives.

Here are some of the actions from the past 2 weeks:

Local 1058

Members ramped up Mobilization. Many were wearing red in support of bargaining, others were wearing black, mourning the loss of jobs with the recent surplus announcement impacting several Local 1058 members.

Local 1150

Activists have kept up the pressure by encouraging more co-workers to get involved, including recruiting members for training, distributing flyers and participating in on the job actions. They are posting red “I Support My Bargaining Team” flyers and wearing red. Mobilizers passed out over 300 mini pickets signs during the strike authorization vote. The voting continues this week.

Local 1153

Members started their Thursday info pickets that will continue weekly until there is a settlement. The public is very supportive of the workers in their “Fight for Fairness”.

Local 2252

Members are wearing red, the National healthcare flyer was distributed, activists continued recruiting for training and the Local is gearing up for a strike vote.

Local 3250

Mobilizers continued recruiting and started training new activists. Members participated in on the job actions including stand ups, wearing red and distribution of education materials. In the field Technicians are focusing on safety and quality.

Local 4252

Members received the healthcare flyer, dressed up in support of healthcare day by wearing surgical masks & Band-Aids and members wear red on Thursdays.

Local 6350

Members were encouraged to complete the eNPS (NetPrompter) Survey, which is tied to Management Bonuses. Since AT&T is attacking the workers’ pocketbooks, turnabout is fair play. For Healthcare Day members received masks and Band-Aids, while other members brought slings, canes, etc. to show AT&T they deserve health benefits, paid sick time and paid disability. We stand with the bargaining unit!! NO givebacks!! WAKE UP AT&T! Mobilizations, such as sounding phone alarms at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. continues – LOUD and ANNOYING!!! WAKE UP AT&T! We deserve a Fair Contract!!!

Local 6450

Every Monday starts off with noise. Members shake prescription bottles and stand up at different times of the day, in solidarity, to show the company we are FIGHTING FOR FAIRNESS. Every member was handed an invitation to the Strike Authorization Vote, scheduled for Monday March 23rd, as well as information about upcoming actions. Thursday for Healthcare Day workers arrived with bandages, walkers and medical masks, to demand better healthcare proposals, and tell the company we are SICK of their unhealthy choices in this round of bargaining.

Local 7050

Technicians are focused on quality and safety, wearing red in support of the Bargaining team

Local 7200

Members wear red every Thursday and dress up for healthcare day using walkers and other medical devices. The Local mailed strike authorization ballots and is creating strike duty assignments in preparation for April 11th.

Local 7250

Members and Mobilizers covered the main aisle walls in red in the Collections Center, doing daily stand-ups, solidarity walks and distributed mini picket signs. They held the strike authorization vote, signed members up for picket duty, distributed literature on healthcare day, many members dressed in bandages and walked with crutches, others dressed like Doctors or Nurses. Members received AT&T future healthcare plans (in a baggie) containing a vitamin for preventive care, Band-Aid for injury and a cough drop for illness. Techs are mobilizing in field around safety. Mobilizers continue to recruit for training.

The AT&T Shareholder meeting will be held in Spokane, Washington on Friday, April 24, 2015. All Locals representing AT&T (all contracts) should make plans to attend if you haven’t already.

Want your Local to be included in future mobilization reports? Send pictures and information about your actions to cwa.mobilization@gmail.com.

Stay Strong! Stay Mobilized!