ATLANTA — Over 17,000 members of the Communications Workers of America in nine states across the Southeast went on strike Aug. 16 against telecommunications giant AT&T. Service technicians and customer service representatives walked out in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The workers had been on the job since their old contract expired Aug. 3. One of the main issues is the increase in health care costs the company wants to impose.
“We are just looking for a fair benefits package and a decent wage increase that can keep up with rising prices,” technician Kelvin Gordon told the Militant Aug. 26 at the picket line at AT&T’s service facility in East Point. He pointed to the gains that had been won in the recent union fights by autoworkers and UPS drivers.
“We have gotten a lot of support from other unions and cars honking as they drive by,” added striker Dennis Lawrence. “The Teamsters UPS drivers are not crossing our picket line.” The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 613 brought lunch to pickets around the city one day.
“The company wasn’t talking to us about wages and benefits and still refuses to do so,” Ed Barlow, president of CWA Local 3204, told the Militant at a Sept. 2 Labor Day picnic. Negotiations had begun in late June.
The CWA announced Sept. 1 that they no longer planned to go along with the company’s proposal for federal mediation. The company was just using it as a way to avoid bargaining seriously.