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As of Sunday, the Communications Workers of America have reached a tentative contract agreement with AT&T, bringing an end to their month-long strike across the Southeast.
The CWA went on strike in mid-August following claims of unfair labor practices committed by the telecommunications giant and a breakdown in contract negotiations. The 30-day strike — the longest telecommunications strike in the region’s history — has now come to an end with CWA leadership touting their new contract as a big win for their workers.
“I believe in the power of unity, and the unity our members and retirees have shown during these contract negotiations has been outstanding and gave our bargaining teams the backing they needed to deliver strong contracts,” said CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. “I’m not just talking about AT&T members in the Southeast and West, although the determination of our striking AT&T Southeast members was remarkable. CWA members and retirees from every region and sector of our union mobilized in support of our bargaining teams, including by distributing flyers with information about the strike at AT&T Wireless stores.”
The new Southeast contract will cover around 17,000 workers who “install, maintain and support AT&T’s residential and business wireline telecommunications network in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.”
Adjusting wages to match increased costs of living and lowering health care costs were both crucial sticking points which CWA leadership fought for during negotiations. The contract — set to last five years — increases all employee wages by 19.33%, with an additional 3% wage increase for wire technicians and utility operations workers. The agreement also holds health care premiums steady for the first year of the contract and then lowers those premiums in the second and third years, only in the fourth and fifth years will those premiums see “modest monthly increases.”
“We are incredibly proud of our members and thank CWA members, retirees and allies across the country for the solidarity that has sustained us through these difficult negotiations. Their willingness to make sacrifices in order to win major improvements in their contract not just for themselves, but for future members is truly inspiring,” said CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt.
Honeycutt stressed the important role which CWA members played in securing the contract’s terms.
“Our bargaining team has worked tirelessly to negotiate a contract that provides significant wage increases that reflect the hard work and dedication of our union members and a medical plan that ensures that our members and their families have affordable, comprehensive healthcare services,” Honeycutt said. “For every member who has walked a picket line, spoken out for the contract they deserved, or joined their coworkers for a union action, you built this.”
CWA members resumed work on Monday following the contract’s announcement. “We know that our customers have faced hardship during the strike as well. We are happy to be getting back to work keeping our communities safe and connected,” Honeycutt said.
The CWA has also reached a separate tentative contract with AT&T West after union leaders in that region rejected an initial contract offer on Sep. 6. That agreement also includes proposed wage increases as well as stipulations regarding scheduling and overtime.
Union members will now meet to review and vote on the proposed agreements. If ratified, the contracts will be made official and go into effect.
