AFL-CIO Chief: DOJ Suit Blocking AT&T/T-Mobile Merger Has Economic, Political Consequences

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka wrote to President Obama (Sept. 26, 2011) expressing his opposition to the Department of Justice's lawsuit which seeks to block the AT&T/T-Mobile merger. On behalf of the U.S. labor movement, he wrote:

"I want to express my strong belief that it is in the best interests of workers, consumer and critical public policy issues including the buildout of high speed wireless that this merger is approved."

Trumka, who heads the 10 million-plus member labor federation, reiterated labor's conviction that the merger meets the needs of a country in crisis.

"This merger will create as many as 96,000 good jobs around the buildout of high speed broadband, in addition to AT&T's commitment to return 5,000 net call center jobs from overseas and its guarantee to retain all call center jobs at both companies as of the date of merger."

Trumka made it clear that the administration's move to block the merger carried political weight. "It will unfortunate," he wrote, "if the DOJ action provides an opportunity for some Republican political candidates to demagogue the jobs issue or regulatory process." Instead, "The best course of action for all - consumers, workers and the economic development that will come from high speed buildout - is to encourage the parties to reach an equitable settlement."

Richard Trumka Letter to President Obama (September 26, 2011)