17 US senators stand with CWA members in letter to AT&T
Seventeen US senators signed a letter to AT&T urging the company to negotiate with union representatives to reach a fair contract. CWA members at AT&T Mobility, the only unionized wireless carrier in the US, have been working without a contract for more than 8 months.
“AT&T wireless workers are driving tremendous profits,” the letter read. “These workers deserve a fair share of the wireless division’s $1 billion monthly profit, which can easily support generous pay and benefits to all of your employees, not just your company’s executive leadership. The best way to share the company’s success and reward workers is to find common ground with your workforce through the collective bargaining process.”
The senators also raise concerns regarding AT&T’s corporate behaviour of shipping jobs overseas. “Investing in your employees, including through a limit on the amount of outsourcing of customer service work, would demonstrate a strong commitment to the American workforce and calm fears of further offshoring to countries including the Philippines and Mexico, and outsourcing to non-union contractors here in the United States,” the letter read.
These are the senators who signed the letter: Merkely (D-OR), Brown (D-OH), Sanders (D-VT), Casey, Van Hollen (D-MD), Cortez Matso (D-NV), Warren (D-MA), Gillibrand (D-NY), Baldwin (D-WI), Blumenthal (D-CT), Menendez (D-NJ), Markey (D-MA), Hirono (D-HI), Franken (D-MN), Durbin (D-IL), Carper (D-DE), and Booker (D-NJ).
Links:
17 US Senators sign letter to AT&T (US Senate, Oct. 30, 2017)
TCGplayer workers rally for livable wages and launch a report on poverty-level wages at the eBay subsidiary
Apple retail workers in Oklahoma City win first collective contract with CWA
Labor and public interest groups defend FCC's broadcast ownership rules promoting competition, diversity, and localism on air