The work stoppage pitting members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) District 3 against AT&T continues for a third week. The walkout began when talks between the company and the union broke down after two months of negotiations.
Both the company and the union have sometimes posted daily updates on their respective websites. Both say talks resumed over the weekend. That followed the union’s September 2nd decision to step away from talks that included the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. CWA District 3 Vice President, Richard Honeycutt called the mediation process “another delaying tactic.”
“It’s interesting this union rejected federal mediation, claiming that AT&T is just stalling, but a federal mediator doesn’t have any skin in the game to let them stall,” said Dr. Rick Franza, a professor with the Hull College of Business at Augusta University and ABD columnist. “The mediator’s job is to get both sides to the table.”
The union locals in Augusta and Aiken both have locations where members are picketing. A strike in 1983 lasted 20 days. This one already exceeds that.
“We’re going on three weeks now we’re out here because bargaining with AT&T wasn’t going real good,” union member, Ronnie O’Neal told ABD at their picketing site on Washington Road. “They weren’t bargaining good faith. Up there at the district, they haven’t been sending bodies to the table to bargain who can make a real decision on a fair contract for us.”
Prior to the resumption of talks over the weekend, the company provided a video statement from Corey Anthony, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Operations who pointed out they have successfully negotiated three union agreements this year.
“We’ve made a strong final offer to our CWA-represented employees in the southeast. We believe this offer, if accepted, would provide our employees with competitive market-based pay that actually exceeds projected inflation. We’re also offering to increase financial contributions to employee healthcare and wellness by up to 25% per year.”
However, in a response on the union’s website, CWA President, Claude Cummings Jr. challenged the company’s statements.
“What the company is not telling our members and the public is that their health care proposal raises the upfront cost for our members, especially those with family coverage,” reads the statement. “We have made it clear to the company from the start that raising our members’ cost share percentage is unacceptable, and the fact that they put this proposal forward shows that they have no interest in reaching an agreement. Their plan also shifts enormous prescription drug costs to employees.”
While AT&T has reached agreements with other unions this year, members of CWA District 9, which covers western states, rejected a tentative contract agreement that had been finalized by the company and union leadership. No strike has yet been called by District 9.
“Our members had a chance to review and vote on the AT&T West tentative agreement, and the majority determined that it did not meet their needs,” said CWA District 9 Vice President, Frank Arce in a news release. “We will be meeting with the members to understand their concerns and go back to the bargaining table to negotiate a contract that addresses those concerns. We will use all the tools at our disposal to win a fair contract, including a strike if it becomes necessary.”
Franza believes the negotiating victories involving other unions, most notably the United Auto Workers strike that lasted from Sept. 15 to Oct. 30 last year, have given members of other unions more confidence to stand firm on their demands.
“In my opinion, the unions are emboldened right now for a lot of reasons. One is that at least one presidential campaign is beating up companies on so-called price gouging, and both presidential campaigns are wooing unions,” he said. “I think this is because of the atmosphere right now. You got both trying to woo unions and then the fact that the UAW was pretty successful, I think also emboldens the workers.”
O’Neal believes people are starting to see how unions can benefit workers.
“We were just talking about that in the group over here not long ago,” he said. “You look at the news like last week, you see the hotel workers just went out on strike. Last year, you see UPS went on strike. Before that, Verizon was on strike. It’s something you’re starting to see a lot of now, a lot of union guys standing strong and trying to fight for us right now.”
The CWA District 3 strike involves more than 17,000 technicians, customer service representatives, and others who install, maintain, and support AT&T’s network. District 3 covers Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
