AT&T Worker’s August Strike
Background of the Dispute
On August 3rd, the union contract between AT&T and the Communication Workers of America (CWA) district 3 expired, leaving the future of thousands of workers uncertain. Despite this the workers continued to report for work without an active contract, opting for good faith negotiations with AT&T even though the workers had already voted to go on strike should an agreement not be made. This continued until August 16th, when approximately 17,000 workers located across 9 states in the southeast walked off the job in response to AT&T’s failure to bargain in good faith.
Reasons for the Strike
The dispute is centered around 2 key contractual issues, wages and health care. Before August 22nd, approximately 17,000 workers from CWA District 3 went on strike due to unfair labor practices. The CWA was clear that AT&T has refused to send people who have the ability to make decisions to the bargaining table and that until they do no progress was to be made in ending the strike. Workers took to the picket lines, showcasing the growing frustrations of the workers over AT&T’s unwillingness to address mandatory bargaining subjects and engage in good faith.
Key Issues in the Strike
In response to a strike by workers demanding better wages and healthcare, AT&T faced a pivotal decision: either negotiate fairly with their workforce or force them to wait. The company chose the latter, hiring unqualified subcontractors to fill the gap left by striking employees. These subcontractors primarily took over the responsibilities of AT&T’s Premise Technicians, or Wire Technicians in the Southeast—a role the company created as a "second-tier" position. By shifting work away from their "core" technicians, who had been pushing for higher wages, better benefits, and improved working conditions, AT&T sought to exploit this new position, which lacked the bargaining power of unionized workers. Although Wire Technicians now have stronger union representation, they still face low wages and poor working conditions. These factors contribute to high turnover in the field. According to a study by the Communications Workers of America (CWA), 64.5% of the 647 Technicians surveyed reported having searched for a new job outside of AT&T within the past year.
AT&T’s obstinance reveals their blatant antagonism toward their workers. The company resorted to underhanded measures to stall the bargaining process by sending representatives that lack the authority to make key decisions. This tactic the company is employing served to further frustrate the workers who see it for what it is, a clear attempt to stonewall and avoid even the slightest concession to any demands that would see their profits diminished.
Impact on Workers
Striking Workers' Roles
Among the 17,000 workers who went on strike in nine Southeast states were customer service representatives, installation and repair technicians. These workers are members of CWA’s District 3 that extends across Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, and North Carolina. These workers install, maintain, and support AT&T’s network in this entire region. These workers, through their union, were fighting for higher wages that take into account inflation and the cost of living, maintaining affordable healthcare, and protections for a second tier of workers to improve their work-life balance. This second tier of workers are forced to work overtime at a moment’s notice, making it impossible for them to plan out their lives and spend time with their families. These workers have had to raise their families through FaceTime because they just do not know if they are going to be working until 10 or 11 at night. They have been forced to miss family dinners, events, and each and every cherished moment for the sake of AT&T’s profits, created by the workers themselves. AT&T resorted to bad faith bargaining tactics such as sending representatives without any real authority to the table, and reneging on commitments to bargain to lower health care costs.
Service Disruptions
While AT&T stated that it had continuity measures in place to avoid service disruptions, customers still experienced disruptions until a contract agreement was reached. The effects affected countless people who use Wi-Fi, as well as undertrained managers and contractors who replaced striking workers and were involved in accidents, some of which resulted in serious injuries. All of this because of the continuously worsening conditions of the workers as imposed upon them by the company that attempted to strong-arm the workers.