About 17,000 union workers at AT&T locations across the Southeast went on strike Friday afternoon. Their union accused the company of unfair labor practices and filed a complaint with federal authorities.
These workers, including about 2,500 in metro Atlanta, have been without a contract since their previous five-year agreement expired on August 3rd. Negotiators from AT&T have been meeting with the Communications Workers of America CWA bargaining teams.
We’ve been preparing for this strike for months, said Ed Barlow, president of CWA Local 3204 in Atlanta. We plan to have pickets at all AT&T work locations across Georgia.
Attempts to reach AT&T officials in Dallas were unsuccessful.
The striking workers include technicians who handle AT&T’s wireline services, such as internet and phone services for homes and businesses, as well as call center workers like customer service representatives.
The strike affects workers in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Union leaders claim AT&T has not been bargaining in good faith, ignoring agreements and refusing to discuss important issues, according to Barlow.
Before their recent contract, these AT&T workers also went on strike for five days due to similar unfair labor practices, Barlow said.
The CWA has filed an unfair labor practice charge against AT&T with the National Labor Relations Board, but Barlow mentioned that the strike could end quickly if a deal is reached at the bargaining table. It’s hard to say how long this will last—it could be days, weeks, or even months, he said.