Workers remain on the job as contract expires at AT&T

The union says the contracts will not be extended. Workers are keeping open their option to strike. The AT&T workers recently voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if a fair contract isn’t reached.

While CWA has made it clear that its members are ready to bargain at any time to resolve the issues and negotiate quality contracts, AT&T has shown little willingness to move forward and reach settlements, the union said. There has been little progress on health care, retirement security and employment security, among other issues, according to the union.

AT&T employees are concerned about the company’s attempt to cut health care benefits by shifting even more costs to workers and to retirees on fixed incomes, and about access for workers to the “jobs of the future,” the new work created by changing technology.

“AT&T is very successful and profitable, even in these bad economic times,” said CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill. “That makes it all the more difficult to understand why AT&T is demanding that workers take on even more health care costs than they already pay. This company takes care of executives and investors. It needs to set the right priorities and maintain quality jobs and quality benefits for workers.”