MONTGOMERY, Alabama — More than 17,000 AT&T workers in nine southeastern states are on strike after accusing the company of unfair labor practices during contract negotiations this summer.
The Communications Workers of America, the union representing the striking workers, said employees walked off the job Friday in response to the AT ruling.&T’s failure to negotiate in good faith. Workers have been trying to reach a new contract since June. The union said AT&T has not sent representatives to the negotiating table with the authority to make decisions and the company has not fulfilled the agreements made during the negotiations.
“Our union entered into negotiations in a good faith effort to negotiate a fair contract, but we found ourselves sitting with company representatives who were unable to explain their own bargaining proposals and did not appear to have the actual bargaining authority required by the legal obligation to bargain in good faith,” Richard Honeycutt, vice president of CWA District 3 in the Southeast, said in a statement.
The strike concerns AT&T-technicians, customer service representatives and others who install, maintain and support AT&T’s residential and business fixed telecommunications network. This includes employees in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee
The union said an unfair labor practice complaint had been filed with the National Labor Relations Board.
BEE&T denied the union’s accusations.
“CWA’s allegations of unfair labor practices are not based on fact. We have been engaged in substantive negotiations since day one and are committed to reaching an agreement that benefits our hardworking employees,” the company said in an emailed statement. AT&T said it has signed three separate agreements this year covering more than 13,000 workers.
The union also accused AT on Monday&T for “sending inadequately trained managers and contractors to perform highly technical work” during the strike. AT&T said it has “implemented several business continuity measures to prevent disruption to operations and will continue to provide its customers with the great service they expect.”