AT&T Workers: Contracts Expire Tonight For 40,000 Employees, Strike Could Follow

NEW YORK (AP) — Union contracts for 40,000 AT&T workers expire at midnight, leaving them free to call a strike to pressure the company at the negotiating table.

The workers are on the shrinking local-phone and long-haul data side of the business, and located mainly in the Midwest and California. Four separate contracts covering different regions are being negotiated, and the workers have authorized the Communications Workers of American to start strikes.

When the last big batch of contracts was negotiated three years ago, the parties kept talking past the contract expiration, and reached agreements without a strike.

Dallas-based AT&T Inc. is the country's largest employer of unionized workers. About 140,000 of its 256,000 employees are union members.

At issue in the negotiations are job protection clauses and health care premiums and co-payments.

Comments

[rt1027]

12:52 AM on 04/09/2012

the strike will be meaningless to the basic individual.........strike on union......laughing

[Fedelia]

05:04 PM on 04/08/2012

Enough with the bourgeois comments.

Wages continue to stagnate as inflation rises. People are working harder for less.

Good for the employees for defending themselves. Any thinking person would do the same.

[Iya Sapa Mato]

03:11 PM on 04/08/2012

There are millions waiting in line to fill their jobs. Ever have to speak to one of their employees? It is though you are bothering them. It should be legislation passed if they want to strike. They have a certain time limit for their union to negotiate, like Regan did with Air traffic controllers. Then new Hirees. Make it right to work States. Why are companies oursourcing? Gee why?

[pgurlatl]

06:11 PM on 04/08/2012

They are filling the jobs overseas.

[Iya Sapa Mato]

06:33 PM on 04/08/2012

pgurlatl Of course. That is why we need more unions and bigger pay and benefit demands of ALL businesses! Why stay here when they can move their investment out of country for less and no fear of strikes for a product or service they are unable to compete with in a global market. There has to be some give and take and a huge cut in the hundreds of regulations imposed here!

[empiresentry]

06:40 PM on 04/08/2012

I hated working Ma Bell union jobs. It was so rigid and destructive for anyone to get their job done. !5 minute breaks but it took 5 minutes to finish a call and unteather. But, too bad so sad, you only get 15 minute to stand in line for the John. So, we were forced to drop the call on purpose as all of us union slaves ran to the doors. We were not allowed to learn any new skills because the union demanded that we then be given a new job, even if it did not exist.

Once the telephone monopoly broke up, I went to non-union communications. That was a joy. We worked our schedules, could focus on the people and actually talk to our bosses. We could learn new skills, grow and be a part of the company, not under the thumb of some ombudsman union rep sitting in his office reading his paper

[Iya Sapa Mato]

08:59 PM on 04/08/2012

empiresentry If only the rest of America realized this. Then everything purchased would not say Made in, product of, produced by, packaged in, processed in China and others. Don't get me wrong. I have been a union member for almost 50 years but now to many are involved in using member monies to support the interests of certain politicians and those benefitting are the union leadership! People need jobs, not a strike order for higher wages and bigger benefits. That is why companies are leaving America!

[gfe]

02:47 PM on 04/08/2012

sounds like its time to lay off about 40,000 employees

[rt1027]

12:53 AM on 04/09/2012

agreed

[RattleCat]

12:55 PM on 04/08/2012

ATT's commitment to its customers continues to decline. i can't imagine they think any better of their employers. Just as long as their exec team get record bonuses, everyone else is just a number.

[pgurlatl]

12:45 PM on 04/08/2012

Union or non-union it is one of the worst companies to work for.

[henryptnm]

01:46 PM on 04/08/2012

You work for AT&T?

[pgurlatl]

01:55 PM on 04/08/2012

I used to as a contractor. Got laid off twice. They still call me for jobs and I am happy to be able to refuse. I was railroaded when I tried to get on permanently. And then I didn't want to because their employees were so dissatisfied by the reduction in their medical benefit plans, retirement plans, etc. I saw them let go of people who worked there for 30+ years in exchange for someone they outsourced in Singapore for pennies.

[flintonian]

11:50 AM on 04/08/2012

I "LOVE" it when I call for tech help and get a the that I can't understand because of a heavy, non-American accent, who "helps" me for 10-30 minutes and then tells me that they can't do anything for me, unless I sign up for a $20.00 per month subscription. At that point, I ask for an American tech that I can understand, who fixes my problem in 3 minutes at NO charge. That American is a Union member who CARES if I am happy with the service. I am sure that AT&T would love to employ an Indian worker to come to my house to install/replace the telephone infrastructure that is decades old, but it is the UNION worker that comes in all kinds of weather to make sure that I have quality service. AT&T should pay the workers of this country a living wage .... not just what is left over AFTER the top company executives take their inflated bonuses.

[Johnangry]

12:02 PM on 04/08/2012

You have to remember who and what "ATT" is. This is NOT the company Alexander Graham Bell founded.

It's a merger of baby bells with Southwestern Bell of Midlands, Tx at the helm. So you can expect your phone service to be served with the same pink slime as your beef.

[phunywun]

11:49 AM on 04/08/2012

If all the employees at AT&T got fired I bet my phone service would improve!

[d127527]

11:47 AM on 04/08/2012

So much of what drives our economy is based on greed. Our nation use to be so much better than that. AT&T Has been laying off workers and cutting off capital spending to save money yet they only turn around and give big bonuses to upper management that cost this company so much because of their poor leadership. They need to put the money into research and development to grow the company. Customer service and service in general will only continue to get worse as they downsize because they can't keep up with demand. I see the results of poor management decisions every day. The quality that made the AT&T a respected company is gone. Now it is about making share holders more profit till the company falls apart. Bells south was a much better quality operation and made a good profit. AT&T has sucked the life out of that operation since they took it over. On paper the numbers can be made to look what ever they want. Talk to the people out there driving broken down old trucks and working in unsafe conditions everyday because safety cost too much money. Explain it to the families who's loved ones get hurt on the job and are scared to report it or if they do report it go through a mountain of problems trying to get a pay check. The people on the ground or in the trenches making it work are getting fewer every day.

[Johnangry]

12:07 PM on 04/08/2012

No, for a brief period following WWII our nation WAS so much better than that.

Slavery Inception to present: Forced slavery of Africans thru 1863. Falsely enacted laws to keep the same incarcerated for made up crimes such as smoking weed thru present.

Mass murder of Native Americans

Chinese "employees" forced to blow themselves up.

Nearly unpaid Mexican and Central American immigrants.

Silver lining:
1947 thru 1980, a middle class thrived. Has been in decline since then.

[pgurlatl]

06:14 PM on 04/08/2012

F&F!

[gfe]

02:48 PM on 04/08/2012

you should start your own business so we can call you greedy

[wtfstfu]

10:54 AM on 04/08/2012

CEO Randall Stephenson's total compensation for 2011 was $22 million, an 18.5% drop from the $27 million he received the previous year.

They are all suffering.

[gfe]

02:48 PM on 04/08/2012

so apply for the job if you think youre qualified......

youre probably overpaid too

[wtfstfu]

03:28 PM on 04/08/2012

Wouldn't want the job bitter little man.

[mrthhar]

10:54 AM on 04/08/2012

With the service and customer service I get in my area, they need to just shut the doors. Rarely get a customer service rep that gives accurate information anymore and DSL is out so much. Most of the time, the technical service dept. is unaware of outages as well.

[Itsmeeveryone]

10:45 AM on 04/08/2012

I hope they do strike and AT&T fires them all and replaces them. Serves ANY union right under our current economic situation.

[ever4union6]

11:07 AM on 04/08/2012

Our current economic system? The one where corporations are making record profits and workers are continually asks to do more for less? The current economic situation is due in no small part to stagnant, and declining wages and benefits. Underpaid workers don't fuel an economy.

[Itsmeeveryone]

11:09 AM on 04/08/2012

Companies are making record profits? HAHAHAHAHA

I love when someone reads a story about one business or one class of businesses (in this case the oil industry) and then claim "ALL businesses are making record profits!"

HAHAHAH

But no seriously, you do realize profits for companies haven't been anywhere near their record highs lately right? Yeah thought not. You can go now.

[Robert Pearson]

11:56 AM on 04/08/2012

I truely love those that complain when someone does a better job and others complain they get more benefits.. Those that don't always want the share of those that do.. Just once when I read stories like this .. when will those in the UNION say .. Hey I just got a big raise I think I will send in a BIG check to the govenement, because I just made more.. No that is called the IRS.. Get over it people.. You want to strike... go for it.. but those in the Union Leadership will get paid even when you are not!!! They call them LEMMINGS!!

[jdwlor]

11:16 AM on 04/08/2012

why do you and all the rest of the scabes think you are going to get ahead in life by lowering wages? It's aleady a race to the bottom. Why do the CEO's of these companies keep getting more money every year and the workers get less? Why can't the people that make the the company share in the profits.

[Itsmeeveryone]

11:49 AM on 04/08/2012

"why do you and all the rest of the scabes think you are going to get ahead in life by lowering wages?"

Please. Unions have been useless for years now. There was a time when unions cared about ALL workers, not just the members of their own unions. Just the fear of employees unionizing would be enough for a company to increase wage and benefits.

Now unions are only concerned with themselves and getting more and more money so they can buy golf courses. No wonder less than 12% of the jobs in the US are unions anymore.

[CONSERVATIVE FAN]

10:23 AM on 04/08/2012

Cora, i am following your remarks and trying to figure out if you are stupid or just trying to get a reaction.Have a nice Easter!!!!

[sgentilejr]

10:01 AM on 04/08/2012

Union workers respect and honor Capitalism also___and they merely want a little slice of the pie from the $20 million per year CEO and Big Buck executives that run AT&T. At&T paid out more money in wages and bonuses last year to the top 20 people at At&T____ Than was paid out to the bottom 30,000 people working at AT&T.

[Itsmeeveryone]

10:47 AM on 04/08/2012

"At&T paid out more money in wages and bonuses last year to the top 20 people at At&T____ Than was paid out to the bottom 30,000 people working at AT&T. "

You're so full of it.

Let's say the "bottom 30,000" people make 30,000 dollars a year (a very LOW estimate at that) that's almost 1 billion dollars in wages to those people. Please show me proof of AT&T paying almost 1 billion dollars in wages and bonuses to any group of 20 people. I eagerly await your reply.

[guajiro]

12:13 PM on 04/08/2012

I wish you were right but sadly you're wrong:
"Summary Compensation Table
Name and
Principal Position Year
Salary
($)
Bonus
($)
Stock
Awards (2)
($)
Option
Awards (2)
($)
Non-
Equity
Incentive
Plan Compensation
($)
Change in
Pension Value
and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings (3)
($)
All Other
Compensation
(4)
($)
Total
($)
R. Stephenson (1,5)
Chairman, CEO
and President
2010 1,533,333 0 12,749,977 494,731 5,050,000 7,096,177 417,410 27,341,628
2009 1,450,000 0 11,999,991 75,834 5,850,000 8,990,049 864,632 29,230,506
2008 1,420,833 0 11,999,989 1,222,989 0 764,772 376,248 15,784,831
R. Lindner (1,5)
Sr. Exec. Vice
President and CFO
2010 829,167 0 4,250,009 5,420 1,750,000 1,684,959 180,444 8,699,999
2009 800,000 0 6,899,996 21,964 1,500,000 1,541,220 178,090 10,941,270
2008 791,667 255,000 3,750,004 285,870 153,000 281,645 175,665 5,692,851
R. de la Vega (1,5)
Pres. and CEO,
AT&T Mobility &
Consumer Mkts.
2010 820,833 0 4,000,024 36,513 1,700,000 4,240,450 96,850 10,894,670
2009 800,000 0 7,398,609 25,662 1,500,000 3,737,419 119,346 13,581,036
2008 800,000 0 3,099,985 0 662,500 1,434,235 347,363 6,344,083
J. Stankey (1,5)
Pres. and CEO,
AT&T Business
Solutions
2010 842,500 0 4,350,024 5,596 1,475,000 2,439,970 387,242 9,500,332
2009 830,000 0 8,327,162 6,566 1,500,000 2,213,795 155,625 13,033,148
2008 825,000 260,000 3,800,002 11,733 273,000 157,804 130,101 5,457,640
D. Watts (5)
Sr. Exec. Vice Pres.
& General Counsel
2010 706,667 0 4,000,024 10,996 1,570,000 2,748,351 208,776 9,244,814"
http://www.att.com/Common/about_us/annual_report/pdfs/ATT2011_ProxyStatement.pdf

[sgentilejr]

09:56 AM on 04/08/2012

Almost every Big and Great company that produces something "of value" in the USA has union workers. Exxon, Boeing, Caterpillar, Deere, GM, Ford, Navistar, All electric generating utility companies, etc. etc. all have unions. The people who are anti-union work low skill jobs and they are paid low wages because that is all they are worth, since they produce nothing of significant value at their menial non-skilled jobs.

[alreadybad]

10:16 AM on 04/08/2012

You had me until you last sentence. It was unfair and not true but I do understand your anger.

[guajiro]

10:31 AM on 04/08/2012

Probably what was meant is that around the time of the big depression, the 1930's or so, the government realized that without some government regulation/intervention the captain industries of the country would behave in the manner that composes capitalism, that is that there would be a boom and bust cycle in those industries. Consider the banking fiasco of the 30's whicl led to the Fed. Unions are a part of this agreement in that no one wants electric and telephone companies going broke and leaving the country without service. These services are just too important to allow the capitalism boom and bust cycle to apply to them. In exchange for the corporate welfare structure these companies receive they are expected to follow Henry Ford's model of paying good wages so his workers could afford to buy his car. Remember, electric and telephone companies receive many federal grants that pay them to install infrastructure which they then get to keep and then further still turn right around and start billing the American taxpayer for using the infrastructure they just paid for.

[Dennis Adams]

10:49 AM on 04/08/2012

I believe your comments should have indicated that there are a few companies left in the US that have union workers. Deere is investing $50M in Chinese operations, Caterpillar has 17 factories in China, Navistar has formed a JV to build a variety of products in China, GM and Ford both manufacture in China, and Boeing builds a variety of products using Shenyang Aircraft as its manufacturing base. Non-union workers in the US are not only valuable, but provide essential goods and services.

[henryptnm]

10:59 AM on 04/08/2012

Even the Chinese workers are forming unions. Workers at 2 auto plants in China went on strike. The reason: Wages and worker benefits. Auto plants asked the Chinese government to end the strike. Chinese government said,"NO". Told the auto plants to settle with the workers. It was in the news.