Atlanta union members continue picketing outside AT&T’s Atlanta headquarters as the strike moves into its third week.
Southeast AT&T workers continue to strike as contract negotiations between Communications Workers of America and the telecommunications company broke down over the Labor Day weekend after AT&T introduced a federal mediator.
After two weeks without pay, there is no contract for the more than 17,000 striking workers across the southeast. Following the expiration of the current contract, wireline technicians, customer service representatives, and thousands of other workers across nine states walked off the job on Aug. 16 after negotiations stalled.
Last month, CWA filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming AT&T is not bargaining in good faith. AT&T denies the claim and says it is disappointed that union leaders would call for a strike.
The CWA informed AT&T that they are no longer interested in federal mediation after the company added a federal mediator to the discussion, and no deal was reached.
“We appreciate the mediator’s efforts. Our message to AT&T is: no more excuses. It’s time to get serious about bargaining so we can get back to work serving our customers,” CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt said in a Monday press release.
An AT&T spokesperson wrote in a statement to WABE that CWA’s decision was “unexpected,” because “withdrawing from mediation seems inconsistent with the union’s allegation of unfair labor practices.”
“We thank the mediator for their efforts throughout this process. Regardless of whether a neutral third-party is present, progress will not be made without a willingness to compromise,” the spokesperson wrote.
CWA Local 3204 in Atlanta President Ed Barlow said the strike persists.
“If the company doesn’t want to send the right representative to the table, our members are prepared to stay out and strike as long as we have to to get the company to do the right thing at the bargaining table,” Barlow said.
CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. joined members on the picket line outside of AT&T’s Atlanta headquarters Friday.
“Hell, we could get a contract. If they would just bargain, we could probably get a contract today if they would just bargain,” Cummings said.
CWA called AT&T’s use of the mediation process “disingenuous.”
“We just want you to bargain, just bargain with us and we’ll get to a place where we will have something that we both can live with and to send these members to vote on,” Cummings Jr. said.
How much longer will the strike go on?
Customers have taken to social media saying they are experiencing internet service outages and repair delays.
“These members want to serve the customers. They don’t want to be out here, but they want the company to bargain in good faith, and that’s not happening right now,” Cummings Jr said.
Customers took to the social media app Reddit to express their frustration with service outages and repair delays in their area due to the strike.
Tom Smith is an economist at Emory University. He said that until a deal is reached, customers will have to put up with service disruptions.
“If it wasn’t disruptive or it didn’t have any kind of negative element towards customers, then AT&T, I suspect, wouldn’t feel any kind of pressure to negotiate,” he said.
AT&T said in a statement that it remains focused on reaching a fair agreement and is providing customer service throughout the work stoppage.
Smith said he’s unsure of how a lengthy strike could impact the company financially.
“I don’t think that this is gonna go on for months and months and months, but it could,” said Smith.
He sees similarities between this strike and the UPS Teamsters last year.
“I mean, nobody wants to be in this situation,” Smith added. “I don’t think that striking workers want to strike. AT&T doesn’t want the service interruptions. Customers clearly don’t want the service interruptions.”
