What was the purpose of the contract extension for a week? Anyone with a clue?
30 replies (most recent on top)
Only a fool calls for a strike when they just layed off almost 1000 and can smell blood for more.
Only a fool calls for an immediate strike. OP obviously has no clue about contract labor negotiation and tactics.
@3kge...not as much weather related troubles as there used to be.
The weather is good. A strike now is pointless. Wait until the rain and snow hits.
There are lots of members who don’t have the money for an extended strike. Public perception isn’t going to be favorable when T announces our benefits package either.
For a 1 or 2 week walk T will halt installs during the strike(and go to the press and blame us the workers). They would have enough experience to squeak by on specials maintenance. They would save millions. I'm sure there's nothing they would love more than a couple of weeks without having to pay us, but by all means, fists up and showem who's in charge.
@: @10s0g6ot-3lmf in regards to your comment == If you can’t afford a week or two then you should re evaluate your finances.
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Hey, speak for yourself, not others. Keep peoples personal finances out of it, its their business not yours. People lose loved ones, divorce, file bankruptcy, get sued. You don't know what's going on in your fellow coworkers life to cause the financial burden. I had a business before ATT that went under and had to get a job to pay the bills. Go F yourself. 95%+ percent voted to strike.
I really don’t understand why they won’t call for a strike. You only need a week, manager numbers are down, there be desk workers in high heels trying to do installs. Sh– will grind to a halt. If you can’t afford a week or two then you should re evaluate your finances.
If T held a presser today and said that they were through dealing with the U and employees could either report back to work under the expired contracts rules or go to the house, I wouldn't be surprised if 95% showed up.
Out of curiosity, Any of the 911 ready to strike or would you rather keep things the way they were prior to June 14th?
Same as it's always been. cwa is a "company" union. Paying dues is useless anymore, starting backing up on contract yrs ago and continues to do so. No strike, no improvements, less people, heavier workloads. Cost of living increase will be eaten up by medical benefits increase. Sorry a$$ union m, sorry a$$ company
"If they want to roll over on this key moment then fine, that is when they won't need my dues anymore."
Our union rolled over years ago, unless you are "friends" with some of the officers and higher ups, they could not care any less about any of us.
They admit to 95% of members voting to strike in absence of fair contract, extend negotiations for a week, and...they still don't have a fair contract but promise they're super duper close to getting the company to budge on surplus issues, so show up on Monday. What kind of bullish are they pulling? We voted to strike, company isn't delivering. Why the hell aren't we striking? I'm tired of vague explanations and assurances about the company maybe agreeing to make the process of laying all of us off a little less stressful. If they want to roll over on this key moment then fine, that is when they won't need my dues anymore.
Brothers & Sisters,
The contracts, which cover over 22,000 members at AT&T Southeast, Utility Operations, & AT&T Southeast Billing have expired, with many critical issues including; job security, wages, healthcare, and others yet to be resolved. Our bargaining team has made significant progress on several issues that are important to our membership and we believe that reaching an overall tentative agreement is possible.
Considering the progress that our bargaining team has made over the last few weeks, we elected to extend the contracts for one week in hopes of reaching an agreement. That extension expires tonight at midnight and will not be renewed. Negotiations will continue with the current contract expired. Our members will continue to report to work, although we are keeping our option to strike open. Our members, by a 95% vote, have overwhelmingly authorized CWA to call a strike if a fair contract can’t be reached.
Our bargaining team has reached some tentative agreements on the following issues:
Job Security – Improved Skill Groups for certain job titles
Job Security – Priority placement - Article 7 over Article 10
Job Security – Improved grouping - Essentially the Same Type of Work (ESTW) for employees in wage scale 20 and below
Job Security – Improved surplus process for the CPE Organization
Job Security – Improved SIPP & Optional ESIPP processes for all employees
Job Security – Improved surplus grouping for technicians
Job Security – Improved surplus grouping for Sales Associates & Sales Consultants
For now, we are going to keep our fight for fair contracts going while we stay on the job but we have not extended the contracts. For weeks, we have pressed AT&T Southeast to move off of their bargaining demands that will hurt workers, their families, and our communities. We are ready to bargain for a fair and just contract, but we need AT&T Southeast to be ready to do the same. Through two months of difficult negotiations, the combination of our mobilization activities across District 3 and our team’s efforts at the bargaining table, has moved the company closer to meeting our demands and settling the contracts.
Rest assured in knowing that our bargaining team will not stop fighting. Please join me in placing your trust in them. While our members will continue to report to work and our bargaining team continues to negotiate towards a fair and just contract, things will not be “Business as Usual”. Talk to your coworkers, ban together in unity, reach out to your local CWA leaders, and together we will send a strong message to AT&T that we are willing to do whatever it takes to get the contracts that we deserve.
In Unity,
Richard Honeycutt
Vice-President CWA District 3
district 3 working without a contract, I wonder what happened? 3 ~ 4 hours ago the union said we were about to take to the streets. Guess they mis-spoke, again
To blow smoke up the members A$$. Odds are, a TA is close and they're now setting sights on battling against the bad sentiment they're about to receive. No different than D4 really. Bought and paid for and now all smoke & mirrors.
@1onl...a long strike against a company that just announced a 911 count layoff in our district(not to mention other districts), didn't take up keys, or assign their managers strike duties? I bet they're scared of a long strike.
It'll need to be a long strike to get everything or most of the things the union wants. I suspect most of the membership aren't prepared with a large emergency fund. Most people are horrible with money management.
Well if you want to say take as long as you need,let’s stop throwing out bs like we are getting prepared to take action!I think all paying members know that’s bs.That was made very clear wit the “one more week to get prepared” statement!
"AT&T Southeast Bargaining Report #33
August 9, 2019
The company has presented its first wage package, and it is not up to par. Your bargaining team is preparing counters, so that we can position ourselves closer to an overall agreement." .....
- so almost a week after the contract expired T presented it's 1st wage package?...kinda thought that would have come up sometime in bargaining or prebargaining.
The extension was likely to allow D4 time to count the votes for their contract.
So much more to fight for in the south east,and I understand that.You could at least let us know what it’s looking like for article 14!
Trips to Las Vegas for union presidents
We may need one more week to prepare for what’s been coming for three years!
I guess they are working on this 24/7.Seems they don’t have much time to give us updates!
I heard that the 1 week extension was to get the 911 surplus paperwork signed and dated
Latest update for D3. Still very far apart on the main issues...
According to the cwa website, a tentative agreement may be very close.
Be smart about this thing. Take as long as is required to get a decent contract. Even if it takes a year or more.
There is no point in getting in a hurry in order to give up our current benefits. At this point, we are perfectly content to work under the expired contract for as long as it takes.
Think about it. Take as long as You need Richard. WE are in no hurry.
It is the COMPANY that is in a hurry, not US.
More Surf & Turf dinners for the union bosses to feast on while they do nothing for the members!