AT&T, Workers Begin Bargaining as Contract Nears Expiration

By Josh Long

Union employees who work in AT&T’s wireless operations in a region covering Texas and several other states have began negotiations with the company over a new contract.

Communications Workers of America Local 6127 President Josiah Garcia told NewsWest9 in Texas that contracts are expected to expire by the end of this month for AT&T Wireless employees.

Negotiations reportedly have commenced for a region covering Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

“It’s a recession in this country, so AT&T is one of the big companies that can help out with the recession,” Garcia told NewsWest9. “So the more they can help employees, the better the country can be.”

AT&T Wireless employs nearly 9,000 workers in its five-state “Southwest Region” mentioned above, according to CBS 7 News in Texas. “AT&T is proud of it’s cooperative relationship with CWA, we’re committed to bargaining a contract that will continue to provide good union jobs with good wages and benefits,” the report quoted AT&T Wireless as stating.

The two sides will be looking to avoid what happened with Verizon and the unions last year. CWA and IBEW members hit the picket lines for two weeks over unresolved issues, many of which have yet to be settled. They are still working under the terms of their old contract.