AT&T Legacy T Bargaining Report #33

Another day was spent discussing benefits but, as usual, the Company will not respond to our proposals when we make them. They have to get back to their leaders in Dallas before they can give us a response.

We received a message from a member via the website: he wanted to know why we were still passing proposals now and why we didn’t start bargaining earlier. We are still passing proposals now because that is how bargaining works. Each side puts a lot of demands on the table when bargaining starts and then, as each side counters the others’ demands, there is hopefully movement until you end up with a Contract both sides can agree on. Extending the process doesn’t mean you reach an agreement earlier. It just takes away the urgency of coming to an agreement.

What mainly pushes the Company is the pressure we put on them away from the table - Mobilization activity on the job, going to the Shareholders Meeting and talking to the Press, holding rallies that the public can see, reaching out to the community on issues like AT&T’s off shoring of work. Working without a Contract so the Company does not know if or when we will strike also puts pressure on them to wrap this up. So keep doing what you are doing and then ramp it up a notch. No business as usual.

Your Bargaining Team,

Bill Bates

Laura Unger

Lois Grimes-Patow

Martha Flagge

Mary Ellen Mazzeo

LaNell Piercy

Roy Hegenbart