CWA/ AT&T Bargaining Bulletin #26

AT&T Shareholders Meeting in Billings, Montana

Today was the Shareholders Meeting in Billings, Montana.  Melba Muscarolas, Vice President of Labor Relations and Mark Royse, Executive Vice President of Labor Relations, (shown at left and middle of photo) came out to talk with CWA leaders who were holding a banner shaming AT&T for its lack of concern for the bargaining process with CWA. 

Ellen West, CWA Bargaining Chair, wrote a statement that was distributed at the meeting.  Treating new hires as second class citizens with escalating healthcare costs and by eliminating retiree healthcare coverage and pensions makes no sense for such a profitable Company.  West explained the record breaking profits this Company has made on the backs of our members’ labor and how we are doing nothing more than asking for our fair share.    

Although we remain far apart on many key issues, hopefully our message at the Shareholders meeting will stimulate some activity at the bargaining table.  We remain ready to bargain when the Company gets serious and removes its retrogressive proposals. 

Fighting for Fairness

Unions have been the only powerful and effective voice working people have ever had in the history of this country ~ Bruce Springsteen

All official negotiation and mobilization information will be delivered on the District 9 website. (www.district9.cwa-union.org), Local Websites and email lists.

Your Bargaining Committee