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AT&T Wireless Workers in Southeastern States Reach Agreement on New Contract

Over 12,000 Communications Workers of America (CWA)-represented AT&T wireless workers from nine southeastern states and the U.S. Virgin Islands won increased wages, more job security and rollbacks of offshoring and outsourcing in a tentative contract agreement reached last night.

“I am proud of our bargaining committee and the CWA members from across the country who supported their efforts with rallies and picketing events," said Richard Honeycutt, Vice President of CWA's District 3. "We are continuing to set new standards in the wireless industry and we are demonstrating that the best way for working people to achieve better pay and fair treatment on the job is by joining together in a union.”

The four-year proposed agreement provides 10.1% in raises over the course of the contract and shifts $2,500 from commission to base pay for retail workers. The agreement sets guarantees for the portion of customer service calls that will be handled exclusively by wireless workers who are CWA members in the nine states covered by the agreement: Alabama Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Highlights include:

  • A guaranteed increase in the portion of customer service calls handled exclusively by wireless workers who are CWA members;
  • Job security language that guarantees a job for workers whose store or call center is closed or whose job title is eliminated;
  • $2,500 shifted from commission to base pay for retail workers, making pay more stable;
  • Greater ability to use sick days without risk of discipline;
  • Limits on the types of monitoring and surveillance of retail and call center workers so that evaluation is fair and equitable;
  • Safety equipment for warehouse workers; and
  • Increase in on-call pay for technicians.

The agreement comes on the heels of a similar agreement which was ratified last month by AT&T wireless workers in 36 additional states and DC.

About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents 700,000 working men and women in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, public service and manufacturing.