AT&T Southeast Bargaining Report #58
Yesterday CWA informed the company, the mediator and FMCS headquarters in Washington that we are no longer interested in the mediation process. When the company suggested meditation, we were hopeful that it might help us get a deal. Our thinking was that, with a mediator present, the company would have to abandon its bad tactics and bargain in good faith. Unfortunately, over the last few days it became clear to us that the company was using the mediation process as a delaying tactic rather than to help us get a contract. We appreciate the mediator's efforts; he's not the one to blame. In essence, the company was hiding behind the mediator and using the process as a way to avoid bargaining seriously. That is why we informed the company and the mediator that CWA does not intend to continue with mediation.
Many of you have seen a letter that the company sent out on Friday with its version of what has transpired in bargaining. To nobody's surprise, they deny that they are bargaining in bad faith. What is surprising is the deliberate misinformation they put in their letter. They talk about how much they value their employees, while at the bargaining table they call Wire Technicians "'second class employees." They claim that they have sent senior leadership to the bargaining table. They must have The Invisible Man working for AT&T, because no one on the CWA bargaining team has seen this "senior leadership" in the room with us.
The company's bad faith tactics have made the bargaining process extremely difficult. But now that we have closed the book on mediation, we believe that the company no longer has any excuses. They must deal with us, your bargaining team, across the table. Thanks to our members who are holding the line against the company's bad faith bargaining tactics, we know we have their attention. As soon as they start fulfilling their obligation to bargain in good faith, we believe we can get the deal done.
Throughout the day, we have been meeting with the Company going over the proposals at hand and reiterating the need to get a contract. While there may not be anything major to report on from today's events, please know that with the ceasing of the mediator's presence, our Union leadership is in the process of taking the appropriate next steps that will hopefully encourage the Company to do what is right in order to get the proper decision makers to the table. Stay strong and true family, we must show the Company that we are standing for what we believe in, and that is a fair and just contract! Happy Labor Day!