SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — After their prior contract expired in early August, AT&T Southeast workers states engaged in a month-long strike in an attempt to force AT&T to engage in good faith bargaining, according to the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
Over 25,500 members of the CWA across eleven states have ratified strong new contract agreements with AT&T Southeast and AT&T West, they said. The AT&T Southeast contract covers approximately 17,000 workers across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
AT&T workers who install, maintain and support AT&T’s network, will receive wage increases of over 19% during the new five-year agreement in the Southeast, the CWA said.
“For 30 days, our members stood up and made sacrifices to fight for the fair contract they deserve. Because of our members’ solidarity and tenacity, AT&T workers now have the support they need to make AT&T a leader in closing our nation’s digital divide,” said CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt. “Across these nine states, billions of dollars in federal funds will be rolling in to support a massive broadband rollout, and this contract ensures that both customers and workers will be adequately supported as AT&T bids for and hopefully secures new projects stemming from that funding.”