Contract emerging from AT&T strike could give workers 19.3% wage bump

The logo of AT&T outside of AT&T corporate headquarters on March 13, 2020 in Dallas, Texas. The telecom reached an agreement with union workers in the Southeast this weekend that could mean pay raises of 19.3% for many employees. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

AT&T workers with the Communication Workers of America (CWA) in the Southeast returned to work Monday after a 30-day strike.

Approximately 300 AT&T technicians, customer service representatives and other workers in north Alabama were on strike for the past month. There were several picket lines across Huntsville, Athens, Cullman and Decatur manned with diverse workers grilling burgers, waving signs and telling AT&T they wouldn’t work without a fair contract. They joined 17,000 CWA District 3 members on strike across the Southeast. The AT&T Southeast union contract covers workers in Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky and North Carolina.

That ended when AT&T and the union made “a strong tentative agreement” on Sunday according to the union’s press release.

“We are incredibly proud of our members and thank CWA members, retirees and allies across the country for the solidarity that has sustained us through these difficult negotiations,” said CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt. “Their willingness to make sacrifices in order to win major improvements in their contract not just for themselves, but for future members is truly inspiring.”

AT&T and CWA reached a five-year contract with a focus on wages and healthcare costs. All workers will receive a 19.33% wage increase and wire technicians and utility operations will see an additional 3% increase. Healthcare premiums will remain the same this year but will lower in the second and third years. The union reports that there will be “modest monthly increases in the final two years.”

AT&T Chief Operating Officer Jeff McElfresh said the company’s initial goal was to come to a fair contract for the workers.

“As we’ve said since day 1, our goal has been to reach fair agreements that recognize the hard work our employees do to serve our customers with competitive market-based pay and benefits that are among the best in the nation — and that’s exactly what was accomplished,” said McElfresh. “These agreements also support our competitive position in the broadband industry where we can grow and win against our mostly non-union competitors.”

Prior to the agreement, CWA filed unfair labor charges against the Dallas-based telecom with the National Labor Relations Board. It accused the company of not bargaining in good faith; engaging in surface bargaining and not sending representatives to the bargaining table with the authority to make decisions. Negotiations had been taking place since June.

The tentative agreement is not set yet. Union members will review the agreement and then hold a ratification vote. If more than 50% of the members vote for the agreement, then the district’s bargaining committee will recommend ratification.

McElfresh said that is expected to happen “in the coming weeks.”