Members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) picket AT&T at their work center on Clinton Ave. in Huntsville, Alabama on Sept. 4, 2024. The union went out on strike last month after contract negotiations broke down. (Megan Plotka for Alabama Reflector)
HUNTSVILLE — AT&T technician and Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 3905 member George Petticrew has been waiving a “Fighting for the Middle Class” sign on Mastin Lake Road in Huntsville for over three weeks. He won’t let up until his union calls for the end of the strike.
Petticrew is one of approximately 300 AT&T workers who have been striking in Huntsville, Decatur, Cullman and Athens for the last four weeks. He is a staple at the AT&T work center on Mastin Lake. He’s either cheering by the road or grilling burgers for his fellow workers. He’s usually joined by 15 other technicians.
“There’s a lot of seniority at this particular location, but there are a lot of guys that have five to 10 years of service and it’s just as important for us to make sure that their futures are solidified with this company as it is for earlier on that they did for us,” said Petticrew. “So it’s kind of like the legacy that the next guy leaves for the next guy that comes up, and it’s very, very important to us as a family to take care of everyone.”
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The contract ended on Aug. 3, but AT&T workers did not go on strike until Aug. 16. AT&T technician and Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 3905 president Mustafa Hassan said they have been negotiating for a new contract since June.
“We realized quickly after the process had started, that we weren’t bargaining with somebody who could make a decision or who could approve proposals at the bargaining table,” Hassan said. “So once that became apparent, we gave it a little bit more time and discussed it with the company, and we realized they were not familiar with their own proposals that they had passed at the table. So then we decided that and a few other things were going on. So we decided to file unfair labor practice charges against AT&T.“
CWA representatives have filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board against AT&T. The union accused the Dallas-based telecom of not bargaining in good faith; engaging in surface bargaining and not sending representatives to the bargaining table with the authority to make decisions.
An AT&T spokesperson said in a statement that CWA “decided it no longer wants to involve a skilled federal mediator to assist in negotiations” and that the withdrawal “seems inconsistent with the union’s allegation of unfair labor practices.”
“As we have said from Day 1, we are focused on reaching a fair and competitive agreement that benefits our hard-working employees as quickly as possible, and this won’t change,” the spokesperson said. “In the meantime, we will remain prepared for all contingencies to ensure our customers receive the excellent service they deserve.”
The AT&T Southeast union contract covers approximately 17,000 CWA District 3 members who are now on strike. Strikes stretch across Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky and North Carolina.
After negotiations stalled, the two sides engaged in mediation, which ended in early September. CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt wrote that they left “in response to AT&T’s disingenuous use of the mediation process to stall negotiations.”
An AT&T spokesperson said in a statement that CWA “decided it no longer wants to involve a skilled federal mediator to assist in negotiations” and that the withdrawal “seems inconsistent with the union’s allegation of unfair labor practices.”
Hassan says they are still negotiating every day to reach a fair deal.
The CWA alleges that many AT&T customers are seeing extended wait times for service during the strike. An AT&T spokesperson said they are prepared for any interruptions. “We have business continuity measures in place to avoid disruptions to operations and will continue to provide our customers with the great service they expect,” said the AT&T spokesperson.
CWA’s Southeast district negotiated a contract in 2019 after going on strike for four days. It ended with a five-year deal that increased wages and enhanced retirement plans. The 2024 strike has lasted several weeks.
Petticrew was on the picket line in Florida during the 2019 strike. He said that he sees a major difference this year.
“This has actually brought us closer together, as a union, as a family, to be able to lean on each other, and I actually think it has helped us grow and mature as a unit,” said Petticrew. “That’s how I feel. I see that we’re stronger now than we were then.”
Petticrew wants to build up his community.
“It’s not only about our family, it’s about the community,” said Petticrew. “It’s about the desire to see people succeed in life. And that’s really all this is about, is just having a group that’s bigger than individual teams. And the other thing that I love and that I’ve seen, is I love it when the dads bring their sons, their daughters. Grandfathers bring their grandkids, their granddaughters, and their grandsons. And that gets back to the legacy of it. How many people families can say, hey, my grandfather on the line, or I walk with my grandfather, thinking about the legacy that we leave behind.”
Other labor groups showed up to support AT&T workers. Groups like Teamsters and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers brought food and water to the picket lines. North Alabama Area Labor Council President Jacob Morrison said it’s important to continue supporting workers on strike, especially after several weeks.
“It’s important for the working class generally, I think, to show our support for these people as they go out on strike, materially, because if they’re able to be fed and get some water while they’re on the picket line, that is one less meal that they have to buy for themselves,” said Morrison. “Especially if a strike goes for three or four or five or six weeks, you know, one less meal every day makes a difference, right? That’s a huge difference, materially.”
United Parcel Service (UPS) workers with Teamsters Local 402 are showing up with water and food. Teamsters Local 402 Chief union steward Donnie Helums said he’s happy to show up for other unions.
“It really meant a lot when you were on the sideline, there,” said Helms. “How are you going to pay your next house payment, car payment, feed your kids? A truckload of other union people pull up. They bring food. They break out picket signs. They stand there with you.”
CWA members are prepared to stay on the picket lines until they reach a fair contract. Petticrew said he wants to keep the union’s legacy alive.
“The union is a brotherhood,” said Petticrew. “It’s like a family, and we want to protect each other. It means a lot to us. You know, we’re legacy guys, our grandfather, our fathers-in-law, a lot of the guys that work for this company in that have some tenure people, three generations of phone men. And you know, our fathers and our grandfathers, they were on the strike at ‘83. In ‘83 they stood up and kind of like provided a path for where we are now. So these things are very important so that we’re able to have a good job that takes care of our families.”
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