AT&T said it sent union employees a “final offer” in efforts to resolve contract negotiations that are now dragging into their tenth month.
The negotiations cover about 20,000 AT&T employees in 36 states.
The mobile carrier said the contract covers jobs averaging almost $70,000 per year in pay and benefits, with some averaging over $115,000. The offer also includes a lump sum payment, retroactive pay increases back to February when the earlier contract expired, comprehensive healthcare and retirement benefits, and job security provisions “that are unheard of in the wireless industry,” according to an AT&T spokesperson.
Out of AT&T’s approximately 20 contracts, the proposed agreement is the only contract remaining open and covers about 7 percent of the carrier’s employees.
“All employees covered by this good-faith offer will be better off, and we hope they will consider it carefully and ask union leadership for an opportunity to vote on it,” an AT&T spokesperson said in an email. “It’s a fair offer.”
The spokesperson also noted that while AT&T is referring to the agreement as a final offer, the company is “always available to discuss the offer with the union, and their response.”
The Communications Works of America for its part, has said AT&T generates nearly $1 billion per month in profits, but is “failing to invest in its core business and infrastructure” as it outsources jobs.
In May AT&T was forced to close doors to a number of stores after nearly 40,000 union employees walked off the job for a three-day strike.
On its website CWA alleges AT&T did not share the latest offer with the union bargaining team before it was sent out publically and emailed to all members.
“This is a dirty, bad faith ploy and it won’t work,” the posting reads.
An AT&T spokesperson called the claim “more smoke and mirrors,” and said a formal meeting was scheduled for Monday afternoon between the two parties, but was “abruptly cancelled” when AT&T said they planned to present an offer. The proposal was then sent by email, “just as both sides have done in our bargaining,” according to the AT&T spokesperson.
One AT&T Mobility employee and CWA member, Carissa Moore, was not pleased with the latest offer.
“AT&T is playing games and trying to get us to settle for less on their terms, not ours. After months and months of AT&T executives refusing to bargain on job security, their so-called offer is anything but serious,” Moore said in a statement via the union. “We’re resolved in our fight to win a fair contract that stops offshoring jobs and moving retail jobs to low-quality contractors. Rhetoric and shiny brochures don’t pay the bills and don’t protect against AT&T’s proven record of shipping jobs to the Philippines – for that, we need a fair contract that address the real issues that matter to our lives and livelihoods. We’re in this until we win.”
The union also pointed to a letter signed by 17 U.S. senators to AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, urging the carrier to engage constructively with works to reach an agreement.
“Even as AT&T faces the challenges of a rapidly evolving and volatile telecommunications industry, AT&T wireless workers are driving tremendous profits. These workers deserve a fair share of the wireless division’s $1 billion monthly profit, which can easily support generous pay and benefits to all of your employees, not just your company’s executive leadership,” the senators wrote Monday. “We strongly encourage you to reevaluate the current situation and engage constructively with the union negotiators to reach a contract agreement that promotes both the interests of American workers and AT&T.”
