AT&T's wireline voice declines drive more job cuts in Connecticut

Eroding voices service revenues are forcing AT&T (NYSE: T) to let go another 150 employees in its Connecticut market.

"We are eliminating some positions due to reduced workload in our shrinking wireline business," said spokesman Marty Richter. "The affected employees have a job offer guarantee that promises a job offer in another part of the business within Connecticut, so they have an opportunity to stay on the payroll."

Any employee who's affected by the latest round of job cuts will be able to apply for other jobs in the company.

Overall, the service provider has cut 100 operators' employees in the state and has also announced plans to cut an additional 45 engineer and technician positions. In addition, a report in the Waterbury Republican-American revealed that AT&T will close customer service centers in Waterbury and Old Saybrook.

While traditional wireline voice services continue their expected decline in the state, the service provider is seeing greater demand for its U-verse IPTV service. This has prompted AT&T to ramp up its U-verse workforce, hiring 200 technicians and retail employees in the past six months with plans to hire 50 more.

Regardless of AT&T's reasons, Communications Workers of America (CWA) local President Bill Henderson believes that the job cuts will "continue to deteriorate the already obscenely low 'service levels' in our state."

The timing of the job cuts come as the CWA, which represents 4,000 AT&T employees, gears up to negotiate a new labor contract. The CWA's contract with AT&T expires in April.   

For more:
- see this WTNH report

Special report: Wireline in the fourth quarter 2011

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