CWA and AT&T "very unlikely" to come to agreement before deadline

did at&t strike at midnight?

A thing most often lost by folks is that companies exist to make money, NOT to provide employment...employment is a byproduct of being profitable. So, do the employee 'share' in the companies profit? YES, because they have a job and can continue to provide for the self and their families. To say employee do not share in profits is ludicrous, each day you have the opportunity to go to work for a great wage, a solid benefit plan you share in the profitability of the company.

It's all top heavy greed...That is why we are in world crisis today...Its got to stop.

Honestly, give me clearance to order stock, and let me approve my own time.... and get rid of most of the management because they would then be absolutely worthless.

I think all of you are a bunch of idiots!!

You know i am one of the those "technicians" that worked the last 2 years 10 to 12 hour days setting up the vrads that carry the signal for the u-verse and the broadband! And yes without us the copper carrying that signal would not have been ready, and the areas being served by U-verse would not be available right now! I loved the paychecks I recieved with the overtime, I am not going to complain about that, I think I speak for probably 90 percent of the crew and we are not asking for more money! We are not complaining about our jobs! I am very happy with what we have as far as health care and pay! If they could leave everything as it is now I think everyone would be happy except the "fat cats" up top as someone said! So dont think we are being greedy we just dont want to lose what we already have!!

I've been thinking a lot and reading all the posts on this contract thing. You know what? I'm fully supportive of the union trying to keep whatever the non management employees have. Go for it! But...I'm sick of hearing "We made this company" and "We are the ones out there doing all the work" There would be no U-Verse to install if someone, probably a manager with way fewer benefits, wasn't in at a desk working the logarithms and engineering the system, and building the billing interfaces, and reprogramming the computers, and reporting the payroll, and purchasing the trucks and equipment, and setting up contracts, and making sure that those managers are following the policies etc etc ad nauseum. We are ALL important to this company.. no one organization can succeed without all of the others supporting them... someone selling , someone advertising, so stop bickering in public, get over yourselves, get the damn work done and care for the customer. This company continues to be an agency shop and collects dues on behalf of the union. Yeah so what, they bargained that long ago...they are still doing it! How much money do you think it would cost the union to set it all up on their own? AT&T is NOT anti Union and it is NOT anti employee. It's a business and sometimes they need to be reminded that they don't have to follow the lemmings to the sea and do what every other company is doing.. a fair contract will be had and all of your arguing about who deserves what isn't going to make a damn bit of difference. UNION Leaders will decide if there will be a strike, and COMPANY leaders will decide whether they will give on their positions...not you and I. Oh maybe WE are the lemmings...regardless of which side of the fence we sit .

I understand that when this all over we have to work together. I'm certainly not upset with the first line management. They have no control over what's happening. Why should we in the middle class get forced into poverty because of a lousy contract? As a sign of good faith to the share holders, you'd think it would be in the best interest of the company for the top executives to lose some benefits and take a decrease, or freeze their pay. The rich get richer while the rest of us struggle. The bottom line is that this is all about corporate greed.

I hope none of us forget when this is all said and done; we have to work together. It's also very important to remember the decision-makers are not in your local offices. That being said, everyone knew these issues (benefits / pensions/ job titles), would be on the table this year. The bottom line is the operating cost of our biggest competitor (cable) is much lower than ours. I like most Managers began my career as a non-mgmt person, and yes I was a proud card carrying Union member. We have different roles in the business, but at the end of the day we are all “worker bees”. You have to make a decision about what’s important to you and make the appropriate choices. If you can not live with the idea of paying a greater percentage of your healthcare, then you have to decide if that is indeed a “deal breaker” for you. I imagine it will come down to determining how much health care will cost each employee, not if in fact it will happen. At some point you have to face the reality of the situation at hand. There is very little to no support of the Union’s position by the public. It may seem unfair the contract expired during very turbulent times, but it is what it is. You may not like it…but this is the hand your were dealt. I pray the contract issues is resolved & we as a business can move on. I have the highest respect for folks in the call centers and working out in the field. If you can peform these jobs, you can make it anywhere in the business. Please… do not re-hash why then should you have to pay. You know why… the timing is like a “perfect storm”.

reply to: Did the business unit you were in make a huge gain, stay even or loose ground? - This contract is for wireline technicians. Could AT&T turn a profit in any business unit without us maintaining the network? Everything in this company revolves around the network that we maintain. Wireless and Uverse are included in that. Where else could the profits come from? You can't tell me the company doesn't turn a profit on all of the circuits at cell sites (for every carrier) and all the businesses that have multiple T1's or optical circuits. This thread is full of ridiculous comments from people who have no clue how this company works. As for me, I could care less if we gain anything on this contract but I certainly don't want to lose what I already have. Unlimited forced overtime is ridiculous because the company abuses the forced overtime as it is. I can just see after a big storm we'd be working 16 hour days, 7 days a week. I have a life outside this company and would like to spend time with my family. Elimination of guaranteed scheduled vacation. I'm sorry but if I have a vacation scheduled and paid for and am told just before I leave that I can't go due to the trouble load being to great, I'd be extremely unhappy. I could see some of the first line managers abusing that with technicians they don't get along with. Elimination of Lump Sum pension, elimination of Sunday premium, eliminating double time, etc... All that from a company that turned a 12.9 Billion dollar profit. The real problem here is corporate greed. How much money is enough for these executive fat cats?

It is simply amazing how blind some people are to the fact that this company is just flat out using this reccession as an excuse to make more money. The company made 12.9 billion last year that is after they paid out all salaries, including all the top executives 33million. That is after they paid out all benefits, after they paid out all the dividends, the supplies, the trucks, the fines, the placement of a whole new fiber to the node network. which all costeed somewhere in the area of 115 billion. I know that here in the valley the company placed approximately 500 fiber nodes to heat up uverse service to as many customers possible. The basic uverse package is about 6 time more expensive then the most expensive pots calling plan. And from the node it still runs over the same copper pairs that you pots(plain old telephone service) ran over. It funny how the company points out that the wireline or pots service has dwindled down 20% over 3 years which, hey what do you know was about the same time at&t started pushing dry loop dsl, and uverse. So of course we lost pots services but they aren't lost, at least 80% of the 20% mentioned pots lines were upgraded to the more expensive dsl or uverse service, oh and not to mention more then likely that one pots line turned into a wireless number, or two or three for those of us that have family plans. So how can the company with a straight face say the union members that work wireline services are the ones with the richest health care. That is like asking why did the ceo of this company make 22 million dollars last year? Because somewhere someone thought he earned it? Maybe, most of us don't. But i bet you ask most managers if the technicians that work outside everyday climbing poles in the rain sleet and snow to make sure that your, pots, dsl,uverse, and cellular service, no matter what company you have cell service through, keeps working deserve the benefits and pay that they have with this previous contract. Most of them will say they do, if you don't think so then your just lying to your self to make your conscience feel better about stepping on all the people that make this company what it is. As far as next year goes I can tell you right now that the company will pull a much bigger profit in next year. Simple math all the fiber they laid in the past year all the fiber nodes they have placed they are all making money already. They company will still place some but not even half as many as they did this year, so what does that mean? Easy it means instead of the company spending 100 billion next year to place more fiber/ and fiber node they will make money off of the the now placed and in service uverse services then they will only have to spend 50 billion placing fiber. Yup that means twice as much profit and at half the cost. And you want to act like we are going under come on how stupid do you think we are? Auto companies didn't go down because of health care they went down because of ignorance and greed. We aren't asking for more pay or benefits we are just asking that you be fair to us. I know that is asking alot from you people that have everything given and provided for you. But be reasonible, Don't just step on us because we are littler than you or so you think. there are more of us then there are of you. Oh and all of you crazy contractors that think you can do my work, i don't place or replace cable I fix it. And i still have yet to see a contractor make use of any trouble shooting skills the he or she might think they have. Good luck trying to do my job

Darn, put like that makes me want to join the union too. I like my job but I sure don't have it that good.

If we stop using the economy as a backbone, will you quit complaing about your benefits? Your benefits with even having to pay $1500 out of pocket is still a good deal compared to everyone else. Will you stop crying about a 2% raise when alot of people are not even getting raises? Will you stop crying about raises you are already promised for the next 4 years no matter wheater or not you do a good job? Will you stop crying about having to work overtime at time and a half and double time? You are making a fair wage for the job you do. I know that because you took the job for lesss money than you are making now. In 5 years no matter what the company makes you are looking at a 10% increase. Stop crying because they have to find you another job within the company if the job you have now goes away. How many people would love to have that kind of things they know they had to be given no matter. I can see people being brainwashed by the Union thinking how bad they got it. If you have it that bad just flat out quit your job and go find another one. Why would you want to work for a company that is treating you that bad in the first place? I can tell you why, because you know you are making good money, have a good job and can't find anything that is going to pay you the same with the same benefits you have now. Sure everyone always wants to make more. Sure the company as a whole made huge profits this past year. Did the business unit you were in make a huge gain, stay even or loose ground?

Ok so for real ppl you want us to stop fighting for collective bargaining, because the public will not show and sympathy on our behaves!! SHUT UP. If GM, Chrysler, AIG made 12.9 Billion they will be going thru the same!! They had to give in because of they money lost, what have AT&T lost, my point. You want us to be grateful to have a job, WE ARE cause we know we are what makes this company. HEY EVERYONE NEXT TIME THESE IDIOTS COME TALKING TO US ABOUT (P2R) TELL THEM TO GET THE HELL OUT YOUR FACE. Then lets see there profits then. How many offices will start consolidating, managers let go!! STOP USING THE ECONOMY AS A BACKBONE!!

The general public does not feel sorry for you one bit. I can understand you say the public, but refer to friends and family as the public. That is a horse of a different color. The main reason people say the public does not have any sympathy for the union is becuse of the unempolyment rate. These are people that got laid off from a job and have no benefits. They would love to work the overtime to have extra money coming in with the economy like it is. You say quit using the economics as a backbone. That is kind of hard to do when that is the driving force of business. Sure the company made a huge profit last year. Most of your major companies did. How much profit did your business unit make for the company? Did they break even or loose money? You talk about forced overtime ok what about salary people that have to work overtime and don't get any compensation for it? If the point I read does not change you will get time and a half for anything between 40-50 hrs. Then double time starts. I see the union fussing about wanting double time after 48 hrs. You talk about raising the out of pocket with no raise, did you not get a raise this year. I know people that are mgmt level at AT&T that premiums went up and did not get a raise. They say even with the increase yours is still cheaper. You talk force overtime. I don't see them making you work 7 days a week. I can see them making you work overtime to finish you job and get others jobs finished for slack co-workers. Just think when they make you catch someone up who is slack. You are having to do your work and his. The kicker to that is he is union to and they can't get rid of him either. In the non union world the slackers get let go. The union does not want him to be able to get fired no matter how slack he is. If he gets fired that is less money in their pocket. The unions are in this thing to make money too. I would be willing to bet they care more about your union dues than they care about you.

You sit there and talk about all the things you are losing and in the long run you dont look at the gains. AT&T will be gaining a work force ( by gettting rid of the union ) that cares about the custumer and whats best for them. The Union only cares about what is best for them and only them. The Union motto- What can you give us cause we are better than anyone else....

You must be upset! Why do you all say the public does not sympathize with us! We are not fighting for the public we are fighting for our own rights! To be truthfull majority of the public is our own friends and family. I have family that tell me I'm only with AT&T just cause you work there and they are supporting me. STOP USING THE ROUGH ECONOMIC TIMES AS A BACKBONE. Yeah it's ppl that will come and do our jobs for lesser but eventually there complaints will arise come next contract, so this is a ongoing process with any union or company. Especially when the company ou work for made 13 billion after paying all there bills. It's not just about HEALTHCARE, me myself I don't mind paying a little more extra on premiums but to raise the out of pocket to thousands more and no raises. That's robbery!!! You want to make OT mandatory forced, ok if they do that will effect mgrs just as well get ready to work on your free weekends and holidays because next AT&T will be mon-sun for all. WATCH especially with no premium pay for sundays and no double time at all anymore. WE ALL WILL BE AFFECTED SO WE ALL LOSE! MGRS AND CWA

If the pay, and benefits are that bad, Why did you take the job in the first place? If I went to get a job with a company and the pay and benefits were that bad I would not have taken the job. I know I have done it before. You got a bigger raise this year than any salry empolyee, you health care cost are also cheaper. The general public does not have one bit of sympathy for you. There are people that have been laid off that would love to have what you got right now. There is talk about how much money the company is making. You better be glad the company is making money, if not you would be on the street drawing a unemployment check. You may want to stop and think how much money the upper level of the CWA is making off of the dues you pay. I can sure bet you they are not worried about how they are going to pay the bills. If you go on strike they are going to make the same either way. If you would read the first line of the CWA mission statement, it is surely not anything about you. It is to make the Union Stronger. The talk about how hard the job is to do,well that again was your decision to take the job. The workers who are CWA members are making two differnt groups money, AT&T and the CWA. I would sure hate to think I had given someone else the authority to tell them I am not coming to work. I have read some of the barganing reports, the Union wants people to be disruptive at work, tapping pencils, cans with screws in them, clickers, practice marches. When I read that I thought to myself you have got to be kidding me. You are telling a group of people to go to work and act like childern in elementary school.

Too many people on here see wireline and they just seem to associate POTS service with it. The wireline technicians are responsible for installing and maintaining the T1 lines that every carrier has at every cell site. That is how all the voice and data is carried back to the central offices. The only wireless portion is the signal between your phone and the tower. Without that wireline service wireless wouldn't exist. Wireline technicians also maintain the lines that carry uverse service. While POTS service is of course in decline from the time when everyone had additional lines for the teenagers or for dialup there is still plenty of work to be done. There are also plenty of circuits that wireline technicians install and maintain from 56K to optical circuits. Wireline technicians also turn up and maintain all of the fiber optic equipment in the field from vrad's to flashwaves. Please don't just associate wireline with plain old telephone service and nothing else because you would be very wrong.

As an IBEW Local 21 member,we are watching the CWA contract closely. Just some quick facts: There is no high speed data or wireless service or voip without wireline!! How do you think all the wireless sites and cell towers move those massive amounts of data? wirelines. Also, the demands that at&t corporate are making for the CWA contract are unreal! It is understandable to have to pay for health care, but $300/month with a $3000 out of pocket?! And unlimited mandatory OT? The company abuses that as it is. When do we decide that the service we provide is bigger than all of us? This planet revolves around communication. It's time for at&t to open there pockets and reinvest in the company that has been forged by craft and non union employees. Investing in your work force will reap benefits one hundred fold. We buy at&t products too.

Who cares what you think. This isn't about you, and your opinion means nothing. You're bitter about your situation and misery loves company. In the past the union you hate so much has negoitiated 5 weeks of vacation, great pay, and wonderful benefits including 104 weeks of severance pay . The company didn't just offer this to us, and they didn't have to keep us around for years, but they did because we helped build this behemoth of a telecom company who now makes a 12 billion dollar a year profit. Quit your crying!

Everyone on here needs to realise that this is a Personal issue with the employees at AT&T. These employees want to get what they are worth. In a few years when the economy gets better and these people are working for less now, later this will effect more that these people. Employers look at at there industry as a whole to reflect the wages of a certain type of work. So this will effect many people in the future. I do feel bad for those people that have lost there jobs. But the reason that the economy is the way it is, is because people have become greedy across the board. People have been living beyond their meens for a long time. So now people are losing there jobs and in turn losing there belongings. Well I hope this teaches people that if you do not have the money then you can not have it. Stop trying to keep up with the Jones, and feed your kids, pay your bills and be happy to be alive. Life is short, be happy with what you have!!

Okay to the anonymous person that is upset cause they don't have a job! We'll sorry for your lose, but im pretty sure majority if not all have saved fr this tragic event,it's not our fault some ppl made the wrong investments and lived beyond they means when they had. THAT'S WHAT SAIVINGS ARE ALL ABOUT, to be prepared for the worse. Everyone tries to use the economy for a escape goat. So we should settle for less because others lost they job, I don't think so. AT&T didnt lose billions they mad 12.9B thanks to us and we deserve some of that piece of pie. We'll maybe you should be on another site looking for a job and not commenting on what's going on with CWA.

Is the wireline side of AT&T even profitable? I thought people were cancelling wireline services in droves? Most people I know dont even have a wireline anymore (including me). Wireless is here with great service and awesome data speeds. I can see why the company is reluctant to give in with these negotiations.

I do wish everyone good luck though.

To the "Anonymous" who believes that the union caved because they have not gone out on strike against AT&T. You must think this is a game. The Union leaders understand the sacrifices that will be made on the part of their members if they go out on strike and I thank God they are hanging in there as long as they can, trying to negotiate. No one wants a strike, no one benefits from a strike and the Union leadership isn't going to make that move until absolutely necessary. I say keep at it. Meet and talk until both sides are blue in the face and their voices hoarse. Only then can you say a strike is necessary....

dear looking for work.....i am sorry that you lost your job....it has to be very hard in these economic times. just to let you know not ALL union employees hide behind the union and not work. I have 30 years with at&t and am very proud of the fact that i work for a profitable company and i am also proud to be a union member and union steward. i got to where i am today by working hard and giving the company an honest day's work each and every day of my 30 year career. in all honesty we as union members do not need your support since we know in our hearts we are standing up for what we beleive in. CWA is fighting for their members and also trying to make a statement so more "profitable" corporations stop taking away so many benefits using the economic times as an excuse. good luck to you and i wish you well.

I will not support the strikers in the least bit. I have been out of work for the past 8 months. There are people out here who won't feel sorry for you one bit when you join the ranks of those of us who have lost homes, had credit scores go down the drains, had vehicles repossessed and all the like. All I can say is that if you go out on strike, you better be able to make your payments on all of your possessions, and the rest of your bills. Picking up a loaf of bread at the store isn't that easy when you have no money to do it with. I was once in a union, but all they are for are safe havens for employees who don't want to work. They hide behind the union and don't care when they have to have one of their "union brothers/sisters" pick up their slack. If you go out on srike, be prepared for the public to laugh at you publicly. Take what the company is offering you, which i'm sure is a paycheck, and like it. I know I would.

I am retired from SBC, I&R. I've been out on strike three times, the longest was three weeks. Each time we came back, it took weeks to clean up the messes left for us. My Dad is a retired 1st level. Years later, he finally admitted how difficult the job was for him and the other managers to do. (He wouldn't admit this at first)
He had done the installation and repair job 20 years earlier, but it had changed. The prep work didn't succeed then, and it won't now. The managers will be able to do the basic, and easy jobs. The complex ones will cause them problems, as it did years ago. We never were mad at the managers for doing our work, we knew they had to as part of their job. We also confirmed they had problems with it after a couple weeks, the messes piled up on them. I have no doubt it would be the same now, no matter how confident they feel.
If the company was hurting, I would think differently. But they can well afford to continue our benefits as they are. The fat cats at the top don't make any concessions, why should the workers, or retirees have to.

We have all heard about the NEW AT&T - well here is the NEW CWA = C for Committed W for Workers for the betterment of A = America. How bout that we can do that also.....Lets hear it for the Committed Workers for America. A W E S O M E

You're very full of yourself You have no idea how many of us turned down mgmt jobs . With shift differentials and a miniscule amount of overtime we can make far more than our managers who work on salary and have to pay for their healthcare. Call us what you want ,call us dropouts ,whatever helps you overcome your misgivings, but we still have the higher FICA scores, drive the nicer cars and live in better neighborhoods than most telecom mgrs.

I dont think that CWA caved....working without a contract does not mean that it is over. Obviously even though you are an investor and have watched this whole thing closely you do not have any understanding as to how things actually work. At least CWA knows how to stand up for what they beleive in instead of laying down and just taking the first proposal that comes along....we might get stuck with the same contract but at least we as union members and union officials stood up for what we beleive in....unlike some people who can sit on this website and ridicule us without any understanding as to what is really going on. CWA should not be embarassed you should.

"Management" is a job classification given it has nothing to do with being a manager or a leader. Though there might be a few true managers that actually have people reporting to them adding to this commentary most of them are not.

First of all, I give you a cookie. In fact, TWO cookies for having the resources and support to get your advanced degree...too bad your education did not enlighten you in the social disparities that exist in our society nor did it provide you with class and mannerism. It disappoints me that individuals like yourself are able to obtain leadership/management positions to guide the working class (field workers) in doing their best work for the company. I hope you realize that not just anybody can do the labor on the field and that one day you will overcome your ignorance. It seems to me that you are the pissed off, insecure, invaluable failure.

Mgmt>Labor - Union is just pissed that we are smarter, better, earn more, and are better able to provide for our families. If union was in a position to bring more skills to the table, they wouldn't need to organize to bring all members down to the lowest denominator. I went to college, got at advanced degree, and bring more to the table than a bus full of craft workers. That is why I make bank, get great benefits, perks, etc... the company needs me more than they need you. And if the S hit the fan, I could land job anywhere in any condition. You are all just pissed you are a bunch of failed dropouts who never were good enough in life.

I am very much against the strike. Many of us need the income today. If we are out on strike, the only ones getting paid will be the Union management. I am tired of paying all of my dues to make the Union management rich, while they pretend to protect our interests. We all know that healthcare costs go up. We also know that AT&T Management has to pay a larger percentage of their healt care coverage out of their pockets, too. This isn't a Union vs. Management problem -- it is a universal problem. Striking won't solve it.

Are we all forgetting that fewer and fewer homes are now needing landlines for their phone service? First - if we strike, the work will still get done, because Management has full prepared for their strike duty. Second, even if they can't make the repairs, installation, etc., as efficiently as the Union workers can, so what? People are used to outages, and will be patient, and just use their mobile phones. Lastly, if repairs take too long, they will just decide they don't need land lines any more. This strike could totally backfire on us, and then we would be out of jobs!

All we hear from our stewards and leadership is how they can protect us, but we never hear the potential downside of a strike. The UAW has nearl killed the American auto industry. I do not want that to happen to us and our industry!

No strike -- no strike duty for me! Please think about it!!!

Wow,I am not an AT and T employee but have followed this whole thing closely as an investor in their stock. Just as I though. The union caved. What happened to "Were ready to strike"? LOL. They know a strike would hurt the union as the company would win and possibly lock the employees out for more than 60 days at which time the union will come crawling back with what the company proposed initially. Work without a contract? Wow. Nice job CWA, way to stand up. So soft it makes me laugh. Do what you said you would. Nope, they bluffed and lost. FYI, there will be no strike! Just a bunch of talking tough by the union but they won't stand up and do it. The landscape is different than 4 years ago and the company has all the leverage. Hope you guys (Unionized employees) get a contract, but looks like its the one you didn't want. Take it now or you'll be worse off long term I fear. Good luck. CWA should be embarrased.

We all deserve better. Stop whining.

I work for the company. Our job has become increasingly difficult. No one knows how hard the job really is, I seriously doubt the mgt could do what they drill in us to do each day. It is a very stressful job. Outsidders can't come in here and do this like it is a piece of cake, because I have been learning since day one and it continues to change daily. We have to be perfect with each customer we interact with no matter how difficult it is. We give great service to customers but at the same time the mgt wants to make money so this catch 22 is a double standard for us. Since we are so much pressure to be perfect, work hard, give 100% we deserve the benefits the cwa 1298 is trying to give us. This company is making a lot of money on our work. They need to realize we do this for them, we realy try to meet their objectives however hard or impossible the deal they dish out to us.

Yes crazy. ;)

Posted by CWA D3 | April 5, 2009 - 12:41am
There are FIVE separate negotiations going on.

You are correct. Thank you. I have D6 stuck in my head.

Crazy....its all crazy

I for one am tired of the new at&t. I had my reservations when it all merged, but since they took over, I have never heard anything positive from any employee about the new at&t, this extends from the union employees to 1st, 2nd and beyond management. Allot of you comment and talk about thing as lookers from the outside in and just do not truly know how bad this company has become over the last few years. I could name a number of things, but will keep my opinions in check. I agree the world is changing and therefore employees have to adjust, therefore I am making adjustments. 2 years and bye bye to the Death Star and the New Galactic Empire ...medical field here I come...

CPNI training is required for anyone that accesses customer information. This started back when we were AWE. Don't know when Cingular started since they only bought us a couple of years before the deathstar came back to buy us again. What does it matter anyway?

There are FIVE separate negotiations going on. And one more thing... Over all the years that I have been with AT&T Wireless/Cingular, no one has ever requested permission to use CPNI.

Make that 5

AT&T Southeast Bargaining Report #30

Sunday, April 4, 2009 12:05 a.m.

To: Officers, Members and Staff – CWA District 3

For the past 40 days we must all applaud the efforts of our Bargaining Team as they have struggled to obtain a fair and equitable contract for you, the members.

As early bargaining comes to an end, we realize that AT&T has no interest in being fair or just to the members and retirees who built this company.

Every proposal they submitted was retrogressive, with cost shifting on health care their number one objective.

The AT&T Southeast bargaining was suspended at midnight tonight with the understanding that we will reconvene on July 19, 2009 and drive toward a settlement on August 8, 2009.

However, we must all remember that our brothers and sisters across the country may have a work stoppage at any time. We must now show our support for those in District 3 and across the Nation who are being told at the Bargaining Tables by AT&T “unless you are willing to talk about our health care proposals (give backs and cost shifting) we (AT&T) are not willing to discuss any of CWA’s”.

AT&T is trying to hold us hostage, and I don’t believe any of you are willing to turn your backs on these insults.

We will mobilize our members like no company has ever seen, and when we all reach a fair and just settlement AT&T will know

Keep on stroking your ego. It seems to be the only thing you have for comfort right now since your union has been divided and will soon be conquered. Will be interesting to see what the morning brings now that there are six separate negotiations going on.

I have been in Finance for the last 10 years. I was re-orged to death for five years before that. The first 5 years I spent working my way up from a credit and activation rep to where I am now.
I also do a little brain surgery on the weekends to unwind.

"I also have worked in a business office as a matter of fact. I have almost 20 years experience in this industry and have worked in AR, AP, Cash Management and Finance. When we still had hub offices in the 90's I filled in for sales and inventory during the holiday seasons. I currently audit business offers and fix mistakes made by people in Business offices, so I am also versed in offers and business rules for wireless and wireline" - If you only have 20 years with the company and have held this many positions, then you have not spent enough time in any one seat long enough to learn very much. And it doesn't appear that any of these positions will prepare you for what you may be in for - Good Luck!

I work for AT&T also. But I think this isn't the right time although there never really is a right time. People are having a hard enough time without striking without getting paid at all. The economy is very bad right now so it's not like you can go somewhere in the meantime and work until it gets settled. It's better to have something than nothing - just a thought

has anyone heard any news about negations lately??