By Adam Owens, WRAL anchor/reporter
AT&T workers frustrated at the bargaining table are forming picket lines instead, some here in the Triangle.
They want better terms in a new contract. They are communication workers upset over a lack of communication.
“They don’t want to negotiate,” said Jeff Moore, who works for AT&T Wire Tech installing fiber optic lines for the company.
That is one reason, local AT&T workers say, they were striking on South Saunders Street in Raleigh. Moore said after recent big layoffs, employees like him pick up the slack.
“They have been making us work a huge number of hours six days a week, a lot of times 12-14 hours a day,” Moore said.
“We have been trying to negotiate a contract with AT&T since June 24th,” said Paul Jones, who is the President of the local Communications Workers of America chapter.
Jones says AT&T is not negotiating in good faith. Until progress is made, the technicians say they are on strike.
“This is one of 16 locations we will be striking until we can get someone to the bargaining table,” Jones said.
The CWA claims the strike involves more than 20,000 AT&T workers in Southeast states. Workers said that could backup fiber installation and repair projects at AT&T and outages could take longer to correct.
An AT&T spokesman said they are offering good terms to employees. A statement says in part: “We’re prepared for a strike and in the event of a work stoppage, we will continue working hard to serve our customers. This contract includes less than eight percent of our employees. We remain committed to reaching a fair agreement and are ready to bargain.”
AT&T officials said mobility and wireless employees are not affected.
