Union contract with AT & T includes 13.25% wage increase

by



[ad_1]

AT & T workers will benefit from increased job security and annual wage increases following a brief strike that ended with a new contract.

More than 20,000 union members in nine Southeast states are covered by the five-year agreement signed Wednesday between the telecommunications company and the communications workers of America.

Workers resumed work Wednesday after a four-and-a-half-day strike.

AT & T spokesman, Marty Richter, declined to deal with contractual provisions.

"Throughout this process, we have committed to reaching a fair agreement," he said.

The union leaders stopped before declaring victory, but they expressed their satisfaction.

"This agreement brings substantial improvements to AT & T Southeast workers," said Richard Honeycutt, vice-president of CWA District 3.

At the end of the previous four-year contract, workers' main concerns were job security and rising health costs. They also complained of stagnant income.

<! –

->

"The workers gave up a lot during the recession and they did not see it coming back," said Harley Shaiken, union leader. economist and professor at the University of California, Berkeley. "We are seeing more strikes in general, and unions are becoming more assertive."

Among the provisions of the new contract:

  • Workers will receive a 3% increase this year, followed by an annual increase of 3%, 2.25%, 2.25% and 2.75%. These are slightly higher than the inflation rate.
  • Workers will not pay a higher percentage of their health care.
  • The company will add a health savings account for workers

  • Article 14, which limits the use by the company of non-union contractors, will remain in force.

  • The company will continue to pay "double time" time worked beyond 49 hours a week.

  • AT & T will add 1% to workers' pensions in each of the next five years.

  • The company will not expand the field of work of wire technicians.
  • Workers who need boots for work will receive a larger subsidy to buy them.

Union officials said the company had also decided to improve the provisions relating to short-term disability.

The previous four-year contract with AT & T expired on August 3rd. But it was unlikely that a strike would be likely as negotiations continued. Then, late on August 23, the union made a laconic statement: workers from all over the southeast were coming out at midnight.

"A short strike can prevent a long work stoppage," Shaiken said. economist. "I think the strike has attracted the attention of the company."

Some local unions in Florida were out before the strike because of local problems, but they did not motivate the broader strike, union officials said.

The strike mainly involved technicians and customer service representatives. Around 4000 Strikers were in Georgia.

Over the next few days, union members clashed at the picket lines, while negotiators met in sessions the union described as "intense." On Tuesday, the union said that an agreement seemed possible and that the announcement of the new deal was announced early Wednesday.