AT&T tenders ‘final’ offer to CWA union as strike enters third week

AT&T announced today that they have made a “final” offer to the Communications Workers of America in the Southeast in an effort to end a 20-day strike.

In a statement released to the media, AT&T said, “We believe that this offer, if accepted, would provide our employees with competitive market-based pay that exceeds projected inflation.  The company is also offering to increase its financial contributions to employee healthcare and wellness by up to 25% per year.”

AT&T said the offer is similar to contracts tentatively accepted by CWA District 9.

“We are proud to have the largest unionized workforce in the U.S. telecommunications industry.  We respectfully ask CWA employees in the Southeast to carefully consider this offer and to ask their CWA leadership to give them the chance to vote on it.”

AT&T announced, too, that CWA had dismissed a federal mediator from the bargaining table on September 3.

CWA, however, took issue with the offer and the way it was communicated to the union.

In a statement on its website from CWA President Claude Cummings Jr., the CWA said AT&T presented its offer at 6 p.m. Wednesday. A counter proposal was offered by the union at 11 p.m.

CWA believes that a letter sent directly to the union members is evidence of the company’s ‘bad faith,’ which is why CWA employees initially went on strike, Cummings said in his statement.

At issue for CWA is that while healthcare is now part of the offer, it was done with higher upfront costs for members, especially those with family coverage. It also passes higher prescription costs on to employees, Cummings said.

AT&T said the contract would offer no-cost co-pays for primary care and fixed co-pays at the doctor’s office, as well as existing or lower cost for most of the 50 most commonly prescribed medications.

Cummings also pointed out that a Wire Tech — those who install internet service in homes and businesses as well as make repairs — would receive a wage increase of $4,766 over the life of a five-year contract after health care cost increases for a family plan are factored in.

“CWA members have seen and personally experienced the effects of prolonged outages and wait times for service and repairs,” Cummings said in his statement. “This strike is a hardship for our members and the communities we serve. It’s time for AT&T to engage in productive bargaining where it belongs – at the bargaining table – so we can get back to work serving our customers.”