Update On CWA/AT$T Midwest And Legacy T Contract Negotiations (CWA AT$T Midwest Bargaining Team)
November 5, 2018
20525 Center Ridge Rd. #700
Cleveland, Ohio 4411 6-3453
440/333-6363
440/333-1491 FAX
Linda L. Hinton
Vice President - District 4
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin
[hinton@cwa-union .org
TO: CWA District 4 Local Presidents - AT&T Midwest Bargaining Unit
Dear Sisters and Brothers:
Recently, the leadership of CWA met with the leaders of AT&T for a discussion about the status of the Midwest and Legacy T bargaining. The purpose of the meeting, requested by the CWA, was to go through an overview of our outstanding issues in hopes to find a path towards a tentative agreement. The bargaining teams from both the Midwest and Legacy T had, prior to the meeting, worked to put together an outline of these outstanding issues and the rationale behind the proposals presented during negotiations when the parties previously met at their respective tables. While many of these issues were discussed, the primary topic(s) of the conversation were related to jobs and the secured employment of our members.
Your leadership, once again, reiterated the need for meaningful efforts, on behalf of the Company, to ensure that every opportunity to provide work, both currently available as well as work related to future technologies, is made available to our members. We are not naive to the fact that technology is an enormous factor with regards to the workforce, and what it will look like in the future. Yet, we are not willing to watch our units decrease in size due to an apparent unwillingness of the Company to commit to our membership's participation in this evolution. We also believe that leveraging contractual language concessions with a potential commitment to supporting a healthy, stable workforce is certainly not justified.
At the close of this meeting, the parties would take back to their counterparts the information shared and commit to further discussions.
Late last week, the leadership of AT&T Midwest held a meeting with District 4 leadership in Cleveland. We continued with that dialogue and further reviewed the demands of the Midwest bargaining team, as well as concerns of the Company. The parties will continue to communicate to try and find common ground on our outstanding issues. Furthermore, conversations with CWA's leadership and AT&T will continue. Hopefully, these will help expedite a means to an end in these negotiations.
All of the efforts and energy our membership has displayed are recognized and truly appreciated! These are trying and difficult times for working families and our Union, but we will get through this together. We will continue to work towards a fair agreement for our members and will keep you apprised of any developments as they emerge.
In Solidarity:
Linda Hinton, Vice President
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