HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT) — Thousands of AT&T service technicians in the Southeast are participating in an unfair labor practice strike, with workers in the Birmingham area participating.
The CWA Union has been negotiating a new contract for service technicians since June. Union leaders say the company is dragging their feet on any action, leaving them with no chance but to walk out last Friday.
“If they sent someone to the table who could bargain, we would be at the table, we would not be out here striking,” Union President Ed Brazier said.
Brazier says around 300 Birmingham area AT&T employees are on strike. He says they want to get back to work but cannot until negotiations finish.
“Please send someone to the table who can make decisions, we can’t get a fair contract if they send people to the table who can’t make decisions,” Brazier said.
An AT&T spokesperson sent CBS 42 the following statement:
“We have been engaged in substantive bargaining since day 1 and are eager to reach an agreement that benefits our hard-working employees.”
Brazier says many AT&T customers will feel the impact, such as experiencing long wait times for service calls.
“The professional installers and maintenance techs [went] out on strike, so you got the supervisors who do not know what they are doing, so pretty soon they are going to notice,” Brazie said.
AT&T says they have plans in place that will ensure no one experiences service interruptions. Union leaders say they are prepared to strike until a fair contract is reached.