Unions turn up the heat on AT&T

CHICAGO--More than 300 unionized workers picketed the AT&T building here June 27 as their contract expired without a new agreement, but workers remaining on the job.

Most of the workers in the Chicago picket were members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 21, which represents about 8,650 workers in Illinois and Indiana. Another 120,000 workers, members of the Communications Workers of America, have been without a contract since April 4.

The apparent aim of the IBEW and CWA is to allow all the union contracts to expire so as to maximize their leverage with the company.

Although AT&T hauled in $12.9 billion in profits in 2008, AT&T is out to extract major concessions from union workers. If the company succeeds in shifting the cost of health care to workers, the CWA contends, it would amount to a 7 to 10 percent reduction in pay.

One worker on the Chicago picket line, Chestor, described the workers' situation: "A $12.9 billion dollar profit and they are crying poverty. They want to take our health care away and our over time pay. They want to force people to work with mandatory overtime without paying overtime wages. We're not suppose to work for more than seven days in a row, but with the poor conditions of the lines and rainstorms, we are force to work more than seven days" in row.

Prior to the April contract expiration, the CWA had set up a strike fund, launched a work-to-rule campaign and organized numerous pickets and rallies. And as the IBEW Local 21 contract deadline neared, that union followed suit with lunchtime pickets and other actions, culminating with the June 27 picket.

IBEW members at the protest said that they were determined to resist these concessions. Liza and Latesha, both retirees, said that AT&T's proposed health care cuts would cost them $376 per month.

Jim, an IBEW Local 21 member for 29 years, said that the workers will strike if the company tries to impose such cuts. "If one worker walks into the boss's office, he needs to beg," Jim said. "If 900 workers walk into a boss's office, the boss begs."

Many workers are angry that the company is attempting to slash benefits for workers and retirees even though former CEO Ed Whitacre in 2007 got a retirement payout from AT&T worth $158.5 million, one of the top pension packages in the country.

One worker, Orlando, brought his family to the picket line with him. He wondered aloud how he was going to pay for their health care if he loses his benefits.

The June 27 picket ended after union stewards announced that the IBEW and management would keep negotiating while workers continued to work under terms of the old contract. But workers remain ready to hit the picket lines in order to fight for a decent contract. "I haven't been this excited in so long," said one worker at the rally. "It reminds me of the '60s."

Cheryl, another union member, voiced similar feelings. "My father was a union steward when I was a child and brought us to these types of marches," she said. "It means so much more to me now that I'm older. People can't forget these things. We need to stick together."