Earns AT T

In this Thursday, July 18, 2019 photo, is an AT&T retail store in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

More than 20,000 unionized AT&T workers are on strike in Louisiana and eight other states after a breakdown in contract negotiations.

Communications Workers of America, which represents about 3,500 employees of AT&T Southeast in Louisiana, said it has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against AT&T for not bargaining in good faith and not sending representatives to the bargaining table with the authority to make decisions.

The strike, which started at midnight Saturday, involves technicians, customer service representatives and others who install, maintain and support AT&T’s residential and business wireline telecommunications network in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Participating in the strike are about 300 workers each in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, 200 in Lafayette and 150 in the Hammond and north shore area, said Dwaine Henderson, president of CWA local 3403 in Baton Rouge.

AT&T Southeast had been negotiating with the union since June 24 on a contract that expired Aug. 3 and had been extended for a period while negotiations were underway.

AT&T Southeast members voted in late July in favor of a strike if an agreement wasn't reached by the time the contract expired.

In early August, AT&T reached agreements with unions that cover the Midwest region with 8,000 employees across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin and another AT&T legacy union that represents 3,000 employees.

“We entered these negotiations prepared to bargain in good faith with AT&T to address our members’ concerns and to work together to find solutions,” said CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt. “Our talks have stalled because it has become clear that AT&T has not sent negotiators who have the power to make decisions so we can move forward toward a new contract.”

Henderson emphasized the strike is over those issues and not an economic strike over wages, benefits or work rules. He said the union hopes it is able to resume talks with negotiators with decision-making authority.

Additional unfair labor practice charges have been filed against the company in Florida for allegedly disciplining members for wearing union memorabilia and for participating in activities that are protected under the National Labor Relations Act. CWA members in south Florida initiated a strike over the company’s unfair labor practices on Aug. 22.

Email Bobby Lamb at blamb@theadvocate.com.