More than 20,000 AT&T Southeast workers across nine states, including Kentucky, went on strike Saturday over what they allege are unfair labor practices. CWA 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. "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," CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt said. "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."In Louisville, AT&T employees picketed outside several of the company's offices. Todd Robey, the vice president for CWA Local 3310, said it's important AT&T knows its employees are standing behind their bargaining representatives."This is our future. This is our lives. This is your communities that you're affecting. It's better off if we can reach an agreement, so please send somebody to the bargaining table who can make those decisions," Robey said. AT&T issued a statement about the strike:“A strike is in no one’s best interest. We remain ready to sit down with union leaders to negotiate a new, improved contract for our employees. Our bargaining team is negotiating this contract with CWA leaders in the same way we have successfully done with other CWA contracts over the years. We listen, engage in substantive discussions and share proposals back and forth until we reach agreement. That’s why we’re surprised and disappointed that union leaders would call for a strike at this point in the negotiations, particularly when we’re offering terms that would help our employees – some of whom average from $121,000 to $134,000 in total compensation – be even better off.We have offered the union terms that are consistent with what other CWA-represented employees have approved in recent contract negotiations; the company has reached 20 fair agreements since 2017 covering more than 89,000 employees. The Southeast contract covers fewer than 8 percent of our employees.We’re prepared for a strike and will continue working hard to serve our customers.”The strike involves over 20,000 technicians, customer service representatives and others who install, maintain and support AT&T’s residential and business wire line telecommunications network in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.