AT&T Bargaining Bulletin #12

April 2, 2024

Here’s what they think about you!!!
Your bargaining team, during a Q and A, asked the company at this current time, “Why should the membership ratify this contract?” “The total package” was the company's response. “The total package” today includes increased health care costs, reduced sick time, no improvements to Appendix E, minimal pension increases, and scope of work movement from A to E. As we approach expiration, your bargaining team has been putting in long hours to try and get this contract done before expiration; although it is a constant struggle to get any positive movement, we continue to fight with each and everyone of you in mind. The company is digging in their heels on health care, scope of work, and sick time. The Company has said they won't leave without moving work
from the splicing tech (C&E and MST) to the Prem tech. They followed up that comment with this one, “Nothing comes for free,” which was in reference to trying to improve anything within Appendix E. To date, the company has yet to accept one single proposal, whether it has a cost associated with it or not, that would improve any working condition for Appendix E, and they have yet to send one proposal across to address issues in Appendix E. Regarding medical, we’ve been on that topic for damn near a month. The company is headstrong in offering District 9 some options for medical that no other bargaining unit has agreed to. In the discussions, we reiterated that we are not interested in their current offer as the result could be catastrophic for a member who would select these new options. The company responded that it could happen, but would be a one-off. An injury to one is an injury to all. Wages were discussed for the first time yesterday, and during those discussions, your bargaining team showed the disparity between the regions. We used the company's verbiage and explained that if you would like us to be in alignment with the other districts, the starting point would be to make wages line up with the cost of living similar to the other regions. We highlighted the cost of living in California compared to the other regions and the difference in pay. 

The company's response was, “We know it's not cheap to live in California, but the members choose to live here, and don't forget we have great weather.”
 

In Unity,
Mike Barfield, Staff Representative | Jason Hall, Local 9423
Art Gonzalez, Local 9511 | Chris Roberts, Local 9509
John Miller, Local 9421