WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – There was a strike that lasted longer than any other in the history of the southeast.
Members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union and AT&T Southeast have come to a strong tentative deal for a new union contract. This comes after a 30-day strike.
As the CWA said in a statement, “Wages and health care costs were major issues at the bargaining table. The five-year agreement includes wage increases of 19.33% across the board, with extra increases of 3% for Wire Technicians and Utility Operations.”
The health care deal keeps premiums the same for the first year, lowers them for the second and third years, and then slowly raises them every month for the last two years.
In Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, the new contract covers 17,000 technicians, customer service reps, and other workers who set up, maintain, and support AT&T’s wireline telecommunications network for homes and businesses.
Members of the CWA also came to a strong tentative deal with AT&T West, which ended their strike.
Before ratification votes are held in each area, union members will get together to go over the tentative agreements. This will give every union member a chance to have their say on the proposed union contracts. Each district’s bargaining groups say that ratification should happen.
Workers in the CWA will show up for their shifts on Monday, September 16.