As the strike by 17,000 workers in the Southeast against AT&T neared the end of its first week, negotiators for the union and telecommunications company met in Atlanta on Thursday with a federal mediator.
The Communications Workers of America called the strike on Aug. 16, accusing the company of unfair labor practices, an allegation Dallas-based AT&T has denied.
The workers, including about 2,500 in metro Atlanta, had been working without a contract since a previous, five-year agreement expired Aug. 3 while company negotiators met with bargaining teams from the Communications Workers of America.
Last week, the union said the company’s negotiators were not truly trying to reach an accord.
“We’re more than happy to go back to work and more than happy to serve the customers like we do every other day of the year, but until AT&T starts acting right, we’re going to be here on the picket line because they’re bargaining in bad faith,” said a statement by Eddie Maresca, president of a CWA local in Charlotte.
The workers involved include technicians, who install and service AT&T’s wireline telecommunications, including internet and phones for business and homes. Also part of the walkout are call center workers, including customer service representatives.
The region includes Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Union representatives said Thursday “service outages and delays are mounting across the Southeast.”
The company said in a statement that “until a deal is reached, we have business continuity measures in place so that we can continue to provide our customers with the great service they deserve.”
As proof of its sincerity in negotiations, AT&T cited contract agreements it has reached this year with three unions. The company said it had been the one to suggest negotiations resume under supervision of a mediator.
“We suggested the use of a federal mediator to ensure there is no question about either side’s commitment to this process,” AT&T said in a statement.
Negotiators are meeting at the AT&T offices in Atlanta, officials said.
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