Reach Out and Protest Someone: Union Picks a Lovely Day to Picket AT&T at Arboretum

• @9963b4eca79273c1feb76e26ef6daa5d:disqus , Prem techs get Ipads and iphone 2's now. didn't you know thatt?

• Hello. I'm moving, but don't worry! [Someone once] told me we're all on the same planet, so I'll be okay! Help me! There is an urgent need for sites: Golden west college class schedule. I found only this - <a href="http://www.ncdhr.org.in/Members/College/golden-west-college-new-gym">golden west college new gym</a>. Forsyth county schools, and cumberland county schools. A popular recovery season for applications will be awarded. With respect :confused:, Rumer from Togo.

• Thanks! I'm sick of people posting comments based on the yellow journalism the company sends out. (the company's final and fantastic offer) Our District VPs are not stupid. They know what the company is trying to do and we ain't buying it.

• Hahaha TOnyz is not gonna touch that Susie. Way to put the troll in his place!!! 6132 is with you!!!

• AT&T is Stale? Are you living under a rock? They are #1 followed by Verizon (who pays for healthcare)Then Sprint(who pays for healthcare and #4 is comcast. At&t beat verizon by Millions. I'm sure glad to know that you are a computer consultant and NOT a broker. The nerve that you would tell an AT&T employee that they do not understand the business. What a joke! Oh yeah our execs are all the time taking risks and wasting our money. South America comes to mind. AND, at the end of the day whatever plan they come up with, the rank and file have to make it work. I wish I had a job where all I had to do was find ways to spend the company's money while screwing the work force who brought me to the dance.

• Hello ATT employee, I am a computer consultant and purchase wireline, data, and other services for my companies. You definitely do not understand the dynamic marketplace of data communications. There are over 6 competitors to ATT in most areas, and they are increasing. If ATT does not reinvent itself every 2 or 3 years it will shrink. In fact during the late 90's I would never buy an ATT product, the only thing that would be installed is the local loop that is from SBC Global at the time. But depending on the local loop for revenue is a death knell to you and your union, as well as all ATT employees. I prefer to run my own negotiations, as I do not want others to negotiate for me. Over the long term the union is really the same as a government entity, it is bloated and does not change except in extreme corruption cases. The unions for the longest time have been for the status quo, and that is fine... but do not expect status quo in an industry which is running rings around ATT. ATT still makes money - yes, but that is due to your hated execs taking risks and making sure that ATT tries to keep up with the joneses. You should call a LD broker or a data comm broker and they will tell you how much competition there is in telecom. ATT is not the only game in town. In fact if you ask me ATT is stale, except in the wireless area where they have kept up with the iphone deal.

• Agreed. Awesome post. America needs to wake up and realize that we are running short on middle class jobs because they are all moving to other countries mostly because our corporations want to increase profits and salaries for execs. We have to stop it somewhere. America used to pride itself by buying/using American goods and services. Where is the loyalty? Try to sell an American car in China or Japan and see how that goes.

• ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Finally someone makes some real sense. Thank you for this post!!!

• Just wanted to jump into this discussion. I hope everyone knows, from manaagers to contract employees that to att executives, we are all just a bunch of numbers. If they need to close a call center, they don't care if your the hardest working person in the world, they will close your office and send you packing. As a matter of fact if the company had it's choice, all call centers will be contracted overseas. That is why one the issues that maybe overlooked right now as well is job security protection. If the company is serious on taking care of their employees why not train wireline employees to handle uverse calls? Instead of employing 4000+ employees in the philippines. The fact is they are paying $20 an hr there without having to provide health care insurance. And att does not even want to discuss moving thise jobs here even though thre are plenty of employees that can do thise jobs. Eventually when most voice and data service are converted to voip, all billing and tech support will route to the philippines and india(which handles most of dsl calls now). So to to all, managers or not, i hope we all agree having the union helps both sides. If our work is outsourced, they will be no one left to manage. The company's goal is to make the most money. They don't care about your 20 years of service. Just like now where they are trying to eliminate most of the retirees benefits. Att knows all they need here in the u.s. Are the maintenance people, techs and engineers, however even those can be subcontracted. Att execs want to make the most money, and cwa execs (ideally) wants the most for employees. And to those people who say that we should all just be happy to have a job with this kind of economy, this is the kind of thinking that gets you no where in life. You mean to say if you work for a company that made 12 billion last year and asked you to pay 3-4x more on your medical benefits, you'll bow in your two knees and say, say sir, i'm just happy to have a job right now. I'm telling you, att would love to have you as an employee.. Employ you for 20 years and they lay you off before you're eligable for their retirement plan. I'm sorry for those who are employed without union representation. If you're in the bottom pile of large companies, you are just pawns for the execs to play with. I have been there. I wish everyone has a union. It balances the greed of the company. And stop making comparisons to ford and gm already. It does not even make sense. Att does not have close to the competition gm and ford had. Att serves communication needs, a necessity almost in this day in age, it will always be profitable unless our execs screw up so badly. When you buy a car, you have a choice of different brands, when you need communications, you choose att or the cable company. When you choose data service, you choose att or the cable company. If yiu choose cell phone company, you choose att, verizon sprint or tmobile.. Att will always get their share no matter what service in communication. Even if you choose a reseller or smaller companies, they also pay att for using the network. So stop already with ford/gm//chrysler comparison.

• Oh yea, I am also a Prem Tech. Texas

• I just fell out of my chair imagining my manager opening an attic access and the hot breath of hades coming down on him/her. JEP!!!JEP!!!JEOPARDY!!!

• I have a great idea...let's get rid of all the dead weight at the top of the ladder and give the $$$ to the people on the bottom rung who are doing all the work. There should be a rule...the CEO's wages and benefits cannot = more than 10Xs the lowest payed employee. (by wages and benefits, I mean all compensation paid including stocks, perks, etc)...if my rule was adopted, these negotiations would have been settled a long time ago.

• CWA and the AFLCIO is actively trying promote amnesty for illegal aliens. It would be a just reward for your union dues for AT&T to lay your represented workforce off and hire wetbacks to replace you. If you're dumb enough not to hold your union leadership accountable for their actions you deserve what you get!

• ok so if i understand this correctly, just b/c you have crappy healthcare and low wages, i should accept the same thing. listen its not our fault that you work for jobs that are not represented, thats certainly your right. but dont begrudge those of us who are united who are able to bargain for higher wages and good health coverage.

• Last time I checked, the company was hiring so many new managers, often straight out of college, that they knew jack about telecom. Maybe you are in the minority, St Louis Mgr, but most managers can't/won't do their techs' jobs and certainly could not write procedures for them. That might work in call centers etc, but certainly not anything remotely technical.

• so many of you are just plain dumb and stupid. First of all i have lost so much respect for the managers that put their unwanted two cents in. Second of all what the media and whomever you have received your UNTRUE & ONE-SIDED information from can go STRAIGHT 2 HELL!!!! AT&T has not put 1 offer on the table 4 US 2 REJECT .....NOW WHAT???? I suggest you get FACTS before you start judging..... To the managers of AT&T. Simply put YOU CAN NOT DO OUR JOBS TODAY, TOMORROW OR EVER....AND U KNOW THAT!!!!!!!!!from CWA 6222

• Who do you think taught you to do your jobs? hahahahahaha that is the best joke ever hahahahahahahaha

• I work for AT&T and I'm glad I have a job. I know we will end up paying more for healtcare and I'm O.K. with that. What I'm not O.K. with is that AT&T wants to cut my pay when they made 13 BILLION DOLLARS PROFIT. That is just plain GREED and no other word can describe it better. My husband also works for the company so if we go on strike we will be without ANY income. I hope this is the last resort but AT&T & the union need to get serious about this. We should expect a modest increase for heathcare and they should take all the other BS off the table. If we settle for contract without job security then we will just add to the unemployment rate. AT&T will get rid of us and give the jobs to someone in India. So all you haters remember that when your tax dollars will go to US the unemployed. The next time you call you can speak with a nice rep in another country. Good luck with the language barrier.

• I am applled that so many folks are saying they feel they are entitled to keep what they have because AT&T had a $12.1 billion profit last year. If I use that philosophy, then I can marche into a shareholders meeting for EXXON and demand they keep the price of gas at $2.05 for the next 3 years simply because they made so much money last year. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Get real, look at the automakers who are all onthe verge of bankruptcy because their cost stucture was out of control due to union contracts and not having the foresight to get concessions years ago when foreign carmakers srtarted eating up marketshare. They only attempted to make changes after they had to get bailout money from the government. We are in a recession people!! Companies who are not in trouble now need to make changes to protect themselves so they do not ge in trouble in the future. That is what AT&T is trying to do.

• Any way back to me and "Randy" I can't wait till we own Quest and run them into the ground... let the firing begin!!! hahah

• Joe, Thank You! I'm so glad somebody gets it. Unions set the standard for the middle class. When we are gone the only ones left will be the very rich or the very poor. It is unfortunate that so many of our managers don't seem to get the fact that when we are gone, they will go with us. As stated in an earlier post, our salary drives their salary. We have not been happy with what happened to the lower level managers' health care. Our position is the company is very profitable and can afford to do more for the entire work force than it currently does. If they cut back on the sponsorships it would help. Being a golfer, I like Tiger Woods, but is he going to drive to your house and fix your phone? You can't watch a sporting event without seeing the globe. If you're watching a cow auction on RFDTV you'll see the globe in the stall. Its ridiculaus. SBC wanted the AT&T brand because everyone in the world knows who we are. This advertising blitz is just a waste of money. Enough is enough. They need to take care of their workforce who has made them the company they are, and that includes the lower level management team.

• Hi, I'm just reading over some of the comments here and I'm a bit confused. I understand some of you out there don't have benefits like AT&T employees do, which is due to AT&T being such a profitable company but why are you trying to bring down the common worker? These workers do their job and make a living just like you and I, but they have a "better slice of the ever-decreasing pie". Why would you want to take away from them? I pay $200.00 a month in health costs (before any doctor trips) which is more then an AT&T employee gives, but just because they have a better job then me gives me no right to complain about their benefits. I say let the common man have as much as he can get. If this union helps then maybe all of us should be part of a union, it seems to have helped them. I just don't get all the help, I'm sure these workers don't want to go on strike but from what I read they are fighting for the right not to pay a lot more into healthcare and other areas..."what is wrong with that?" Leave'em alone and let them do their jobs and don't complain about it, you should complain more about the top execs getting millions in bonuses for doing what most execs do...nothing. I have a simple philosophy, pay the employee more and he will spend more in his community which will benefit the small businesses and those around him. Pay him less and it will have the reverse effect, small businesses fail and also those around him. I prefer to live in a world where the first scenario is practiced not the latter. Joe

• In response to the idiot who suggested a challenge between management and the union to successfully run the business, I say this. Who do you think taught you to do your jobs? Who do you think writes the methods and procedures you follow every day? Management can run the business without the union if we are forced to do so. Would we be as quick and efficient as our union workers? No, not initially but over time, we would speed and accuracy and become more proficient. In time, we would get better, and faster, and in time we could be right back to the same levels as we are with our union employees. And finally, my son-in-law told me exactly what someone's comment mentioned and that is, many (not all thankfully)of our long term union employees are lazy and do not share their knowledge with newer and less experienced co-workers. My son-in-law was carrying 140% of his team when he was in an I&R position at a St. Louis work location. Since most of his co-workers have years and years of seniority, I can only assume he was carrying some of them on his back!

• I have worked for AT&T for over thirty years and it has been a great place to work. Do I like that I now have to contribute to my familie's health care? Absolutely not. However, in this day and age, we are all confronted with change and this is just one of them many changes we have had to confront and dela as employees of AT&T. In most cases, my AT&T friends, both management and occupational, live lifestyles well above the average. My frffiends, both management and occupational, own boats, and second homes, and motorcycles, and all kinds of toys. Americans have become a nation of whiners who think that it is their God given right more than just the basics. We all have to make choices. My wife and me have been on only two vacations during nearly thirty years of marriage; my brother goes on two or three vacations every year. We saved and saved to buy our first home; many of my AT&T friends, again both management and occupational, have gone out and bought homes well beyond their means, complete with new cars, boats, vacations, and more. An average salary of $65k a year is nothing to whine about. There are some things about AT&T that I do not like. My son-in-law was kept on a temporary title for four years and was then moved to a prem-tech position and he suffered a huge loss of pay. I do not agree with the prem-tech payscale. I believe all outside plan employees should have traditional plant titles. However, by and large, AT&T is a great place to work and you should be happy to work for such a good company.

• Remember, Verizon East's contract with CWA signed last year DID NOT include union members paying their healthcare! Plus, telecommunication companies are not the only industry paying for employee healthcare - big oil, pharmaceuticals, insurance companies and some banking firms do not make their employees pay healthcare! Since AT&T are in the top 100 of the Fortune 500, here is a short list of other companies in the top 100 that pay 100% of their employee's healthcare. You may have heard of some of them: Qualcomm; Boston Consulting Group; Nugget Markets Umpqua Bank; Whole Foods Market; Shared Technologies; Stew Leonard's; SAS Institute; Rackspace Managed Hosting; Station Casinos; Kimley-Horn & Associates; FactSet Research Systems; Perkins Coie; EOG Resources; Russell Investments; Valero Energy; David Evans & Associates; Granite Construction; Stanley; Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Network and Microsoft

• Last comment, I mean it... lol... We protest the health care for one simple reason.... IF YOU GIVE AN INCH THEY'LL TAKE A MILE LOOK AT THE MANAGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you and good night

• Me and Randy go way back he's so cool that I want to be just like him. I want to put my name on everthing too! And eventually I can be the CEO of AT&T and Call it AT&BIGBEN and then I'll tell all the guys that just retired from AT&BIGBEN after all their hard work of 30+ years that "We'd be making a much bigger profit if we didn't have to pay all these retiree benifits!" you know kinda like he sent out in the 1st qtr memo to all employee's -- that was SOOOOO cool. -Randy my buddy, one day I'll have your class!!!

• Dudes, the big 'ol rat was Randall, our CEO. He's really a good guy. He's just trying to make a living just like us. Let's face it - he has to PAY for his health care, right? He's got to be broke after that.

• If CWA (we) are successful in this struggle against the corporate giant we call at&t, then CWA will have help lift the standard of living for managers within the company, workers in related fields, and the middle class who continue to slid toward poverty. What we earn we spend in our communities, we worship in your church, we coach your children in little league ball, we support United Way, we donate blood to the Red Cross...in short we support not only our family but our communities. Therefore, any reduction in our standard of living will impact our community while the benifits and salary cuts support only the all ready profitable company.

• It's amazing the amount of whimpering and whining you get from the stuffed shirts who do nothing but forward around memos all day and come up with stupid ideas in manager meetings, while the real work gets done by front line workers supposedly out-of-touch with reality. The limp logic of "my healthcare sucks, your's should also" has been spit up by anyone not in a Union for years. The fact is, if any worker could get a more decent share of the profit pie, through healthcare or any other means through legal organizing the majority would do it as well.

• $25,000 out of pocket in on year is a lie. Not even the worst health plan at T would come to that. I used to have respect for CWA, but the disgusting piece of filth that is the commtech oyster liar has changed that.

• I am getting sick and tired of listening to managers who are drinking the kool-aid. Yes we have lost access lines due for the most part to the amount of DSL we sell. And what about all those T1 and T3 lines. The company continues to use this retroric to confuse its consumers and apparently its lower level managers who have been screwed themselves. Since that screwing they have been furious because we are union and refuse to be treated like second class workers in a company that continues to make money off of our labor. You CHOSE to be management. Why do you people think it's ok for Randall to have a contract and we shouldn't? at&t should be leading the economic recovery. Randall said yesterday that we are the best workforce in the world. He was reminded that in national disasters we are part of the first responders. Comcast, whom he likes to compare us to, (who is #4 on the list) does not rush in after hurricanes, fires and floods. If you want to be the best you have to buy the best. What they want us to pay for health care is more than double what we are now paying. As he continues to downsize we are (in the SE) forced to work til there's no calls in que or if you're outside, you must work 2 or 3 jobs after four. But you say we're losing landline work? Our children grow up and we miss the important years while working. Now we're also supposed to give up their healthcare? I don't think so. Let him continue to pay replacement workers and waste the company's money to the tune of over $16 MILLION so far. I hope it continues until August the 8th. Then you will see what happens without ALL of us.

• As a 31 year vet of the phone company I fully understand the cost of health care and the benifit to us. We will resolve this issue either with or without a strike. The process is called collective bargaining. Thanks CWA because I do not think that the company could care less if it is only me asking for my fair share.

• i've worked for att for 35 yrs, from analog to digital. about the wireline: att got big and powerful because of our dedicated work. why do so many of you scream to lower ordinary people's standard of living? what kind of country do you want? att managers would LOVE for union workers to hold the line on health care, so they might get a better deal. one manager with serious health problems paid over $25,000 out of pocket last year. there is a health care crisis in this country and the deal att is offering will make it impossible for many workers to cover family and still pay for necessities, increasing the number of uninsured. we need to address this nationally, but att just wants their top management and big shareholders to be even richer by making us poorer. union workers aren't greedy. we're just tryimg to stop the impoverishment of all wokers. JOIN THE FIGHT!

• To the snide, cavalier management types that have been berating the amusing and oft misunderstood Prem Tech: The contempt you harbor for the CWA is misguided, however simple to understand. Consider this; leadership has already taken your benefits, raises, and bonuses. It's obvious what comes next... They already know India or (insert random third world country here) can/will do it, and more, for far less. Sad, most of you don't seem to realize this glaring possibility. And you're still out here barking like a bunch of good little doggies at the big bad CWA. Drop the posturing and stand with us. To everyone else: Health Care is a major, completely out of control, issue that affects all Americans. Most of you have expressed the hardships and difficulty of maintaining a realistic form of health care already. If you had a good health care plan that was in danger of being lost, why wouldn't you put up a fight to keep it? Is that really so ridiculous? AT&T posted a 13 BILLION dollar profit in 2008 and are currently on pace to repeat or increase on that figure. These poor CEOs and Execs are so mistreated; they could only spend a measly 6k on wine last night. How unsophisticated and embarrassing. To the angry and desperate for work: Mgr In Disbelief is offering $15 an hour to cut his lawn. No benefits though (c'mon he can't even afford an iPhone (pssst. management is eligible for a pretty sweet discount on the iPhone)). To Cameron: Bro... seriously?

• I guess no one will answer my questions. Gee, you guys have a lot of hostility. Do you guys own AT&T stock? Did you vote for the Board that won?

• Well said: You are entitled to "want" more, but you have to realize that doesn't mean you're *entitled* to more. The company's overall cost of the proposed plan is STILL higher. In other words, the absolute cost of providing the new health plan is still higher than the old health plan. So not only are they not "taking away" your health care subsidy, but it's still growing. It's not the company's fault that health care costs are increasing faster. That's like my company offering me an extra $500 and me saying, waaaaaahhhhh but my electric bill went up $600. WAAAAAAH don't take away what I already have.

• thats the thing we don't want more just don't take away what we have!!! DUH!!!

• Big deal. You're no more special then electric linemen, sewer workers, water department workers, snow plowers, firefighters, or anyone else. You need to get over yourselves. The proposed benefits are among the richest in the industry. You are entitled to "want" more, but you have to realize that doesn't mean you're *entitled* to more.

• And don't forget we are also the Network for your doctors, your banks, daycare, schools, Government, Police, Fire Dept, E911, grocers, and yes... we are even the Network for AT&T. You can thank "The Network" for the internet for which you are currently blogging (unless you are connected via cable or satellite). Even those with DSL via dry loop also depends on wireline - you have the service and the line, only without the number. If you have service with a Competitor, we are the Network for their service too, even the CLEC.

• Why don't we (employees of AT&T CORE) want to share benefits costs or give the company the ability to change and/or modify benefits w/o prior notice? Because WE work in every weather element to maintain AT&Ts Network so the world can communicate. Those cables in the ground and in the air that you don't notice....most taken for granted. Those cell towers that you transmit and receive from.....all maintained by us at AT&Ts direction - that's our job. The least AT&T could do is secure their subordinates health as a cost of running the business - or at minimum understand that WE do the work that THEY boast. I mean honestly, logic overrules the -lucky to have a job- comment. This is a skilled labor, like it or not. We are the network and must individually remain healthy. That is one of the costs of THIS business. Times are tough right now, Ill give you that. BUT AT&T made $13.9 BILLION last year and had enormous gains 1Q09 - WHY? Because WE ARE THE NETWORK!

• Unless you have already been without a job like I have now for some time you do NOT have a clue. It would be VERY WORTH IT to me to go to work for a non-unionized at&t and take my chances. Unions are NOTHING like they used to be. Their value is GONE/OVER/KAPOOT. Zero bargaining power anymore - - don't let them kid you. Why do you think at&t has called CWAs bluff over and over recently thus STILL no contract. You are only GUESSING at&t would treat me like they are alledgedly doing now to their poor CWA employees. Unfortunately, your GREEDY union has taken you where you are today - - no contract now for weeks. And not much hope of having one either since there seems to be ABSOLUTLEY no hope for CWA to take anything less and they are still so crazy - - tey even WANT MORE. Come on PEOPLE..... Wake up, get REAL, settle and shut up and WORK!!! Or simply get out of my way and thousands of others unemployeed That I KNOW would be very THANKFUL!!!

• Oh, nonsense. Get over yourselves, union slugs. You're not more special than prem techs at Verizon, service reps at GM, or button-pushers at any other company.

• Another Manager - "Those of us with families pay ~$200 PER PAY PERIOD in premiums, plus a $2200 deductible and 10% co-pay until we hit our $5500 max out-of-pocket" Costs such as this would absolutely break some craft employees. And... you also must realize all the cuts that have been made to shed costs over the past few years - how many jobs have been cut, packages offered, layoffs, etc. For every job that's been cut or office closed, the work is shifted to a different group of employees. At times it is almost impossible to keep up with the demand - appraisals determined by turn around time or customer surveys (Enterprise Business customers angry because their requests are taking longer and longer to be answered). It is true, there are those that ride the contract and use CWA as a crutch to perform like turtles. But... there are also those of us that take pride in our work and strive to do the best possible job. Some do go above and beyond their responsibilities. The cuts have affected overall customer service, not due to laziness, but due to work loads beyond the control of both managers (1st level) as well as craft. But, together we still chisel away each and every day, trying to make a difference. The company was praised for bringing back 500 jobs from overseas - only a few weeks later announced a surplus of 12,000+ nation wide. Some employees (not all) are even timed while taking restroom breaks. I once heard a manager say to employees that they should use the restroom on their own time, not company time. I realize this is the extreme, but this type of atmosphere is company wide and is usually associated with Sales and sales objectives handed down the chain of command - everyone has requirements and you know what they say rolls down hill, well it's true. We are hearing how landline loss due to competition is rising - yet AT&T sells service to the RESH and CLECs, so eventhough some lines are lost to competition, the competitor is still an AT&T customer - AT&T profiting even during their losses. People forget about contracts over the years that CWA(wireline) took concessions in order to help the company position itself to venture out into Wireless and Broadband or become the largest telecommunication provider in the world. However, we are not given the opportunity to transfer to either of these services of the future (this too is a bargaining issue between company and CWA). Top Executives receive free healthcare for life - and their spouse continues receiving free healthcare even after their death. We are at the point where our best is never enough - if we produce more, the minimum is raised. If surveys are good, the acceptable rating is raised. Yes, the majority of us make good wages and have great benefits, but if we continue to take concessions, what will the end result be?

• Comparing AT&T workers to cable TV workers is like comparing apples to ornges. AT&T techs are much more trained and skilled than their catv counterparts.You get what you pay for.

• Mgr watching in disbelief-I would like to make just a couple of points.1-If you werent paying someone to mow your yard maybe you too could afford an Iphone. 2-You talk about the amount of hours you work without getting OT pay. My question is, wasn't that the policy when you got your pin and submitted your info to be considered for a management position? Doesn't your Bonuses more than equal the ot pay? 3-The prem tech that installed your service-did you see the techs training records? I just want to make sure it was a bad tech and not a tech with bad training. If the tech was as bad as you say I am wondering why the manager wasnt working with the tech to develop him. Maybe his manager also sits and blogs from 12:26-3:32. You are talking about the pay for the employees, yet you make more and you are sitting in your little cubicle doing what? Oh yea-blogging for 3 hours and 6 minutes-exactly how much do you make for 3 hours of work? Maybe if AT&T is looking for ways to save money, they should get rid of employees who blog on company time.

• I'm sure there are plenty of people ready to "take my job" but just how long do you think they'll last? Without the union to stand up for them, the company will wipe the floor with them. They'll demand extra work without the extra pay, forced to be away from their families for 12 hours a day, get little to no vacation time, be hounded like dogs and driven to the point of exhaustion and for what??....peanuts! As long as people are willing to do this, the company has nothing to lose...don't like it, then quit, looking for the union to help you, what union, oh that's right, I'm a scab and I helped bust up the union..I have no rights....I have to take it or leave it. Ha...what a life!

• I doubt we go on strike, both the company and union feel the customer is most important. And most managers I spoke to do not want us to go out, because they will have to do our work which they have no idea in the world what to do. 12hr days with no OT pay, also not only wireline will be affected but also wireless and internet will be affected.

• Hey CWA - - if your giving up some of your historical benefits is really bothering you that bad - - just simply quit and let me know where I need to go to apply. I would WILLINGLY take concessions and pay more for medical to even have a full-time income. Seriously! Count your blessings.....

• I can understand if we were chrysler or gm, but the fact is we are not. and we are a very profitible company $12.1 billion profit last year and $3.1 billion 1st quarter. the Wireline is the back bone to wireless and the internet ; for example when someone cut the cables in Northern California - no cell services why because some of those cables provide the bandwith to the cell towers. 911 went down, business and internet went down , why because wireline was disrupted. WHY is the company decieving the public by saying wireline is depleting when we are all part of the network. Now the company is offering retrogressive proposals - cost shifting healthcare cost to employees , removing 2 paid holidays, forced OT without paying us for it,and etc-- to the total of 40% of our income. Sorry this is why we have a UNION to fight for us; you say UNIONS are outdated . I say FAT CAT Executives are out dated !!! time for these CEO's and OVER PAID executives to be held accountable!!!!!! this is not a fight of us vs management because I respect your position and i have great managers where I work. I realize this is a fight of us vs the FAT CATS

• Hey CWA - - if your giving up some of your historical benefits is really bothering you that bad - - just simply quit and let me know where I need to go to apply. I would WILLINGLY take concessions and pay more for medical to even have a full-time income. Seriously! Count your blessings.....

• Hey cindaeffinrella - - how VERY TRUE is what you said. CWA stop threatening to walk and if that is what you really want to do then simply get up and go for a nice long walk and enjoy youself. Believe me a company as big as at&t will not even miss you. Nice to dream they will - - the TRUTH realy is they won't and in fact they may even be rather happy that you have gone out and done them a favor. Come back to work when you are serious and ready to take absolutely nothing MORE than others across America have ALREADY been asked to do and have WILLINGLY done so. Writing in on the wall - - past contracts and union power is OVER!

• Is CWA seriously thining about going out on strike against AT&T? When? If they are I am simply stunned - - how can ANYONE not work these days that do have full time jobs?

• I can understand if we were chrysler or gm, but the fact is we are not. and we are a very profitible company $12.1 billion profit last year and $3.1 billion 1st quarter. the Wireline is the back bone to wireless and the internet ; for example when someone cut the cables in Northern California - no cell services why because some of those cables provide the bandwith to the cell towers. 911 went down, business and internet went down , why because wireline was disrupted. WHY is the company decieving the public by saying wireline is depleting when we are all part of the network. Now the company is offering retrogressive proposals - cost shifting healthcare cost to employees , removing 2 paid holidays, forced OT without paying us for it,and etc-- to the total of 40% of our income. Sorry this is why we have a UNION to fight for us; you say UNIONS are outdated . I say FAT CAT Executives are out dated !!! time for these CEO's and OVER PAID executives to be held accountable!!!!!! this is not a fight of us vs management because I respect your position and i have great managers where I work. I realize this is a fight of us vs the FAT CATS

• All cell towers have wires between them, going to mux's. The core workers are the ones who install and maintain this equip. And all the fiber and copper lines that go between them. All u- verse lines and fiber and copper and equip. All maintaned and installed by core employees. Etc. Etc. If there is a strike you will see what I mean. AT&T has made record profits and should pay there employees who run and maintain all this better than they do now!

• Prem Tech- Yeah I have a job that pays what the market allows. I and my s/o (see, we aren't allowed to be legally married) also have to pay over $20 grand a year for health insurance out of our own pockets. And it's not really "insurance", as we can't get on a group plan. So we have something called a health savings plan. I think you ATT union employees protesting have no clue about what the rest of the REAL WORLD have to do. You live in a bubble. If you really want to be indignant, then protest the sorry state of our health care in this country, not a private industry/business. Health care is a FRINGE benefit at the end of the day, and nothing more, nothing less.

• Take...These broken wings...And learn to fly again... Oooops, wrong company...

• Prem tech, do you think AT&T managers get free health care? Do you have any idea what we pay? Those of us with families pay ~$200 PER PAY PERIOD in premiums, plus a $2200 deductible and 10% co-pay until we hit our $5500 max out-of-pocket. Do you think we like this? Do you understand how upset and frustrated we get when we hear unionized employees griping about their benefits and threatening to strike over them? Before the strike 5 years ago, we had no deductible, premiums were half of what they are now, and the level of coverage was higher. What happened? The CWA refused to allow AT&T to increase the cost you would pay for healthcare. We got stuck with the bill. Do you understand how frightened we are that something like this will happen again?

• I say to all CWA members JUST WALK ALREADY����..quit talking the talk if you're not willing to walk the walk!!!! What are you afraid of if you really think everything will go to hell then just do it�or are you all to afraid that the company will do fine�granted not as good as when UNION workers are doing the job but I think they will do fine

• Managers also are measured by numbers ect, they have goals and depend on the Union for them to meet their goals�..I thought this was about the new contract���.I must have missed the part that Prem Tech just hates his job. Anyone that works for AT&T should not talk trash about their company it is their bread and butter. YOU WORK FOR A FORTUNE 50 COMPANY. Customer Service is everyone at AT&T's goal and I can tell you that as the union workers may be still working they are doing it at turtle speed���.. you say you do not want to punish the customer well that is all smoke and mirrors. Turtle pace does effect them I do think that term perm Uverse tech's got a bad deal BUT they took that position knowing the wage and knowing that it was a term position but I would think the reason they took it was because it is better then nothing!!!! It is not a matter of RESPECT ��.I have been in the work force for several years and with a few different company's and there is crap all over �..ALL OVER��so if you don't want to put up with the rules, expectations, and Management get your own boss that is the only way around it �oh but wait then you will have NO HEALTH CARE!!!

• I give up trying to convince MANAGERS to respect us... I could give a $hit about the money if we just got the freaking respect we DESERVE. Its POVs from people like Mgr watching in disbelief that get us where we are today....a DEAD STAND STILL in negotiations. With that being said I'm done on this site. I have made my points and my points have been verified by a few managers POVs in their replies to my comments. This whole time all I wanted to prove was that its about our FAMILIES and RESPECT. Once again MANAGEMENT doesn't see that. This is not about money to me. I know for others it is but not me...

• oh my friend - mr prem tech - i'll let you in on a little info - ALL prem techs are not god's gift to at&t!!! The prem tech who installed my uverse - let's just say a 2nd grader would have done a better job! He was rude - until he found out i was an employee - and the job had to be totally re-done! SO . . . let it go - respect has nothing to do with $$$. If you have an idea/suggestion, i'd put it in writing (use spell ck though!) and submit it to a VP via email - there is NOTHING stopping you from doing that! Go install uverse for someone and deliver our world class customer service.

• LOL no I'm off today just so you know haha. I'm not one of these techs that sit in front of customer's houses on COMPANY time and just text. But yeah I have a bunch of issues that need to be addressed but nobody to address them too that will ACTUALLY listen. We have finally got some CWAers that have 30 years of experience that think what we are saying is a lie and could not possibly be happening being brought into the light by WITNESSING how MANAGEMENT treats us...

• "of course some of the money is recouped with the sales of our services, but hellooooo" I'm just pointing out that one of the most profitable parts of your service costs you NOTHING on top of normal operating costs. So when I hear you complain about the cost of upgrading infrastructure, just take into account that your still charging an outrageous fee for data that is piggybacked on normal transmissions. In other words: You make some of that "upgrade cost" back without having to jack for it.

• Mgr watching in disbelief.... Look I know this company is where its at because of ALL its employees. With that being said WE, and by We I mean PREM TECHS, are not treated with NEAR the respect as everyone else in this company is. I personally do not let this effect the QUALITY or CUSTOMER SERVICE I give because it is NOT the CUSTOMER'S fault for the way MANAGEMENT handles us and KEEPS us down DAY IN AND DAY OUT. Why can't a MANAGER for ONCE listen to why productivity is low or why a tech's EFFICIENCY is low. I know why because if a MANAGER were to tell his 2nd line or 3ed line and REASON for why THEIR ideas are not working, they would be FIRED. You cannot measure a employee by NUMBERS alone. Look at the QUALITY and excellent CUSTOMER SERVICE that he/she is providing. The company wants to save money then THERE IT IS. QUIT WASTING OUR TIME AND YOUR MONEY FOCUSING ON NUMBERS. If we could just DO OUR JOBS without the HARASSMENT of being fired for not MEETING NUMBERS EVERY DAY, then most techs would do better work and you would spend less money sending ANOTHER tech to go out and fix what was not done right the FIRST time...

• he probably will get OT today . . . but we (mgrs) will continue our 10+ hour days as normally do and get NO overtime - that's how it works! Mr Prem tech needs to re-evaluate his $ situation - maybe it's not really that bad afterall! If he's working 80 hrs a week (i highly doubt that) he's making more than the average manager. Who'd complain about that????????????

• i was wondering the same thing... he'll probably get OT too.

• MISTER PREM TECH - i can NOT believe YOU have an IPhone!!!! You should have NOT copped to that my friend - i'm a mgr and can NOT afford an IPhone for myself! Guess you aren't doing so bad afterall! : )

• Mr. Prem Tech are you sitting in your truck infront of someones home/business getting paid to BLOG?????

• Mr.PremTech - take your issues up with your union leaders. they put you in this position. you are paying dues and they don't do $hit for you... cuz you have no seniority. Sounds like your local manager sucks too. Document the issues with your management, use SPELL CHECK so you are taken seriously, and send a letter to your upper leadership. Need to go pretty high up to get results.

• oh mr. prem tech - you poor soul, you work for an incredibly successful company and it seems you feel you are the reason for the success.Let's explore here a bit. Hmmm . . if there weren't "other" employees developing, creating, planning for new products, services, networks, ya think you would have a job?????? Kinda makes you go "hmmmm" - doesn't it??? So - the company is successful because of EVERY single manager, non-manager, anyone who contributes to the daily work-load! And you think you're the only one working long hours - HAH!! Silly you - i can tell you i have come in at 7am and left at 1:35am the next morning - been there done that! So no -you are NOT the only one working long hours! Let's all get real here and move on to what's important - the CONTINUED success of at&t.

• Sorry for all the typos by the way I have done a majority of this from my iPhone. So yes I CAN spell and Laughing you are just another one of these TOP paid people who will NEVER understand our problems... So go right ahead and get back to your wine and cheese party and talk whatever trash you will about you lawn workers. You REALLY put your foot in your mouth just then by ADMITTING you have people do your lawn work. Do you have a maid service too for all your house cleaning???? You have EXTRA money to hire people to do stuff that you could do YOURSELF. So I could care less about your opinions. One good thing I will say about you is you gave someone a job, albeit one you could do, but you chose to delegate it to someone in need of money. So cheers to that....

• ok just catching up on some reading and ....wow amazed....a few facts to share AT&T managers are on a freeze no raises at all and pay higher then the national average for health care, most work over 40 hours per week and are salary. The new contract has union workers getting a raise every year of the contract. They get paid VERY WELL FOR OT. That should help with the health care cost. The Union in MID-WEST mirrored the UAW contract 5 years ago. UAW workers have since modified their contract several times. CWA is not willing.....HA ....and the comment SCABS ...well most of the people that would be doing Union jobs if a strike will be MANAGERS and are REQUIRED to do the job so that does not fit the definition of a SCAB......and your profit from TEXTING.....well there you land line workers go wanting to reap the profits from wireless

• Laughing-at-the-Fool: Why sink so low? You know there are executives that can't spell either. My husband has a master's degree and is currently bringing in $14.50 an hour. There is no excuse for AT&T to pay that rate to our front-line employees. On-the-other-hand, AT&T has already addressed this issue in current negotiations. It will be resolved.

• Laughing-at-the-Fool: Why sink so low? You know there are executives that can't spell either. My husband has a master's degree and is currently bringing in $14.50 an hour. There is no excuse for AT&T to pay that rate to our front-line employees. On-the-other-hand, AT&T has already addressed this issue in current negotiations. It will be resolved.

• WOW CP listen to YOUR statements, you have a GOOD job that PAYS WELL.... ATT one of the BIGGEST PROFITABLE companies doesn't pay well for the work that I do and on top of that wants to make us pay WELL over what is necessary for them to turn a profit, oh wait how does over 1 BILLION dollars a month earned sound.... Oh that's right ATT did that LAST YEAR in what was called a POOR and FAILING economy. Plus this year they are on track for almost the same earnings if not more in a BAD ECONOMY... If we had $10k healthcare costs most of us would go from lower to middle class to probably needing government assistance just to provide for our FAMILIES. Look with everything that has been said this is really just about being able to maintain our FAMILIES right now. If ATT wants us to pay for our Benefits, fine, just give us something to COUNTERACT THE COST so we don't start losing everything we have worked so hard to achieve... Now on my side of ATT its really not so much about the healthcare as it is RESPECT. My position is the FACE of the new ATT. We have a clause in our current expired contract that says "needs of the business." That is the BIGGEST scapegoat I have EVER seen a company use when it comes to CONSTANTLY changing our work weeks from 40 hour weeks to 80+. I understand we need to take care of the customers but at WHAT cost to us the employees??? You would get A LOT better production out of your employees if you would just GIVE THEM A BREAK every once in a while instead of treating them like MINDLESS ROBOTS who can work ALL THE TIME and never need a break. We are not ENERGIZER we cant just keep going and going....

• Oops, also, this just in- A group from AT&T had a dinner party at Bob's Steak and Chophouse last night.... there were 12 people in the party.... they spent $6 G's on wine.... I don't think they were union people... IJS

• -JustA-PremTech: I hope you are not an indication of the education level of the typical CWA member. I would like to think that the people installing my phone-internet-tv service can spell at a 4th grade level. It may be your lack of education that is keeping you from earning more than $13/hr. The crew that cuts my lawn make more than that, and I'm not even sure if they are 'legal'. If you come cut my lawn, I'll pay you $15/hr.

• "J" - of course some of the money is recouped with the sales of our services, but hellooooo . . .. it's put right back into upgrading networks, developing new products,AND PAYING GOOD WAGES TO EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE GREAT JOBS WITH A COMPANY (one of very few) THAT IS ACTUALLY PROFITABLE so that they CAN improve servicesm,etc. You make it sound like at&t is simply going "caching, caching" . .. not happening my friend!

• "Another not so well known fact is that many companies supplement the cost of their product in order to keep it at an affordable level for the consumer." That money is easily made back from text messaging plans and charges alone. Pure profit.

• Well said John! Nothing more to say at this point - all employees and the jobs they are currently doing are respected. We simply need to find a way for both parties to agree to a new contract.

• All I have to say is boo-effing-hoo. Both me and my s/o have good jobs that pay pretty well. And we both have to pay for our own health care out of our own pockets. And it's crappy insurance to say the least. It costs us each over $10,000 per year. If it weren't for the high salaries that we receive, it would not be worth it. We could both quit our jobs and take a $20,000 a year pay cut if whatever company we decide to work for would offer heath benefits, plus benefits to same sex couples. But lo, that's not really realistic, now is it? Who should we be out picketing? Ourselves, for being so stupid? This is economics 101. But no, we just keep on, paying our high taxes (since our combined income is over $200k a year) and we continue to pay for our shitty health insurance, and heaven forbid that we have a major accident because we'd be hoofing it to Parkland, garnering the wrath and scorn of the very people who'd think we're deadbeats. Also, @ Just a Prem Tech- You would quit but for the crappy economy? So... why should we listen to anything that you have to say after that statement? Quit already and then let's see how well you fare with paying your own way like so many millions of others.

• I'm a Manager at AT&T and I hope an agreement can be made that both sides can live with for the life of this contract. I can see how a group would try and hold on to a fantastic deal like the CWA healthcare plan. What concerns me the most listening to folks locally and reading blogs is that the idea of individual freedom and self responsibility seems to be gone. No one is forcing me to work for AT&T. If I feel that I am not being compensated appropriately then I owe it to myself to find something that does. I become more and more astounded lately on how folks dont want to work hard, take responsibility and take care of themselves.

• Wow... I am reading a bunch of MANAGEMENT and EXECUTIVE POVs on here... I want to thank the ONE manager who understands and respects the Prem Techs. My second statement is this, I KNOW there are former employees just "chomping at the bit" to do my job and hell I would be to for 23 or more an hour like they will get paid... I cab almost GURANTEE that if and when a strike is called they will be ABSOLUTELY LOST on how to install the service. As a matter if fact I KNOW the company knows this as well bcause ONE our load has been lightened and will continue this way until we strike or reach an agreement because the SCABS cannot perform HALF the work we can, and TWO the SCABS will be 2 at a time on EACH job, which goes to show you that NO they can't do this job without us. Remember last time around the union went out just FOUR days and it took TWO MONTHS to fix what was done in that short period of time... Don't get me wrong I would LOVE to come to a fair and just agreement so the CUSTOMER doesn't suffer but right now I don't see that happening...

• Jinks - you asked about the IPhone. Let's think about this: IPhone - "I"Phone - yes, it's an APPLE IPhone. The network - that would be AT&T. Now...let's keep in mind that this was not an inexpensive phone to create, manufacture,distribute,and build the network for. It was a creation by 2 companies. Can you even imagine the cost that AT&T incurred to build and support the network for the IPhone - it will take years to recoup those costs. I do take offense to you referring to the IPhone network as a "monopoly" - if we had ALL the wireless networks in the US - now that would be a monopoly - this is not a monopoly, what it is is a network we built and support and consumers benefit from. Of course we get the $ for being the service provider of the IPhone - would you even expect otherwise? Another not so well known fact is that many companies supplement the cost of their product in order to keep it at an affordable level for the consumer. So - for those with an IPhone . . thank you for choosing this product! What i don't understand - what's the IPhone have to do with a union contract discussion?

• Let me divide AT&T and tell me if I'm wrong. AT&T owns many of the lines used for landlines, and fiber optics. AT&T has monopolies on this do the not? I would imagine this is from a legacy where they would bid to service municipal, utility or other districts. This is still true no? Or, are these redundant? What other "central" hats does AT&T wear? I believe monopolies are different from competitive markets. This appears to be one that is transitioning into a competitive market. Can you explain this? Are these same forces at play in the cellular/wireless markets? How do you rely on gov't assistance beyond easements? Shouldn't these divergent companies be broken apart? It's not fair perhaps to let the utility aspect of AT&T to supplement it's competitive wireless services? I would support this likewise where it applies to Verizon, Sprint et al.

• In reference to Mr. Prem Tech and MWSW, I believe you've both been addressed previously so I won't beat that drum any more, okay just one more time. I believe that AT&T is being very fair in their offer to CWA workers; heck, the offer is still better than that what managers get. I will say this about Mr. Prem Tech, if they decide to walk they can surely bet that this company will continue without missing a beat! There are so many people, many former employees who are chomping at the bit to come and work. Don't be mistaken, many of the managers use to be union workers and still remember how to do those jobs. I'd also like to touch on the comment regarding high seniority, low performing craft. That statement is very true! I see it every day, these people have 30+ years and just sit around doing nothing and don't even attempt to share their vast knowledge and mentor the younger ones. They do the bare minimum and many abuse the union's priviledges to get time off. My last point is that out of all of the union workers that I've personally talked to, many of them don't want to or can't walk out because they can't miss the money. The union is not going to suppliment them enough to be off without pay.

• "Who's getting the money from the iPhone network monopoly, if AT&T isn't in the wireless biz? Not being snarky, I really don't understand..." He said they got out of the VOIP business, not the wireless business. But the workers threatening to strike don't work in the wireless division, to my knowledge. As a member of a Union, I guess I am obliged to support the strike threat... even though when my union went on strike in 07/08, I was against it.

• Random thoughts: @dallas2009: You got that right. Made for a much faster trip downtown on Gaston! Speaking of the traffic clusterflock, I tweeted the WFAA traffic gal about the Gaston backup and got no response. We Surface Street Smurfs get no love (or info) as usual. @sars: LOL! And where do you get one of those, anyway? Hertz Rent-A-Rat? @mwsw: I feel for ya, but I can't reach ya. I'm a City employee, and my health insurance costs have more than tripled in the past 5 years; and the "EPO" (HMO equivalent) only covers 75% of costs instead of 100%. At least you guys have a union to fight for you. @pragmatist: Who's getting the money from the iPhone network monopoly, if AT&T isn't in the wireless biz? Not being snarky, I really don't understand...

• Mr. Prem tech . . I have a high respect for all you do on a daily basis.You are working on our of our prize products, one that i personally love in my home and so many other consumers are still waiting to have. I do not, however, support any of the medical issues. We are all shareholders in this company, a very successful one at that due to the executive leadership we are fortunate to have watching to ensure we succeed.As shareholders, we must participate in the costs for benefits,mgrs have paid for some time and i,myself don't have a problem as the benefits are there,we just need to share in the cost.What i can NOT understand is how any union could responsibly consider striking and not agreeing to settle this contract with what AT&T has offered.In this economy, with so many people out of work, losing their homes, etc. would it NOT be in the best interest of YOU, AT&T and the country as a whole to just get this resolved,recognize that nothing is free any more and move on to the business at hand - continueing to make this a successful comapany - everyone's world DELIVERED!

• Mr.PremTech: You are the only reason I partially support a strike. NOT THE HEALTHCARE ISSUE - because we should all be paying the same. You are the future of AT&T. However, you can blame management AND your union leaders for the lack of training and poor pay the prem techs receive. You know what stings? Many of your peers are putting forth the bare minimum in their work ethics yet getting paid far more than most managers. Time to get rid of the low performing, high seniority craft! Put the money in the future of the company.

• &#64;mwsw: Regarding your second point: In the past three years, AT&T has lost more than 15.3 million access lines, which is more than 21 percent of its customer base. (Springfield Sun) Since I work for a switch vendor with 16 years in the telecom business overall, I've got a better idea than many of your striking colleagues about the big picture. You don't mention that AT&T just cancelled the VoIP program, CallVantage, because of competition from both wireless and cable companies. You're in a changing, shrinking field - gotta deal with it, or you're in the tar pits with the dinosaurs, wondering what happened to your horsewhip business now that cars are available. Regarding your third point: AT&T employees governed by these contracts pay 8 percent of their health care costs, which is significantly less than AT&T managers, other bargained-for employees covered by different contracts and, most importantly, cable competitors. Regarding your fourth point, about exec pay: that pay disparity is wrong, but that's not why the chanting strikers say they're striking. If you're protesting out-of-touch exec pay, join the majority of American workers (who aren't striking), and even Congress, who are frustrated as well. Regarding pay cuts only applying at failing companies: I'm not prepared to argue that one, but are you prepared to argue that the ongoing recession has no bearing whatsoever on your demands and AT&T's offer? And regarding your group's indispensability to AT&T: the federal government made the same sort of judgment about bailout recipients, that a given company is too big/too important to fail, and look at how that taxpayer investment is paying off. Why should AT&T be extorted by a group of employees, any group? Not incidentally, having dealt with AT&T execs at the VP level in my current role, as well as having trained many OSP and blue-collar employees earlier in my career, I have no love for either group in this fight.

• Lucky to have a job....? I make 13/hour and my job is threatened everyday I work for this horrible company... ATT wants to act like every problem they have is the employees fault when in fact it's the executives fault for sitting large being ignorant, no IGNORING the real problems in their company... The fact that employee moral is down and customer service sucks due to constant repremand, lack of guidance, and all this without ever being told what we are doing right. I would quit but do to this crappy economy right now I have nowhere else to look... Paying for benifits, without a raise, which is what this GREEDY company is trying to do, would make me lose most of my necessities including my home and car. I am 24 years old and really don't want to have to go live at home with my parents because my employer who is one of the biggest companies in the world and who pays our CEO and EXECUTIVES MILLIONS of dollars a month can't afford our healthcare or a small cost of living raise so it's employees can afford to take care of themselves and their families... I'm sorry but unless you work for this company in a non-management job, you will never truely understand the true problems and injustices with ATT. With the lack of employee respect, especially in MY job because I am LITERALLY the face of the new IP TV, and stress put on our shoulders is unheard of to me in any job I've had... SBC bought ATT way back to try and change. This was to SAVE ATT, but the fact that SBC kept most of ATT's values and ethics will be this company's ultimate downfall...

• Um - hello manager? First of all - you do realize that what you make is based on what union members make - including your healthcare? Second - regarding 'shrinking landline business' - do any of you understand that wireLESS runs across landLINE plant - worked on by landLINE employees? Third - we already pay approximately $1500 - $2000 a year out of pocket and what the company is 'offering' would double or triple that - that is NOT a small amount. And if you think it is then YOU are making too much money - not us. Fourth - the pay for the executive board is so extreme they have been rated a D by the Corporate Library. The Corporate Library, by the way, rated companies like Enron, Worldcom, Global Crossing very low before their collective implosions. They also rated GM very low - two years ago - they know what they're talking about. So the executive board is rated a D because of their compensation (among other issues) - and we're the greedy ones just for asking them to maintain current packages - packages which we have EARNED? Fifth - paycuts 'all across the country' - yes those are occurring in FAILING companies - of which AT&T is not even close to being a failing company. Fourth - do any of you understand who actually DOES the work that actually makes AT&T profitable? To the tune of $13 billion profit - during a BAD economy? I tell you what - let us stay out for 2 months and see whre the company stands - then let management stay out for 2 months - and see where the company stands. Any bet takers out there to which one would bring business grinding to a halt? In particular if we have any major flooding in the territory?

• CWA helped elect Obama. Obama is creating national health care, therefore these people need sit down. Get real.

• Some Guy, you are right! Yes, they are lucky to have jobs at all in this environment. Have you noticed that such heretofore stable employers such as banks and car companies are laying off tens of thousands? Consider that the striking group is from AT&T's shrinking landline business, which is losing ground to wireless. If they were asking for company-paid training for other jobs in new technologies, and/or guaranteed consideration for jobs in expanding lines of business, that would be a different matter. Regarding pay cuts, yes, that's happening all across the country. For instance, IBM has been reducing pay rates up to 15% for many segments.

• Yes, they are picketing and yes there is a huge rat across the street but what I don't understand is why they wouldn't want to pay for some of their healthcare? I don't know many companies that are completely paying for health benefits. I work for AT&T as a manager and we've been paying for years. They do realize that health care is a benefit and doesn't have to be provided for them, right?

• Your so right Mr. Pragmatist. While they are at it, AT&T should cut wages too. I mean hell, they are lucky that they have a job in this economy! Right?

• Police Officers.. not police offers.. oops

• i'm just glad they had so many dallas police offers tied up.. i could speed w/out the worry of getting a ticket.

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