telecom@eecs.nwu.edu (TELECOM Moderator) (05/24/89)
It is likely that the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers will strike the American Telephone and Telegraph Company over the forthcoming three day holiday weekend. Members of the CWA voted overwhelmingly to authorize their leaders to strike AT&T as of 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, Saturday May 27, if no agreement is reached on a new contract by that time. The IBEW has been bargaining jointly with the CWA since April 5, and its members will be in sympathy with the CWA in the event a strike is called. The CWA represents 135,000 employees of AT&T; while the IBEW represents 40,000 employees. CWA negotiation representatives say that AT&T is not bargaining with the union in good faith, but AT&T spokesman Herb Linnen said the company is still hoping to negotiate a new contract without a work stoppage. Union officials however say the two sides remain far apart on three major issues: employee contributions to health insurance, pay and job security. T"At this stage, AT&T has yet to seriously address issues of concern to our members," said union President Morton Bahr. "Our unions are detirmined to bargain vigorously and intensively to achieve a contract that provides a full measure of economic justice and job security for our members and their families." The union struck for 26 days in 1986 before agreeing to the present contract which expires at midnight this Saturday night, May 27. Some bitterness remains to this day between CWA and IBEW, which have been bitter rivals in the past. During the 1986 strike, IBEW workers remained on the job, after a promise by AT&T that they would receive any benefits the CWA won through its strike. As a result, AT&T suffered little disruption during the 1986 strike, since about 90 percent of its long distance service is totally automated; and the IBEW workers who remained on the job kept things running, although somewhat sporadically. Morton Bahr has stated that although he has full authority to order a strike at any time after Saturday night, if there is an indication that an agreement is close at hand -- within a few days -- no strike will be called, and the workers will remain on the job without a contract for the interim. But if no progress is made at the meetings this week, then the workers will walk out on schedule, or shortly thereafter. IBEW President John Barry said a strike was '...just one of several tactics' under consideration at this time. Among other tactics being considered is a nationwide boycott of AT&T's long distance service by union employees and sympathizers, as well as other unions in the United States. Bahr and Barry noted that such a boycott would cost AT&T upwards of ten million dollars per month while it was in progress. The boycott plan calls for participants to temporarily switch their long distance calls to Sprint -- which ironically is a *non-union* shop. John Barry noted that the success of such a boycott depended on the cooperation of union members everywhere -- not just CWA/IBEW people. Barry and Bahr said a final announcement on the strategy to be employed; strike, boycott or both would be announced when a decision is reached this weekend whether to continue negotiations with AT&T or break off talks and take other action. AT&T spokeswoman Stacy Dixon said she was confident the dispute would be settled before the weekend deadline. She noted that "...in the past, we have continued to operate with management and temporary workers, and will do so again if we must." Affected by a walkout would be almost every department of AT&T, including long distance operators; business office representatives; technicians and other clerical personnel. Patrick Townson