CWA Local 9510's News Blog

>>> Candice Johnson 3/20/2011 11:50 AM >>>

Following are CWA's news release on the announced acquisition and the company's release, plus some backup information.

For release 2:30 p.m., Sunday, March 20, 2011

Contact: Candice Johnson, CWA Communications,

T Mobile USA and AT&T Merger Means Faster and More Widespread Broadband

Following is a statement by CWA President Larry Cohen on the planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA by AT&T:

Washington, D.C. -- For more than a decade, the United States has continued to drop behind nearly every other developed economy on broadband speed and build out. The Federal Communications Commission sounded the alarm more than a year ago with its broadband report and President Obama in his State of the Union address called for increased efforts to bring the U.S. back to global parity as a key stimulus for economic development.

Today’s announcement of the acquisition of T-Mobile USA by AT&T is a victory for broadband proponents in both the U.S. and Germany. For the U.S., it means that T-Mobile customers will get quick access to the AT&T network, soon to include LTE or data speeds of at least 10 megabits down stream. More important, as part of the deal, AT&T is committing to build out to nearly every part of the US within four years. Both AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM technology so there will be the immediate benefit of shared spectrum. Other reported deals involving T-Mobile would have joined incompatible networks; not only would that have forced a rebuild but would have required new phones for T- Mobile customers.

In Germany, the cash deal will provide investment in parent Deutsche Telekom’s own fiber network, particularly important for DT’s principal owner, the German government.

CWA and ver.di, the largest union in Germany, have partnered to support T-Mobile workers in the US, and the global union movement has been a strong supporter of this effort. CWA and ver.di formed a joint union – TU – that represents T-Mobile workers on both sides of the Atlantic. Hundreds of TU members in the U.S. will welcome this news since of all the possible partners, AT&T will mean better employment security and a management record of full neutrality towards union membership and a bargaining voice. For T-Mobile USA workers who want a voice in their workplace, this acquisition can provide a fresh start with T-Mobile management. Some 42,000 ATT mobility employees are union represented.

As with any merger or acquisition involving large entities, oversight issues will be raised. We ask all those involved to balance the inquiry with adequate weight for broadband speed and build out, and employment and workers rights.
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Candice Johnson
CWA Communications Director

95LTE_deployment_map_PUBLIC.pdf

FINAL_RELEASE_ATT_ACQUIRES_T-MOBILE.doc

T-Mobile_Transaction_Factsheet_PUBLIC.pdf

Making the Most of Every Minute Between Now and Election Day

With so much at stake for working families on Nov. 2, CWAers aren’t wasting a minute in the final days leading to Election 2010.

Here’s some of what’s happening around the country:

* In Texas, CWA members are leafleting, making phone calls and knocking on doors to support pro-worker congressional candidates and working to send extreme anti-worker Gov. Rick Perry packing after 10 years. His opponent Bill White is a pro-labor businessman and the popular former mayor of Houston. “I think we’ve got a good chance, we’re getting really good feedback,” said Jake Taffola, CWA’s political coordinator in Texas. Among the key congressional races, San Antonio members are working hard to re-elect Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, and five CWAers are among the workers who appear in one of his campaign commercials.

* In Pennsylvania, CWA activists have leafleted at 138 worksites since September. They’ve circulated more than 17,500 flyers so far, with another big push and 5,000 more set for Monday. Phone banks are up and running in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and volunteers are turning out statewide for labor walks. Members have also turned out in force for rallies and events around the state to support Senate candidate Joe Sestak and Dan Onorato, candidate for governor.

* In Missouri, members are working the phones and leafleting worksites to elect Robin Carnahan to the U.S. Senate and re-elect her brother, Russ Carnahan, to Congress, among other key races. CWA Local 6300 and others will continue phone banking right up until the polls close Nov. 2.

* In New Mexico, members have been leafleting at worksites around the state every week and are rallying, phoning and knocking on doors for Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, who is running for governor. Thursdays are phone bank nights for CWAers, who also join regular labor walks on Saturdays.

Check your local’s bulletin board or website or ask your steward how you can help Get Out the Vote this weekend and through Election Day.

Members of CWA Local 6215 were out in force in Dallas as early voting opened. CWA District 13 Vice President Ed Mooney and President Larry Cohen, with Dan Onorato, Democratic candidate for governor in Pennsylvania.

Members of CWA Local 9510 walked precincts for Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), center. CWA members in New Mexico rally behind Lt. Governor Diane Denish, Democratic candidate for governor.
At AT&T headquarters in St. Louis, Mo., Local 6300 Vice President Sonja Gholston-Byrd, right, and Chief Steward Dawn Jennewein leaflet to get out the vote on Nov. 2.

AT&T recently said it supports the Google-Verizon net neutrality plan that would prevent wireless networks from being subject to neutrality regulations.

Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T Mobility, recently called the plan a "reasonable framework." Later, Joan Marsh, AT&T's Vice President of Federal Regulatory, wrote about the proposal and the need for unregulated wireless networks on the company's public policy blog. "Wireless carriers must to [sic] be able to dynamically manage traffic and operate their networks in an environment free from burdensome, arbitrary and unnecessary regulations," Marsh said.

The Google-Verizon plan, which has drawn critics as well, calls for making the Internet we know today completely neutral for lawful content. This means carriers could not discriminate against or restrict different types of (lawful) data from running through its broadband network. However, the plan would leave wireless networks out of the debate, and allow broadband providers to offer non-neutral specialized broadband services such as medical health monitoring and entertainment content.

AT&T has long been an opponent of net neutrality, arguing there is little evidence that broadband providers needs to be regulated. The company has considered using filtering tools to detect pirated material on its network. AT&T has also urged employees to send personal letters to the Federal Communications Commission arguing against net neutrality.

Despite previous actions, it isn't that surprising the company would approve of the Google-Verizon framework. That's because by the end of 2009, AT&T changed its position on net neutrality. In fact, it had adopted at least one view similar to those found in the Google-Verizon proposal.

In a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, AT&T said, "preserving the open character of the Internet is critically important." However, unlike Google and Verizon, AT&T wanted the FCC to address complaints of anticompetitive or discriminatory behavior on a case-by-case basis instead of applying a "strict nondiscrimination standard." Broad net neutrality rules, AT&T argued, could "ban voluntary commercial agreements for...certain value-added broadband services." You can read the entire letter here (PDF)

AT&T's reference to "value-added broadband services" is similar to Google and Verizon's call to have a non-neutral broadband network for "additional, differentiated online services." As mentioned earlier, such services could include health care monitoring, educational tools, gaming, and other forms of entertainment content.That means they could charge you more for accessing the net for those functions.

Considering AT&T's previous calls against regulating private broadband services (not to mention it's clear interest in having an unregulated wireless network) it's no surprise that AT&T likes what the Google-Verizon plan offers. But the company hasn't signed on entirely; its support is preliminary, not a Verizon-Google-AT&T net neutrality proposal.

Ian Paul, PC World

Aug 16, 2010 9:09 am

A CWA Local 1126 member who was shot while working at an AT&T Wireless store in central New York will be honored at the CWA convention, along with the off-duty police officer who killed the gunman before he could hurt anyone else.
The shooting and the events leading to it are a textbook argument for more retail store security and worker training.
The victim, Seth Turk, is out of the hospital but has a long road to full recovery. He was one of four CWA members and six workers total named on a "hit list" carried by gunman Abraham Dickan, 79, a meddlesome, almost daily visitor to the New York Mills store. A month earlier, Dickan brandished a gun to another CWA member there. AT&T sent him a letter banning him from the store, but no changes were made in security.
On May 27, after the county seized the weapon and revoked his carry permit in response to the earlier incident, Dickan returned, pulled a .357 caliber revolver and shot Turk in the stomach. Nearby in a short line of customers, off-duty Police Officer Donald Moore swiftly pulled his gun and fatally shot Dickan. No one else was injured.
In spite of his grave injury, Turk, 37, managed to call 911 and calmly provide details. "He was even able to tell them about Officer Moore having a weapon so they didn't come in thinking he was possibly the assailant," Local 1126 Vice President Jason White said. "The police said it was a textbook 911 call."
White praised AT&T for its efforts since the shooting, which include re-opening the store at a new site with multiple video cameras, panic buttons and, for now, a constant police presence. But he is concerned about long-term safety for his members and all CWA retail workers nationwide. "We definitely need to establish a protocol, jointly with the company, that workers can follow if they ever feel threatened by a customer," he said.

AT&T Mobility Workers in Puerto Rico Join CWA

Another 186 AT&T Mobility network workers in Puerto Rico now are members of CWA Local 3010, joining CWA through majority sign-up.
The former Centennial Wireless Network Department employees work in six different locations across the island.

Local 3010 President Rafael Castro-Torres credited Local 3010 organizer Javier Sepulveda and the internal organizing committee for building strong support for the union, as well as support from District 3.
"The campaign got underway in April 2010 and our training and strategic planning paid off, with the committee signing up more than half of the network workers in just about a month," Castro-Torres said.

The internal committee included Jorge Roldan, Wilfredo Guivas, Angel Cabrera, Francisco Madera, David Guadalupe, Botcheller Seda, and Demetrio Luciano.
Local 3010 also is continuing to build majority support among AT&T Mobility's 414 retail store workers and 175 call center workers, Castro-Torres said.