AT&T Management Says "No" to Employees Sporting Union Stickers in Midst of Contract Negotiations

Demand by management to take off a red sticker saying "WTF: Where's The Fairness" from their uniforms was what sparked AT&T union workers across the Bay Area to walk off the job Monday morning.

In Castro Valley, more than a dozen picketed outside of their facility off Norbridge Avenue starting at 8 a.m. due to what they felt was unfair labor practice (ULP).

"This is letting [the company] know how a strike is going to affect them," said AT&T construction worker Michael Fanfa.

After coming to work that morning sporting the red stickers on their uniforms, workers were told by management to either take the labels off or go home, according to an employee.

Once Fanfa, one of the 15 construction workers at the Castro Valley site, found this out, he joined some of the 42 U-Verse coworkers who were picketing.

"We went out with these guys because of sympathy," he said. "We're hoping that [the company] caves."

Employees of U-Verse, a fiber optic integrated technology and computer networking branch created about six years ago, were hired without the same benfits as their construction counterparts, according to one employee. Unlike the company's construction workers, they are required to wear uniforms when visitng customers.

AT&T released the following statement regarding the stickers:

While we respect our employees’ right to express their opinions, it is our policy to require appropriate dress for our employees in customer-facing positions. We sent some employees home after they refused to remove “WTF” stickers, or buttons, from their clothing before leaving the office to work in and around customer homes and businesses. We don’t believe such a sticker or button is appropriate in our customers’ homes and businesses.

John Britton, spokesperson for AT&T, said the company has allowed these employees to wear the stickers around the office but not in or around customer homes or businesses. Employees who come to work without these stickers will be welcomed back.

"We’re committed to working together with the union to bargain a contract that will allow us to continue to provide and protect high quality middle class careers for our employees," Britton said.

Fanfa said the walkout was member-driven and not union-driven. The union, Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9412, only helped advise employees on the do's and don'ts of walking out of work without threatening their jobs. They particularly told those who could not afford another "occurance" to not participate in the walkout in fear of losing their jobs.

Union members say the bigger picture is they're picketing against contract negotiations about the company possibly taking away some benefits, overtime pay, some sick time, vacations and holidays, along with increasing the cost of benefits.

AT&T states that employees in these contracts are "very well compensated and they will continue to be — we are not proposing to reduce their wages, or to take away their health care benefits." According to the release, the average AT&T network technician in these contracts makes $133,000 in wages and benefits and the average call center rep makes $107,000 in wages and benefits.

The company began bargaining Feb. 29 with the CWA on wages, benefits, pension and work rules. It includes employees in both network and call center roles.

While an agreement was not reached by the April 7 expiration of those four contracts, both sides have agreed to continue bargaining and employees are continuing to work under the terms of the old agreement while negotiations continue.

Fanfa said one of his biggest complaints about the most recent contract changes was having occurances no longer being dropped off one's record each year. He said each employee is allowed up to three occurances each year before their job is in jeopardy.

Anything from being a few minutes late or taking one too many sick days off counts as an occurance, according to Fanfa.

However, he took his vacation time to walk out that day and support the U-Verse employees in picketing.

The last time workers held a strike against the company was in 2005. The four-day strike was also over contract negotiations.

"It seems like the company is being extrememly hard-nosed this time around," said union steward and construction worker Edgar Coverdale.

He said workers plan to picket again tomorrow morning if management of Castro Valley AT&T branch does not allow them to sport the stickers. Coverdale said walkouts took place in about 10 yards across the Bay Area including San Ramon, San Leandro and Pleasanton.

"Labor negotiations are no going well at all and we want the company to know they need to bargain more in good faith," he said.