Vermont AT&T wireless phone store workers unite in CWA Local 1400

After a short campaign eighty-one AT&T Mobility phone store workers in eleven Vermont stores have formed a new union with CWA Local 1400. During the months of July and August a majority of the workers signed representation cards seeking membership in Local 1400. Their majority was certified by the American Arbitration Association on September 21 against a list provided by AT&T management. The entire process took place without any management interference following an agreement between AT&T and CWA allowing employees to freely form unions using a majority sign up process. "With the union contract we'll have a stronger voice in our work life " said Michael Trudo a Sales Support Rep. who lives in South Burlington. "As an employee of 5 years I'm looking forward to gaining more respect on the job and for the seniority of longer-term employees " said Josh Sausville a Retail Sales Consultant from Burlington. The former Unicel workers will be dovetailed into an existing contract that already covers AT&T wireless phone workers in Maine and New Hampshire. "Our local union encompasses all aspects of the telecom industry both wireless and landlines " said Darlene Stone a Local 1400 organizer who assisted the workers in their campaign for representation. "With these new members we are all stronger together." More than 40 000 AT&T Mobility wireless workers have gained a voice in their jobs through the 700 000-member Communications Workers of America. "Contrast the simplicity and ease that AT&T Mobility workers formed a union with the intense management interference that Verizon Wireless workers have experienced " said CWA staffer Ralph Montefusco who also assisted the campaign. "Vermonters should seriously consider bringing their cell phone business to AT&T." The AT&T workers victory takes place amid the national political debate about enacting the Employee Free Choice Act. If enacted workers at all companies could organize like those at AT&T simply by demonstrating majority support on union authorization cards. Another 85 AT&T employees who work in Maine and New Hampshire are already united in Local 1400. CWA Local 1400 also represents more than 1 500 telecom workers throughout New England at Verizon and FairPoint. Bookmark/Search this post with: Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Reddit Newsvine Facebook Google Yahoo Technorati