For over 45 years, Gus May has worked as a service technician for AT&T, witnessing firsthand the rapid evolution of technology. Despite his dedication to the company, May and 17,000 other AT&T workers in Atlanta and across the Southeast are currently on strike. The strike, which began on August 16, stems from stalled contract negotiations, with workers demanding better pay, benefits, and working conditions.
May, along with his fellow AT&T employees, has spent the past two weeks picketing outside an AT&T service facility in Tucker, Georgia, holding signs that read, “Honk if you support workers” and “Fighting for the middle class.” As Labor Day weekend approached, the strike entered its third week, reflecting the ongoing struggle between organized labor and corporate management.
The workers, who have been without a contract since August 3, are members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The union accuses AT&T of unfair labor practices, an allegation the company denies. In response to the strike, AT&T suggested that future negotiations include a federal mediator, and daily meetings have been held in Atlanta since then. However, both company and union representatives have remained tight-lipped about the progress of these talks.
The strike has had a significant impact on AT&T’s operations in the Southeast, where 2,500 of the striking workers are based in metro Atlanta alone. The region includes Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Union officials believe that the absence of these workers has caused service disruptions, although AT&T claims it has taken steps to minimize any impact on customers.
Gus May, who has been without wages for two weeks, acknowledges the toll the strike has taken on workers, especially those who are newer and younger. Despite the financial strain, he and his colleagues remain committed to their cause, hoping for a resolution soon. “We just want to be treated fairly,” said Reggie Tinch, a service technician with 25 years at AT&T, visit The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The strike has garnered support from other labor unions in the region. For example, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 613 provided lunch to striking workers across the city. This solidarity is part of a broader trend of increased union organizing in the South, a region historically less unionized than other parts of the country. Recent successful organizing efforts include workers at Blue Bird in Fort Valley joining the United Steelworkers and workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga voting to join the United Auto Workers.
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As Labor Day weekend passes, the outcome of the strike remains uncertain. Negotiations are expected to continue through the holiday, with both sides hoping for a fair resolution. For now, the strike serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights and fair labor practices in the American South.
