| AT&T
Agrees to Return Contracted Tech Support Work
September
15th, 2006
CWA reached
a new agreement with AT&T to return Internet/DSL
support work to the CWA bargaining unit, which potentially
could create 2,000 new union jobs. This work currently is being
contracted out both within the United States and overseas.
Beginning next
year, more than 800 new jobs will come under CWA representation,
with more to be returned to the U.S. from foreign call centers starting
sometime later in the year.
"Reversing
the flow of work from contractors back to our bargaining units is
a terrific achievement," said CWA Executive Vice President
Jeff Rechenbach. "We're also pleased that the wages and benefits
we've negotiated, in addition to being superior to those in the
industry, will provide a base for CWA to build career opportunities
for even more workers," he said.
CWA and AT&T
negotiated the wage rate, benefits and job duties for the new position
of Tier 1 customer assistant as part of the 2005 National Internet
Contract. That contract expires July 21, 2007
The agreement
does not change any of the work performed by CWA-represented customer
service representatives under the core contract. Job duties under
the new customer assistant title include first tier customer care
services — related to customer registration, e-mail creation,
DSL line signal testing, modem/filter assistance and e-mail, browser
and modem troubleshooting. |
