Bill

In our long and proud history, never have we been faced with the horrors that this Company is throwing our way today.  Since 1995 we have had many force reductions, and as painful as they were, we recognize that they were the result of technology changes or a downturn in our economy.

All that has changed my brothers and sisters, this is not a weather change we are facing but a climate change and we are being left out in the cold.  This is just the beginning of AT&T’s new plan of regrouping our work out of the state of CT.  AT&T is committed to their plan to silo our work into other areas of the country by sending our jobs to Dallas, TX where all the Global Service Reps will be located; Nashville, TN where all the Account Collections will be done, Repair Service 611 to Brecksville, OH and right down the line.

All of our jobs in CT are in jeopardy with this plan because CT isn’t part of it.  Why aren’t we in their plan?  We’re not in their plan because AT&T believes their overhead is too high in CT.  The energy, taxes, and yes, salaries are at such high cost levels that our work can be done for less elsewhere – thus, increasing the AT&T profits even more.

It’s obvious; AT&T is only concerned with increasing their bottom line.  Any of our members, who work at a desk, with a phone, a computer, are at risk of losing their jobs.  With the flick of a switch the jobs are gone.  Only those of us who interface with the public are safe for now.

We have to join together in our common goal to save our jobs.  We must use all of the resources available, politicians, legislators, and our families have to mobilize in a show of strength.  All of these efforts have to be made in order to send a message that we are going to fight for our jobs here in CT.

Our Governor is basically a “no show.”  So we have to keep the pressure on our legislators – call your local representatives which you can find by accessing our CWA Local 1298 website:   and the appropriate Link, call Senator Dodd, Senator Lieberman.  We also have valuable information on our website which is updated in a timely manner.

I have to mention the support that we have already received from many of our representatives both in Hartford and Washington.  The support we have received is wonderful but we have to keep up the pressure.

I thank all of you for your support and ask for you to remain steadfast going forward.  As I stated these are extremely difficult times.  The closing of our call centers is a devastating blow to our members and their families – their futures and their well being.  Naturally, those problems resonate everywhere and the affect trickles down to the economy of the state and towns and cities where we reside.

It’s going to be a fight to keep our jobs in CT and it’s going to be a fight for a fair and equitable contract.  The upcoming contract negotiations are going to be an uphill challenge – with the Company that could care less about people and their families – a Company that will be focused only on upper management’s quarterly bonuses.

The bright side is that we are joining our forces, we are mobilizing, we are active in the communities where we live – bringing our issues to the forefront.  We are visible at the Capital.  Those are all plusses, but the bottom line is:  this Union is all of us fighting together for our future – and we have to fight like we have never fought before.

In Solidarity,

Bill