AT&T announced yesterday that a tentative agreement had been reached with 7,000 wireline employees across the country, who have been working under the terms of an expired contract for the last four and a half months. Tensions have been high at AT&T as older telephone jobs disappear to make way for new Internet phone and wireless positions. About 120,000 AT&T employees in total are unionized, and at this time, only some 57,000 of those have reached new agreements. Contracts have been ratified in the West and Midwest, and with the IBEW, but talks continue in the East and Southeast. The 7,000 who came to an agreement yesterday represent workers of the Communications Workers of America (CWA). Details of the deal have not been released yet, but it is expected to include small wage raises and improved job security, but higher health-care costs for employees.
See "AT&T, union reach tentative pact covering 7,000 workers", Kathy Shwiff, CNN Money, August 27, 2009