Final Bargaining Report: A Message from Your CWA Bargaining Team

| March 4, 2009 |

Final Bargaining Report
CWA-AT&T Mobility "Orange" Contract
March 2009

A message from your CWA Bargaining Team:

This round of negotiations was challenging. It took many weeks of tough bargaining and many more weeks of mobilization by you and CWA members throughout AT&T to finally produce a tentative agreement that makes real improvement in both economic and workplace issues for CWA members at AT&T Mobility.

We began bargaining on Jan. 21 and worked steadily until Feb. 7, when the company decided it would put forward a "best and final" offer. The CWA bargaining team rejected that proposal outright, putting AT&T Mobility on notice that it would have to do much better.

From then until Feb. 25 when we returned to the bargaining table, AT&T Mobility heard from you and from CWAers throughout our union, in workplace solidarity demonstrations, leafleting outside retail stores, rallies and other events. Those actions pushed the Company back to the table and reminded management that it had to deliver.

When bargaining resumed, we held round-the-clock sessions until March 3, when CWA and AT&T Mobility agreed to a tentative four-year contract.

We were able to make real gains in several areas, especially the issues our members identified as priorities:

1. We established a first-ever career path for the call centers, so that experience and skill are rewarded.
2. We negotiated new language for retail employees covered by the sales compensation plan that provides a minimum at-risk monthly commission payout. We gained quota relief for eight hours in the aggregate, for disciplinary relief.
3. All Wireless Tech I employees will be upgraded to Wireless Tech II.
4. We established a Strategic Alliance Committee that will improve workplace and union participation and job satisfaction.

Economic gains, including wage increases, bonus payment and other gains, and workplace improvements are outlined in the following pages. Please take some time to review the proposed agreement.

This agreement provides substantial improvements, not only in wages and other economic areas, but in quality-of-work issues as well. The overwhelming majority of bargaining committee members ask for your support and strongly urge ratification of this tentative agreement.

In Solidarity,

Your CWA Bargaining Team

For review: Final Bargaining Report