1,100 More Former AT&T Wireless Workers at Cingular Gain CWA Representation as Year Ends

14,650 of the workers organized with CWA in 2005

In the final nine organizing campaigns concluded in 2005 by former AT&T Wireless workers at Cingular, another 1,100 of the company's unrepresented workers gained union representation with CWA. These workers – retail sales associates, customer service representatives, and network technicians – work at 189 locations in eight states across the country.

This latest round of union recognitions at Cingular raises to 14,650 the number of former AT&T Wireless workers who have gained CWA representation during 2005. Another 7,400 former AT&T Wireless workers at Cingular remain eligible to join CWA. All together, more than 37,000 workers at the company have CWA representation.

When the year began and the AT&T Wireless's unrepresented employees merged into Cingular, half of the company's 44,000 union-eligible workforce had union representation. Now over 83 percent of the company's workers have a contract and a voice in their workplace.

Here is a rundown of the year's final union recognitions – certified Nov. 30 through Dec. 28 by the American Arbitration Association

182 Retail Sales, 27 locations, Washington – On Nov. 30. Organizers from three locals and two states teamed up to assist the workers – Jeanne Stewart, Lisa Dunn, Joey Robertson and Mike Tulloch, from Local 7803, Renton, WA; President Sean Morrow, Local 7818, Spokane, worked with volunteer organizer Michelle Garza from Local 7901 to help workers gain majority support in Eastern Washington; and Jeanne Carpenter, Local 7901, Portland, OR, assisted workers in Southern Washington.

43 Retail Sales, 14 locations, Arkansas – On Nov. 30. Local 6502 President Rick Bass, Local 6507 President Nancy Baker, and Local 6508 President Dianne Wiggs coordinated the campaign and local organizers Jim Murray, Robert White, Tom Pevey and Mike King help distribute literature and assist the workers.

89 Retail Sales, 27 locations, West Virginia – On Dec. 2. Local 2003 President Jeff Lewis, Local 2001 President Claudia Matthews were joined by organizer Debbie Davis and CWA rep Elaine Harris in assisting the retail sales workers organizing campaign.

36 Network Techs, Illinois – On Dec. 6. Local 4202 Vice President Larry Barrett joined with organizer Maureen Elhert in assisting the workers leading the inside organizing committees.

158 Retail Sales, Customer Care, BMG & IT, Hawaii – On Dec. 16. The workers include 105 retail sales employees at 21 locations, and 51 customer sales reps, 1 business management rep and 1 information tech working at a customer care center in Mililani. Assisting were Local 9505 organizers Chari Mims and Loretta Lopez, and Local 9415 organizer Yonah Diamond.

51 Retail Sales, 11 locations, Iowa – On Dec. 28 – Local officers and organizers from five locals worked together to help the 51 former AT&T Wireless workers win majority support for CWA. Local presidents Joie Welsh (7101), Ken Mertes (7103), Linda Schaffer (7108), Francis Guinta (7110), and Local 7102 vice president Scott Hogue assisted the workers along with CWA reps Midge Slater and Kay Pence.

151 Retail Sales, 21 locations, Colorado – On Dec. 28. A number of locals joined together to assist the former AT&T Wireless workers' gain majority support for CWA representation. Local 7717 President Tom Costello and Local 7777 Organizer Shelly Fox worked together in providing support for the retail sales workers. Their efforts were supplemented by CWA organizers from Colorado, Al Kogler and Ron Harlemann, who assisted in the final weeks of the campaign.

400 Retail Sales, 67 locations, Pennsylvania – On Dec. 29. Local 13000 organizers Harry Arnold and David Hoskowicz joined with Local 13000 Unit Presidents Dan Long and Chris Polm in helping the workers gain majority support for CWA in three weeks.