59 Network Techs and Retail Sales Associates Organize with CWA in Ohio and Washington, DC

In separate card checks, 18 Cingular network technicians in Ohio and 41 Cingular retail sales associates in Washington, DC gained CWA representation.

In Ohio, a majority of the 18 former AT&T Wireless network technicians supported representation with CWA Local 4320. The cards were certified on Sept. 22 by the American Arbitration Association, with 83 percent of the techs supporting CWA, according to District 4 Organizing Coordinator Susan Baxter-Fleming. The workers were assisted by Local vice president Cathy Mason, who worked closely with a field tech who talked one on one with his co-workers throughout the state.

In the District of Columbia, 41 former AT&T Wireless retail sales associates gained representation with CWA Local 2336 on Sept. 28 after their cards were certified by the AAA. District 2 Organizing Coordinator Richard Verlander said Local organizer Brenda Savoy did an excellent job of assisting the workers in their campaign to get a union. Also assisting was CWA Staff Rep Jimmy Tarlau.

Since the former AT&T Wireless workers at Cingular began organizing to get union representation this August, more than 5,300 have gained representation with CWA. Nearly 22,000 unrepresented workers came over to Cingular from AT&T Wireless following the companies' merger last fall.

Between 1999 and 2000, nearly all of Cingular Wireless's union eligible workforce, roughly 22,000 employees, gained representation with CWA.