CWA District 6 has provided several pages to share regarding the recent Tentative Agreement between CWA and AT&T Southwest. Click on the image to see the full document.
CWA/AT&T Southwest Contract Explanation Meeting
For those of you who missed the Membership Meeting last night, a motion was passed to have a Local Contract Explanation Meeting on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 7:30pm. We will send a reminder email out next week.
Prior to our Local meeting, there will be a virtual Contract Explanation Meeting, open to all members and hosted by CWA District 6, on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7pm. District 6 and/or the Local will send you the details if you wish to attend.
The ratification vote will begin the same day and will conclude on May 5, 2025. If you did not receive an email or test during the Strike Authorization Vote, you will NOT receive a ballot for the Ratification Vote. Please update your information or call the Union Hall to verify your contact information.
Many of you had questions about the contract which will be addressed at next weeks meeting between the delegates and the CWA District 6 Bargaining Team. President Thornburg and Secretary-Treasurer Hawkes will attend.
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Tentative Agreement Highlights
We just received this information from CWA District 6
April 10, 2025
At approximately 10pm on 4/9/2025, your CWA elected Bargaining Team reached a Tentative Agreement with AT&T Southwest for 4 years (subject to ratification) through April 14, 2029. Here are the highlights of the agreement:
Wages
- 5% pay increase to base wages for all Titles on May 11, 2025
- 3.25% pay increase to base wages for all Titles on May 10, 2026
- 3% pay increase to base wages for all Titles on May 9, 2027
- 3.25% pay increase to base wages for all Titles on May 7, 2028
- $1000 ratification bonus (subject to ratification) paid within 30 days of ratification.
- Eliminated wage steps 1-4 for Premise Techs & Group 1 Craft. This guarantees no employee is hired at less than $15 per hour.
Healthcare
- Kept Healthcare Option 1 Select & Broad below 29% cost share
- Added two new tiers besides Individual & Family (Individual + Spouse & Individual + Dependents)
- Kept optional Option 2 Select & Broad with lower monthly premiums and higher deductibles
- Option 2 – Added $1000 Healthcare Savings Account match for Individual & $2000 Healthcare Savings Account match for all other tiers for those who elect for Option 2
- Eliminated higher monthly premiums for new hires (everyone is the same)
- Added employee eligibility on day 1 for benefits (was previously 6 months)
- Added new eligibility for all dependents till age 26 on Dental, Vision, and life insurance
- Added participation into the Company’s Wellbeing Plan in which you can earn up to an additional $750 for individual or $1500 for individual plus spouse/legally recognized partner. (more details to come in explanation meeting but one example is you get $200 just for doing an annual physical)
- Protected any employee who retires within the duration of the new collective bargaining agreement will pay the same premiums as an active employee thru 2029.
Pension & Savings Benefit Plans
- 1% Pension Band Increase (for those eligible) in 2026
- 1% Pension Band Increase (for those eligible) in 2027
- 1% Pension Band Increase (for those eligible) in 2028
- 1% Pension Band Increase (for those eligible) in 2029
- Effective January 1, 2026 all employees in the AT&T Savings & Security Plan (approx 5000) will be moved to the AT&T Retirement Savings Plan. This provides optional increased contribution matches for even more money into the savings plan (more details to come at explanation meeting).
- Continuation of Cash Balance #2 for those not on traditional pension
Job Security
- Added MOA that expands Article XXV – Contract Work (Departmental Agreement) to include “Traditional Fiber Work” for the buildout, installation, and maintenance of fiber services.
Contract Improvements
- Added MOA that makes 19 current Temporary Full Time (TFT’s) Cable Splicers permanent & in addition creates 19 New Full Time Group 1 Craft Job Requisitions (38 permanent jobs created). Also if future TFT positions are created, they will be open job reqs before hiring off the street.
- Added new language if employee suffers a miscarriage will be excused with pay up to 3 days for the employee plus spouse/or legally recognized partner
- Improvement on funeral time where it can be used 1 day past the day of the funeral
- Removed $3000 cap on incentive plans for business units to provide opportunities for more money into employees pockets
- Improved Per Diem in Core Contract by $3
- Added Martin Luther King Day officially to the contract in all titles
- Added language to improve scheduling carryover vacation and movement of such
- Renewed annual Success Sharing Plan
- Added 3% to both Voluntary & Involuntary severance payments (Voluntary had not been increased in at least the past 30 years)
- Added MOA for Union Stewards & Staff to have worked hours count towards FMLA eligibility if they become ill
- Added MOA for Union time to be paid for one Officer or their designee for representation and Company meetings no matter what AT&T Contract they are employed in
- Appendix J
- Appendix J employees receive a 3% pay increase to all wage tables upon ratification prior to General Wage Increases
- Added Guarantee of 40 hour work week (was previously 32)
- Added 2 additional weeks of severance pay (previously capped at 6 weeks)
- Added language to cap mandatory OT at 12 hours (was previously 14)
- Added language introducing Double Time OT at 54 hours
- Added 10% Night Differential for all regular hours worked after 6pm to 6am
- Added language calculating Holidays (worked and excused), Sunday hours worked, and absence for Union Business (paid & unpaid) towards Overtime eligibility
- Changed time and title in all titles in Appendix J to 24 months (was previously 36 months)
- Raised relief differential to $10 (was previously $8)
- Raised per diem to $40 (was previously $37)
- Continued MOA that allowed Prem Techs to be upgraded to do CST work and pay protected and treated as if they were a CST (if we didn’t have MOA Company could upgrade anyways at only a 20% bump in pay)
In closing, we are happy to announce we fought off many demands to change eligibility for Sick Time, Differential Pay, and Removal of Disability Plan for employees hired before 2017 (this would have cut disability from 52 weeks to 26) just to name some of the attacks on our contract.
Your elected Bargaining Team drew a line in the sand on day 1 and made it real clear we aren’t here to make our members lives harder with less contractual protections. Your Mobilization as the members in the field and always having our backs made us achieve great success at the bargaining table with NO TAKE BACKS!
We will be doing an online full contract explanation meeting on Monday April 21, 2025 at 7pm (more details to come next week). The ratification vote will take place electronically from April 21 till May 5, 2025. If your Local does not have your email address, please make sure you get with them as soon as possible so you can get a ballot. And if you are a non-member reading this summary, what are you waiting for? SIGN UP! We are Stronger together, we are United, we are CWA!
In Solidarity,
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #31 – TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED!
TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED!
From April 9, 2025 – 10:00pm
Sisters & Brothers,
It is with great pleasure and excitement we announce that CWA Bargaining Team has reached a FULL Tentative Agreement with AT&T Southwest!
We will push out a full detailed summary tomorrow; however, all employees in the bargaining unit will receive a 14.5% pay increase over the next four years with Appendix J employees getting an additional 3% at ratification before GWI kicks in.
Healthcare will be as low as 27% cost share for Option 1 employees and everyone will have the addition of two new tiers (Employee + Spouse, and Employee + Dependents).
We will be hosting an in person meeting next week with your Local’s Officers and full explanation online webinar on April 21st for all employees (more details to come in next few days).
Thank you to everyone for Mobilizing and pushing the Company to get us what we believe is a great contract we all can be proud of!
In Solidarity,
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team
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CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #30
From April 8, 2025
The Union Bargaining team worked in our own Caucus today discussing the overall remaining items and what still needs to be TA’d.
The Union & Company chairs met this afternoon away from the table again to discuss all remaining open items and finding common ground to get us to a TA before expiration.
The Bargaining Team is scheduled to meet with the Company next on Wednesday morning and a bargaining report will follow in the evening.
To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates. In addition, visit our website for CWA District 6 updates, resources, and ways you can take action! Stay in the loop and stay connected! Your support is crucial to the success of your future!
In Solidarity,
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #29
From April 7, 2025
The Union and the Company met twice today.
The Union Bargaining Team met with the Company late this morning. During this meeting, the Company passed a comprehensive benefits counter proposal in which they made several positive changes. One change we can share is all dependents will now have dental, vision, and life insurance eligibility extended until they are 26. Previously, unlike medical, they cut off at 25. We are still apart on cost share on option 1, and the HSA amount for option 2 and HMO, but we are optimistic we can get there.
The Union passed a counter on wages in which we are still working on pushing up the overall general wage increase as they have not met us where we want to be at overall.
The good news of the day is we did TA and secure the Success Sharing Plan for the term of the new contract.
The Union & Company chairs met this afternoon away from the table to discuss all remaining open items.
The Bargaining Team is scheduled to meet with the Company next on Tuesday and a bargaining report will follow in the evening.
To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates. In addition, visit our website for CWA District 6 updates, resources, and ways you can take action! Stay in the loop and stay connected! Your support is crucial to the success of your future!
In Solidarity,
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #28
From April 5, 2025
The Union and the Company met twice today.
The Union Bargaining Team met with the Company this morning and passed proposals on the Success Sharing Plan, counter on General Wages, and a counter on Benefits.
The Company met with the Union Bargaining Team this afternoon at our office and passed a counter back on wages. The good news is we are getting pretty close on wages over the four year term. The Company did agree to renew the Success Sharing Plan and provided a TA document for us to review.
Going into the final week before expiration, we are in a FIGHT to settle our benefits and wages differences and reach a TA. We need all hands on deck to push the Company this next week in Mobilization. Keep it up Sisters & Brothers; we are much stronger when we all stand united.
The Bargaining Team is scheduled to meet with the Company next on Monday morning and a bargaining report will follow in the evening.
To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates. In addition, visit our website for CWA District 6 updates, resources, and ways you can take action! Stay in the loop and stay connected! Your support is crucial to the success of your future!
In Solidarity,
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #27
The Union Bargaining Team met three times with AT&T today. During the morning session, the Union rejected a proposal that would have watered down the intent of the two hour notification committee. We also passed a counter proposal on benefits to continue to get the cost closer to where we want, and a counter on the Success Sharing Plan (SSP). The Company did not pass anything to us in the morning session.
We met a second time this afternoon and passed a counter on the annual general wage increases, as well as a push to increase the per diem in the core contract.
The Company passed a counter on benefits in which they are holding on to their last Option 1 healthcare proposal which would force our members into higher monthly premiums. They did move annual pension deposits on all four years and we are close there. The biggest fight right now will be the Option 1 cost share percentage. We are currently off by 2% on where we want to be at.
We met a third time this evening and the Company countered our wage proposal and we got a small bit closer to where we need to land, but not where we need to be overall.
While this Company is fighting us on a 2% difference on Healthcare Cost Share, pay attention to how many times you see AT&T while watching the Women & Men’s Final Four this weekend! They spent millions off our backs to plaster their name everywhere in Tampa & San Antonio. Many of you have given your whole adult lives to this Company. The Clock is Ticking………
As we go into the last seven days before expiration, the Union Bargaining Team needs you Fam! It’s time to push us over the top! Here’s a message from the Bargaining Team & CWA 6132:
The Bargaining Team is scheduled to meet with the Company next on Saturday morning and a bargaining report will follow in the evening.
To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates. In addition, visit our website for CWA District 6 updates, resources, and ways you can take action! Stay in the loop and stay connected! Your support is crucial to the success of your future!
In Solidarity,
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #26
From April 3, 2025
The Union Bargaining Team met twice with AT&T today with the morning session being our most productive session to date.
The following proposals were TA’d:
- Article II – Classification of Employees (Protecting Current Language)
- Article VI (General App) – Leaves of Absence for Union Representatives on Union Business (General Application)
- Article XIII – Prior Agreement (Protecting Current Language with last CBA dates)
- Article XXIV – Safety & Health (Protecting Current Language)
- Article XIV – Promotional Pay Treatment (Protecting Current Language)
- Article XVII – Force Adjustment (Protecting Current Language)
- Article VII – Work Schedules (Protecting Current Language)
- MOA – Temp Upgrade Prem Techs to CSTs (protects pay at Group 1 as they can be upgraded now at 1/5th wages)
- Appendix J – SS #12 – Force Adjustment (improved from 3 to 4 weeks on notification and added 2 additional weeks of severance pay for higher seniority)
- Appendix J – SS #13 – Subcontracting (Protecting Current Language)
- Appendix J – SS #1 – Classification of Employees (Protecting Current Language updating dates)
- Appendix J – SS #2 – Basis of Compensation (improved assigned overtime from 14 to 12, added double time at 54 hours, and added night differential from 6pm-6am)
- Appendix J – SS #17 – Monitoring (Protecting Current Language)
- Appendix J – SS #3 – Work Schedules (improved with a guarantee 40 hour work week)
- Appendix J – SS #10 – Relief Differential (improved to $10)
- Appendix J – SS #11 – Travel (Improved Per Diem to $40)
- Appendix J – SS #7 – Absences from Duty (Protecting Current Language)
- Appendix J – SS#5 – Vacations (Protecting Current Language)
- Article VI – Hours of Work (protected 6pm and Cable Splicer Night Diff)
- Article XVIII – Severance Pay (added 3% improvement to both tables it was first improvement on voluntary in over 30 years)
- Appendix J – SS#8 – Transfers – (improved from 36 to 24 months)
- Article XI – Absences from Duty (improved funeral time to day after funeral and added miscarriage language for employee and spouse and/or legally recognized partner)
- Article XIII – Job Vacancy – (improved time and title for all Appendix J employees from 36 to 24 months)
- Article IX – Vacations – (Protecting Current Language)
The Union met with the Company again twice this evening and passed our counter proposal on wages & an Appendix J pay increase up front. And they Company about an hour and a half later passed a counter.
The following Additional TA’s were reached this evening:
- Contracting Out Committee (renewed)
- Tight Labor Market Wage Credit Notification (renewed)
- Article IX – Vacations – enhanced language to to open vacation selections that are vacated
- MOA – Company sends quarterly notification to the Union on employee movement
- Appendix J – All J Employees will get a 3% bump in pay on top of our first year general wage increase
Mobilization by our members and their willingness to strike if necessary appears to have really pushed the Company into agreeing to many items today we were hung up on. We need to keep this momentum going into the last week with wages and benefits still being bargained over. Keep it up Union Fam!
The Bargaining Team is scheduled to meet with the Company next on Friday morning and a bargaining report will follow in the evening.
To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates. In addition, visit our website for CWA District 6 updates, resources, and ways you can take action! Stay in the loop and stay connected! Your support is crucial to the success of your future!
In Solidarity,
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Report #25
From April 2, 2025
The Union Bargaining Team met with the Company twice today.
During our first session, the Company passed two package proposals that will impact many pieces of the collective bargaining agreement.
After a short recess, the Union passed our third counter proposal on general wage increases and an additional bump up front to Appendix J employees. Though we can’t get into specifics as it’s still very raw, we have continued to move the Company higher on wages as we get closer to expiration.
The Union continued to work through many open proposals the Company has passed and reviewed them for accuracy before moving forward.
This evening both parties met again in which the Company passed a counter on wages to the Union. There was improvement, and they did finally counter our initial bump for an Appendix J increase on top of the GWI increase the first year (previously they had rejected this twice)! With that being said, we do only have nine days to go till expiration and we still have a lot of work to do on wages.
The good news for the day is all Locals reported back their strike authorization numbers today and 93.64% of our members have overwhelmingly given CWA the ability to strike if it deems necessary!
These numbers send a clear and powerful message to AT&T SW that District 6 CWA members stand united and ready to take action if necessary! Our bargaining team now carries this mandate to the table, backed by the strength of our membership.
While a strike is always a last resort, this overwhelming show of solidarity reinforces our resolve to demand the fair wages, benefits, and job security that our members deserve. Now, more than ever, we must stay engaged, mobilized, and prepared for the next steps in this fight.
Procedurally, this vote does not mean we automatically go on strike. The CWA Executive Board must first vote to authorize a strike, and then our National President would determine and set the official strike date.
Our strike authorization vote is a powerful tool that strengthens our bargaining position, showing AT&T that we are united and ready to take action if necessary. Stay engaged and mobilized as we continue this fight for a fair contract!
Before we leave this report, we wanted to push out a Video message from CWA District 6 Vice-President, Derrick Osobase, the AT&T SW/CWA elected Bargaining Team, and Officers and Stewards from CWA 6132 who all participated in this video:
CWA District 6 – Have Our Backs
The Bargaining Team is scheduled to meet with the Company next on Thursday morning and a bargaining report will follow in the evening.
To stay updated on actions and mobilizations, text FIGHT to 49484. You can also fill out this quick form to get involved and receive the latest bargaining updates. In addition, visit our website for CWA District 6 updates, resources, and ways you can take action! Stay in the loop and stay connected! Your support is crucial to the success of your future!
In Solidarity,
CWA/AT&T SW Bargaining Team