AT&T workers protest contract proposals

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski Communications Workers of America Local 13000 members and AT&T employees Nick Davis, Sydney Weaverling, Debbie Smith and Heather Guyer picket in front of the AT&T Store along Pleasant Valley Boulevard on Friday afternoon.

AT&T workers who are members of Commun­ications Workers of America walked off the job Friday afternoon to protest AT&T’s contract proposals.

“We are fighting for jobs and benefits and for AT&T to stop outsourcing jobs,” said Josh Aboud, local representative for CWA Local 13000, which represents workers in the Altoona, State College and Harrisburg areas. “We will continue until Monday, but if it requires us to stay out longer, we are prepared to do so. We have alerted all labor unions in the area about our strike, and they are invited to come out and support us.”

Aboud, who works at the AT&T Wireless store, 3225 Pleasant Valley Blvd., said the workers have been working without a contract since February.

A majority of AT&T wireless, wireline and DIRECTV workers fighting for their contracts are expected to be on strike during the three-day work stoppage.

The groups striking represent four different union contracts and include wireless workers in 36 states and Washington, D.C.; wireline workers in California, Nevada and Connecticut; and DIRECTV technicians in California and Nevada.

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