CWA Draws Attention to AT&T Wire Tech Attrition as Bargaining Continues

As CWA continues to bargain with AT&T in both the Southeast (CWA District 3) and the West (CWA District 9) Wire Technicians, also known as Premises Technicians, face low pay and abusive job practices, as detailed in a report released earlier this week.

You can read the full report here.

A survey of 647 Wire Technicians, conducted by CWA earlier this year, showed that nearly 65% of respondents said they were actively looking for other jobs. This number constitutes approximately 13% of the total tech workforce in the southeastern region.

The turnover rate for Wire Technicians, as compared to “Core” Technicians, is at its widest margin since 2019, with 30% of Wire Techs having left their position as opposed to only 6% of Core Technicians leaving. The high turnover results in “brain drain,” or the loss of knowledge and skill, replacing more experienced workers with less experienced ones.

Said an anonymous Wire Technician in Georgia, “Not having enough pay or time to build a family or provide for a family…they wonder why turnover rates are so high; it's because you have to have a roommate or second job to be able to afford to live.”

This report highlights some of the issues facing the bargaining teams in both CWA Districts 9 and 3. CWA members in both districts have rallied to support their bargaining teams with signs and solidarity actions.

 
CWA members from both District 3 and District 9 show their support for and solidarity with their bargaining teams.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.