http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/ en Copyright 2012 2012-01-26T17:00:38+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_croatia_workers_strike_over_unfair_plan_to_cut_over_450_jobs/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_croatia_workers_strike_over_unfair_plan_to_cut_over_450_jobs/ From: UNI Global Union Croatian workers at T-Mobile Croatia are on strike in protest over the company’s plan to cut unionized employees without proper negotiation with the union.  While the company plans to cut full-time, regular unionized workers, it has a rising number of temporary and student workers on its payroll. UNI Global Union is supporting the Croatian workers and their union, HST Croatian Telekom Workers (HST), in their demand that the company employs regular workers under decent conditions and respects social dialogue and collective bargaining rights. Blogs, Workers 2012-01-26T17:00:38+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_usa_having_trouble_following_us_law/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_usa_having_trouble_following_us_law/ Oops, they did it again! For the third time this year (remember here and here?) T-Mobile is required by the National Labor Relations Board to email all employees a notice about their right to form a union as part of a settlement. The company is also required to post the notice in the workplace.  In September 2011, CWA filed charges against the T-Mobile Call Center management in Frisco, TX, when managers harassed and interrogated one of our committee members and in doing so issued an "overly broad" (and INCORRECT) rule regarding employees' right to organize.  Photo: Stop breaking the law, T-Mobile! by zebi.  Once again, we say, T-Mobile, just follow the law. It's really not that hard. How is that for a New Year's resolution? We expect better! Blogs, Workers 2012-01-08T15:26:52+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/videos_german_deutsche_telekom_workers_send_messages_of_support_to_t-m/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/videos_german_deutsche_telekom_workers_send_messages_of_support_to_t-m/ As part of our "We expect better from Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile USA" video series German Deutsche Telekom workers and ver.di members send messages of support to T-Mobile USA workers, who are trying to win the right to union representation by CWA-TU. Watch all 23 clips here. Blogs, Workers 2011-12-21T19:15:45+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/international_human_rights_day_and_deutsche_telekom/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/international_human_rights_day_and_deutsche_telekom/ On Saturday December 10, the world celebrated Human Rights Day. The UN chose that day in 1950 to commemorate the proclamation and adoption on December 10, 1948, of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. It is sobering to reflect on how far the world has come in 63 years and how much more can be done to realize the ideals of the UN Declaration. We believe Deutsche Telekom has some work to do to celebrate December 10 with a clean conscience. We have two items to share that suggest the company’s aggressive union avoidance in the United States – at the wholly-owned subsidiary T-Mobile USA – leaves the company open to considerable risk to brand and reputation. DT appears to have inadequate protocols in place to manage or monitor the conduct of local subsidiaries consistent with its CSR commitments. Investors 2011-12-08T22:52:04+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/Once_again_T-Mobile_Forced_to_Follow_the_Law/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/Once_again_T-Mobile_Forced_to_Follow_the_Law/ In October 2011, CWA filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge with the National Labor Relations Board, Region 34 against T-Mobile, when managers wouldn't allow workers to have union related taglines in their emails, while allowing other kinds of taglines.  Personalized taglines are quite common among T-Mobile workers and vary from all sorts of slogans, bible verses and quotes. After the technicians in CT won the union in July this year, some workers changed their email taglines into "Proud member of CWA Local 1298." Management promptly and illegally asked them to remove the union related tagline, while allowing other workers to keep theirs. As this discriminates against union members, CWA filed charges against T-Mobile. This week, the NLRB settled CWA’s charge against T-Mobile before the case went to trial. As part of the settlement, T-Mobile is required again (Remember? This is not the first time this year) to email all employees a notice about the settlement in addition to posting the notice in the workplace. photo: afsart Blogs, Workers 2011-12-01T18:25:50+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_workers_blog_top_10_reasons_that_t-mobile_lost_the_jd_power_award/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_workers_blog_top_10_reasons_that_t-mobile_lost_the_jd_power_award/ This is a great essay from a T-Mobile Customer Care worker about the real reasons, why T-Mobile lost the JD Power Award. Agree? Disagree? Join the discussion: http://forum.tuworkers.org. Contact us if you want to contribute to our T-Mobile workers blog.  In a team meeting we were told,  "frankly, YOU are the reason we lost JD Powers, YOU are just not nice to customers anymore".  I was in a state of disbelief that as a front line employee with virtually NO INPUT as to how the company is run, I was being told it was my fault!  I went home and slept on it and came up with the following 10 Reasons that T-Mobile Lost JD Powers.  10)  Continuous reductions in call time.... Get those customers off the phone and do it FAST!  Five minutes or less! 9)  More outsourcing!  Philippines, India, South Africa, Guadalajara, we don't care just as long as they will work for less than 'good ole American employees'. 8)  Required Data can now NOT be removed with purchase of a phone first.  (I actually like this but we played our hand all wrong.)  First it can, now it can't....make up your mind!  We should have NEVER been removing the required data for phone first purchases right after an upgrade to a data device.   7)  Shortened time until the customer is LADEXed!  Is it my imagination or is everyone getting LADEXed in HALF the time that it previously took? 6)  Speaking of LADEX..... it's NOT FREE anymore and we're NOT going to notify you of the change!  It's $20 per line! 5)  Oh speaking of changing the rules, we changed your due date while we were at it and didn't bother to tell you about that either!  Oh one other thing,  ANY change to your minute plan will cost you another 2 year contact, baby!  4)  Longer hold time when calling in to customer service is NOT your imagination.  We are reducing employee levels by firing them and making it unbearable for them to work for TMobile.   Please hold for the next available agent........... Blogs, Workers 2011-11-11T15:42:16+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/tu_members_joined_att_mobility_bargaining_caucus/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/tu_members_joined_att_mobility_bargaining_caucus/ ATT Mobility CWA leaders met in Dallas on November 7th and 8th to discuss and vote on priorities for improving their contract in upcoming negotiations.  They also spent time discussing ways to strengthen their organization by reaching out to and involving more members in organizing and mobilizations activities.   They invited two members of the TU organizing committee at the T-Mobile call center in nearby Frisco to their meeting.   Photo: Mark Franken, Lamar Banks, Donna Bentley, Blake Poindexter, Jamone Ross, District 6 VP Claude Cummings, Sylvia Ramos, Ed Pinkelman, AJ Villegas, and Judy Graves Blogs, Workers 2011-11-10T16:42:15+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_workers_join_together_we_expect_better/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_workers_join_together_we_expect_better/ Retail, Call Center and Tech workers across the country are coming together to fight for a better T-Mobile. Check out this great video and learn more about why more and more workers are expecting better from T-Mobile. If you like the join the movement, contact us at RealT-Mobile@cwa-union.org. Blogs, Workers 2011-11-04T19:05:22+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/show_your_support_for_t-mobile_workers_wear_the_picbadge_change_your_facebo/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/show_your_support_for_t-mobile_workers_wear_the_picbadge_change_your_facebo/ Support T-Mobile workers! As part of the UNI Global Union Telecom Conference in Mexico City this week, we are asking everyone to join the campaign to stop union-busting at T-Mobile USA by either adding a PicBadge to their Facebook profile picture or to change their Facebook profile picture entirely. Our goal is to have 10,000 people wearing the "We Expect Better from T-Mobile" badge until the end of October 2011. Change your profile picture now and invite your friends! Here is how you can get the "WE EXPECT BETTER FROM T-MOBILE" PicBadge: http://www.picbadges.com/we-expect-better-from-t-mobile/2336566/ You can also MAKE THE WE EXPECT BETTER ICON YOUR PROFILE PICTURE by clicking here to view the icons on Facebook, and tagging yourself in the photo you want to use (you must be logged into Facebook to tag yourself). The icon will then be available for you to choose when you edit your profile picture.     Be sure to leave us a message here: http://www.facebook.com/loweringthebar Blogs, Workers 2011-10-19T21:05:16+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/oakland_sticks_together/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/oakland_sticks_together/ Last week, a group of Oakland T-Mobile workers launched their very own website: www.oaklandstickstogether.org This page aims to be a source for real information, both on the union, on any pending merger, on the recent downsizing in the call center, and on the stress and anxiety that most of Oakland CSRs experience every day. Workers will also find information on how to fight for and win unemployment appeals if they are terminated. If you are interested in getting in touch with the Oakland workers, send an email to: oaklandstickstogether@gmail.com. The launch of the website already generated some press. The Online Sentinel wrote an article about it and WGME made a short clip about it. Watch it here. Blogs, Workers 2011-10-17T15:47:36+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/larry_cohen_at_ver.di_convention_together_we_will_make_a_difference/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/larry_cohen_at_ver.di_convention_together_we_will_make_a_difference/ CWA President Larry Cohen addressed the 3rd ver.di convention on Thursday morning in Leipzig. Speaking in front of 10,00 delegates and guests, Cohen said that together with ver.di, CWA has set a new standard for international union solidarity and cooperation by building TU, the first truly international union. "Global companies need a global union counterpart. TU is such a counterpart. TU is a new kind of international union – a joint union between CWA and ver.di to represent T-Mobile U.S. workers.  CWA is responsible for organizing and daily representation and ver.di for contacts and engagement with management.  This work stands as a model for the world and provides the only real hope for 36,000 T-Mobile workers to form a union.  They want to join TU because they are joining the largest union in the world ― ver.di. (...) They are joining TU because it gives them confidence that ver.di stands behind them. " Read the complete speech here. Blogs, Workers 2011-09-22T16:36:21+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/oakland_t-mobile_workers_fight_downsizing/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/oakland_t-mobile_workers_fight_downsizing/ A group of concerned Oakland citizens, current T-Mobile employees and union officials gathered outside of the Oakland T-Mobile Call Center on September 13 to tell T-Mobile to keep the promise to create sustainable call center jobs or give the tax payer money back. “T-Mobile promised good sustainable jobs here in Oakland in exchange for over 7.4 million in tax breaks. Since they reneged on their promise, I think it’s a matter of simple fairness that they return the money to the tax payers so Maine can provide job retraining to the hundreds of T-mobile employees who have just lost their livelihoods,” said James McCoy Oakland call center worker and resident of Waterville. T-Mobile will receive $7.4 million in taxpayer dollars to create jobs in Oakland, ME. In 2009 T-Mobile had nearly 800 workers but they have been steadily reducing the number of employees over the course of the last year. To date, only 399 employees remain. “It is devastating to watch good workers lose their jobs at the T Mobile Call Center. These terminations are causing a lot of hardships in our community—the same community that helped give T-Mobile $7.4 million in tax breaks for the promise of keeping good jobs here in Maine,” said Adam Stanley, Oakland call center worker and resident of Albion. Watch a great video about this story: Blogs, Workers 2011-09-16T18:16:55+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/doj_lawsuit_to_block_att_t-mobile_merger_is_wrong_decision/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/doj_lawsuit_to_block_att_t-mobile_merger_is_wrong_decision/ CWA: DOJ Lawsuit to Block AT&T/T-Mobile Merger is Wrong Decision for Jobs, Workers’ Rights, Broadband Buildout Following is a statement by the Communications Workers of America on the Department of Justice announcement that it will sue to block the AT&T/T-Mobile Merger: Washington, D.C. – The decision by the U.S. Department of Justice to seek to block the merger of AT&T and T-Mobile USA is simply wrong.   In today’s sinking economy, where millions of Americans are looking for work, the DOJ has filed suit to block a merger that will create as many as 96,000 quality jobs.  In the U.S., where too many Americans, especially in rural areas, don’t have access to the tools of Internet technology, the DOJ is looking to block a plan to build out high speed wireless access to 97 percent of the country should be opposed. In a nation where workers’ rights are routinely violated, as occurs everyday at T-Mobile, the DOJ apparently believes that workers should be on their own instead of having a fair choice about union representation. Photo: kalavinka Company News, Investors 2011-08-31T16:45:31+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/att_will_return_5000_offshore_jobs_and_guarantee_call_center_employment/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/att_will_return_5000_offshore_jobs_and_guarantee_call_center_employment/ AT&T’s announcement that it will bring back a net 5,000 quality wireless jobs to the United States following the completion of its merger with T-Mobile USA is very good news.    Photo: NontrivialMatt “These jobs will provide quality wages and benefits and good working conditions for U.S. workers -- exactly what's needed to help turn around our struggling economy.  Instead of sitting on more than $2 trillion in assets and sending jobs overseas while millions of Americans are out of work, working people are looking for U.S. employers to follow AT&T's lead.  If more employers took this kind of action, we could begin to move our economy forward and strengthen the middle class,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.   AT&T’s commitment that the T-Mobile merger will not result in any job losses for current call center workers at AT&T Mobility or T-Mobile USA is more evidence of the kind of corporate responsibility we need here in the United States, Trumka said.   CWA President Larry Cohen pointed out that “cuts in wages, benefits, and jobs have become the new normal in America, so that when a company like AT&T takes action to bring back quality jobs, it’s big news.” Blogs, Company News, Investors 2011-08-31T11:06:30+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/att_t-mobile_merger_the_best_chance_for_job_security_for_t-mobile_workers/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/att_t-mobile_merger_the_best_chance_for_job_security_for_t-mobile_workers/ From: Speed Matters Website If you repeat a made-up falsehood over and over again, will reasonable people start to believe it? That's what the critics of the AT&T/T-Mobile merger are hoping. They've manufactured a fact, claiming that the AT&T/T-Mobile merger will lead to 20,000 layoffs of T-Mobile workers. The problem is: they are just plain wrong. The proposed AT&T/T-Mobile merger is good for workers and good for job creation. Certainly, with unemployment hovering at a stubborn 9 percent, the impact of the proposed merger on jobs today and in the future should be a top concern of policymakers. Let's look at the so-called evidence the critics put forward. 1.  They say: AT&T has cut 100,000 jobs over the past decade. The Real Story: Job loss has been on the wireline side of AT&T; the company lost almost half its landlines when customers cut the cord or switched providers. CWA is not defending job cuts at AT&T, but critics need to get their facts straight. On the wireless side of AT&T, there has been very little drop in employment despite multiple mergers. In 2002, there were 70,000 employees at AT&T Mobility and its predecessor companies. Today, there are 67,000 employees at AT&T Mobility. Certainly no evidence to point to massive wireless job cuts at AT&T. 2.  They say: Mergers always lead to layoffs. The Real Story: As we have in the past, CWA will both negotiate and enforce agreements with AT&T to ensure that no AT&T Mobility or T-Mobile occupational workers will lose their jobs. In CWA's long experience in working with AT&T on mergers and acquisitions, not one CWA-represented employee has ever lost his or her job due to that fact. Blogs, Workers 2011-08-22T19:38:54+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/cwa_ibew_reach_agreement_on_bargaining_with_verizon_members_to_return_to_wo/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/cwa_ibew_reach_agreement_on_bargaining_with_verizon_members_to_return_to_wo/ From CWA Website Aug 20, 2011 Members of CWA and IBEW at Verizon Communications will return to work on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at which time the contract will be back in force for an indefinite period. We have reached agreement with Verizon on how bargaining will proceed and how it will be restructured. The major issues remain to be discussed, but overall, issues now are focused and narrowed. Following is a statement by the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: Washington, D.C. – Members of CWA and IBEW at Verizon Communications will return to work on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at which time the contract will be back in force for an indefinite period. We have reached agreement with Verizon on how bargaining will proceed and how it will be restructured. The major issues remain to be discussed, but overall, issues now are focused and narrowed. We appreciate the unity of our members and the support of so many in the greater community. Now we will focus on bargaining fairly and moving forward. CWA and IBEW represent 45,000 workers at Verizon covered by this contract from Virginia to New England. Blogs, Workers 2011-08-22T15:06:27+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/congressman_paul_tonko_supports_t-mobile_workers_in_their_effort_to_organiz/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/congressman_paul_tonko_supports_t-mobile_workers_in_their_effort_to_organiz/ On August 9, 2011 Congressman Paul Tonko met with T-Mobile workers, who are seeking representation with the CWA-TU and said, he supports their efforts. After counting the authorization cards, Tonko stated that he believes "the necessary quota for a majority has been met." Workers told Congressman Tonko that all they want is to be able to protect their jobs, especially during these difficult economic times. Congressman Tonko reassured them that this was the right thing to do and that he strongly believes that the right to collectively bargain is a fundamental American right.  Blogs, Workers 2011-08-16T17:06:08+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/45000_workers_on_strike_at_verizon/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/45000_workers_on_strike_at_verizon/ From: CWA, Aug 7, 2011 COMPANY REFUSES TO BARGAIN SERIOUSLY, VERIZON PROPOSALS WOULD TAKE WORKERS BACK DECADES Washington, D.C.—More than 45,000 workers are on strike today at Verizon Communications. Bargaining continues. Since bargaining began on June 22, Verizon has refused to move from a long list of concession demands. As the contract expired, nearly 100 concessionary company proposals remained on the table. As a result, CWA and IBEW have decided to take the unprecedented step of striking until Verizon stops its Wisconsin-style tactics and starts bargaining seriously. Even at the 11th hour, as contracts were set to expire, Verizon continued to seek to strip away 50 years of collective bargaining gains for middle class workers and their families. CWA and IBEW members are prepared to return to work when management demonstrates the willingness to begin bargaining seriously for a fair agreement. If not, CWA and IBEW members and allies will continue the fight. Verizon financials 2011 annualized revenues are $108 billion and annualized net profits are $6 billion. Verizon Wireless just paid its parent company and Vodaphone a $10 billion dividend. Verizon’s top five executives received compensation of $258 million over the past four years. The contract covers 45,000 members of CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers from New England to Virginia. Read updates at www.cwa-union.org/verizon, sign up for new alerts and like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/UnityatVerizon2011 MEDIA INQUIRIES Candice Johnson, CWA Communications, 202-434-1347 (office), 202-415-6566 (cell), cjohnson@cwa-union.org, and Robert Master, CWA District 1, 212-344-2515 (office), 917-657-6483 (cell), rmaster@cwa-union.org Photo: The downtown rally by Verizon headquarters last week was one of the city's largest union demonstrations, with marchers stretched along four city blocks. Blogs, Workers 2011-08-07T19:26:26+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_technicians_in_connecticut_vote_yes_to_join_cwa-tu/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_technicians_in_connecticut_vote_yes_to_join_cwa-tu/ CWA press release Hamden, Connecticut—T-Mobile USA technicians in Connecticut today voted for representation by the Communications Workers of America-TU. Photo: T-Mobile USA workers with UNI World Telecom president Bo Larsen and CWA Organizers Tim and Cindy The vote was 8-7 for CWA-TU representation with one challenged ballot of a union supporter who had recently transferred into the unit. The challenge will not affect the outcome. The Connecticut technicians are the first to vote for union representation at T-Mobile USA. T-Mobile operations in Germany, owned by Deutsche Telekom, fully respect workers’ right to bargain collectively, but U.S. management historically had undertaken a campaign of delaying tactics and interference to intimidate workers. The Connecticut techs stood strong against these tactics and for a union voice. “CWA is proud to work with these T-Mobile techs, and with T-Mobile workers in New York who want to organize and bargain for a voice on the job. They stood up for what’s right,” said CWA District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton. CWA Local 1298 President Bill Henderson said “this vote made history, with T-Mobile workers fighting back to beat the odds and win the union voice they want. It showed the desire of people to have a union and an even playing field. Hopefully this will mean a new direction for all working people.” Bo Larsen, World President of UNI Telecom, representing 3 million workers, who observed the election to show the continuing supporting of the global labor movement for the rights of T-Mobile USA workers for a union voice, said: “No worker should be intimidated for wanting a union voice and bargaining rights.” Last week, UNI Global Union joined the International Trade Union Confederation (representing 175 million workers); ver.di, the union for DT workers and CWA in filing a complaint under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises against DT and T-Mobile for anti-worker activities in the United States. Read the complaint here http://weworkbettertogether.org/oecd. We congratulate the brave technicians and welcome them to our CWA-TU family! Blogs, Workers 2011-07-18T15:04:04+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/blumenthal_meets_with_t-mobile_technicians_sees_clear_majority_support/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/blumenthal_meets_with_t-mobile_technicians_sees_clear_majority_support/ HAMDEN, CT—United States Senator Richard Blumenthal met today with several of the 15 Connecticut T-Mobile technicians and with representatives of the Communications Workers of America, and said he believes that there is "clear majority support" among the techs for representation by the T-Mobile workers' division of the CWA, CWA-TU.  Senator Blumenthal also released a letter to Rene Obermann, the CEO of T-Mobile’s parent company, Deutsche Telekom, urging it to respect the rights of T-Mobile technicians to make a decision about whether or not to unionize in an open, free and fair environment. Click here to view the letter. “The right of workers to unionize is guaranteed by the National Labor Relations Act and is critical to a healthy workforce. Employees who wish to collectively bargain through a union should be able to do so without fear of discrimination or reprisal. I expect that T-Mobile management will cease all intimidation tactics and allow these 15 technicians and all Connecticut T-Mobile employees to have the uninhibited opportunity to vote on union representation,” the Senator said in his letter, which was also copied to the President and CEO of T-Mobile, USA, Philipp Humm. *** Field Tech Chris Cozza from Connecticutt called into radio station WPLR in Connecticut on July 11, to thank US Senator Blumenthal for his support of the T-Mobile techs in their fight to gain union representation. Check out this great exchange between Senator Blumenthal and future CWA member Chris Cozza. The union election is on July 19th. Blogs, Workers 2011-07-12T20:05:17+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/global_union_alliance_files_oecd_complaint_against_deutsche_telekom_for_uni/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/global_union_alliance_files_oecd_complaint_against_deutsche_telekom_for_uni/ Bonn, Germany – Tuesday, July 12, 2011 – The two largest labor organizations in the world today stood together to denounce T-Mobile USA’s practice of forcing managers to threaten and intimidate employees in America seeking the opportunity to vote on joining the Communications Workers of America. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), UNI Global Union, the German based ver.di union and CWA together filed a complaint in Germany, home of T-Mobile’s parent corporation Deutsche Telekom, charging T-Mobile USA with systemically harassing employees in two states under the guidance of highly-paid anti-union lawyers. T-Mobile technicians based in Connecticut, Long Island and Upstate New York seeking to vote on unionization have had their jobs and benefits threatened, been verbally assaulted by managers and further have been forced to sit through anti-union lectures on company time. Managers have also tried to force highly-paid T-Mobile engineers into proposed bargaining units in an attempt to dilute the vote of lowered paid workers. “It is beyond belief that T-Mobile USA would resort to these kind of tactics to harass and bully workers who want a union in the U.S., when the very same company recognizes and acknowledges the value of its union partnership in Germany and elsewhere," said CWA President Larry Cohen. According to the complaint, managers have also told workers they themselves could be fired if there is a positive vote for union representation, as well as telling them anyone not wanting to be in a union would be fired if there were a positive vote for representation. One manager is quoted in the complaint as telling workers; “If the union gets in, I will have to fire anyone who does not want to work in a union. I will have to walk them out the door the same day the union gets in here.” U.S. law clearly states union representation is the choice of the individual worker. Click here to read the full complaint. Check joint press release here. Blogs, Company News, Workers 2011-07-12T18:52:04+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/u.s._rep._condemns_t-mobiles_anti-union_campaign_in_nlrb_rule_hearing1/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/u.s._rep._condemns_t-mobiles_anti-union_campaign_in_nlrb_rule_hearing1/ From: AFL CIO Blog During yesterday’s Republican-dominated House Education and Workforce hearing on proposed rules changes by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), working men and women packed the hearing.Their message that workers’ right to join  a union should  be protected was repeated by the Democratic members of the committee in sharp questioning of the mostly anti-worker witnesses. Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) read into the record the worker testimony from William Reitz, a T-Mobile USA technician who, along with other techs from Long Island, filed for union election in May. In response, T-Mobile has engaged in frivolous claims and delay tactics at the NLRB.  T-Mobile has used the time it has gained by filing charges at the NLRB to harass and intimidate the workers–supposed to provide ”the facts” to the employees. (See video) Blogs, Workers 2011-07-08T17:40:48+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/videouni_general_secretary_verifies_t-mobile_usa_workers_want_a_union/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/videouni_general_secretary_verifies_t-mobile_usa_workers_want_a_union/ From: UNI Global Union Philip Jennings, UNI General Secretary, recently travelled to Patchogue, New York, to verify that a majority of T-Mobile workers signed union cards to say loud and clear that they want a union. “The workers of T-Mobile here in Long Island have decided to sign union cards. I’m here to verify that those cards have been signed by the workers,” Jennings said. “I’m going to take the message to the world that because of the people here, we’re going organise T-Mobile in the rest of this country.” Workers explained that they after years of helping build T-Mobile in the US they simply want a fair deal with the company and the believe union representation will help them get that. That’s why they’ve signed cards to join the Communications Workers of America. While signing union cards would be enough in many countries, including T-Mobile parent Deutche Telekom’s home country Germany, T-Mobile has hired notorious “union avoidance” expert Peter Conrad to delay the legal proceedings and thwart the drive. The worldwide union movement is supporting the effort by T-Mobile USA workers to gain full organising and bargaining rights. Workers have spoken with a strong voice for their union rights. If you haven't seen Philip's other recent video, in which he urges German chancellor Angela Merkel to stop union busting in the USA, check it out here. Blogs, Workers 2011-07-07T14:45:58+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/deutsche_telekom_social_responsibility_report_conceals_us_union-busting/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/deutsche_telekom_social_responsibility_report_conceals_us_union-busting/ From: ITUC Website July 2011: Deutsche Telekom’s annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report, released yesterday, hides the truth about the company’s aggressive anti-union campaign in its T-Mobile USA operations, undermining its claim to leadership in the field of social responsibility. The report mentions Deutsche Telekom’s commitment to ILO, OECD and UN Global Compact standards, but excludes any reference to the problems faced by its huge US workforce to which the company is trying to deny union membership. “Germany has been a powerful voice in favour of ILO standards at the G20 and elsewhere, but here we have a company in which the German government is the dominant shareholder, actively and deliberately violating these very rights in its overseas operations,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. T-Mobile USA management, supported by the German parent company, have engaged specialised anti-union lawyers to block employee’s attempts to get representation from the Communication Workers of America. The website of one of the firms openly advertises “union avoidance” as one of its specialties, listing T-Mobile as a “client it represents on a regular basis”. For more information, see: www.weexpectbetter.org Blogs, Company News 2011-07-05T13:47:28+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/unions_across_globe_support_fight_for_union_rights_at_t-mobile_usa/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/unions_across_globe_support_fight_for_union_rights_at_t-mobile_usa/ From: UNI Global Union UNI Global Union affiliates organised a wave of visits to German Embassies in countries around the world to express their support workers at T-Mobile USA fighting for union rights. UNI affiliates in Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and other countries met German Embassy officials in their country or wrote letters to raise awareness of management’s anti-union behaviour at T-Mobile USA, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom.  Representatives of the Japanese trade union confederation RENGO at German embassy in Tokyo.  More photos from all over the world in the flickr album below: In the US, 175 people held a demonstration in front of the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. before presenting a letter to the Ambassador to an embassy official.  CWA members at German consulate in New York Meeting the German Consul Dr. Zimmer in New York Blogs, Workers 2011-06-29T14:04:03+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/uni_says_to_deutsche_telekomangela_merkel_stop_union_busting_in_usa/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/uni_says_to_deutsche_telekomangela_merkel_stop_union_busting_in_usa/ From: UNI Global Union UNI and the ITUC are calling on the German government and the government’s investment firm KfW to stop Deutsche Telekom’s union busting in the USA. In a letter sent last week, UNI and the ITUC call upon KfW Bankengruppe, the German Development bank which represents 30% of the government shares in Deutsche Telekom to immediately intervene in stopping the Duetsche Telekom`s union busting activity.  UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings, who signed the letter along with ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow, recorded a video message for Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann and German Chancellor Angela Merkel calling on them to intervene in the United States and stop T-Mobile USA management’s anti-union behaviour. “I was astonished and appalled to discover that T-Mobile in the United States of America has employed a notorious union buster by the name of Peter Conrad who sat in a court for five days to contest the rights of T-Mobile workers to join a union,” Jennings said in his video message. “On his web page in his biography he proudly proclaims and boasts about his union avoidance experience and is very happy to report that T-Mobile is a number one client.” KfW is a global leader in sustainable investment policies and is one of the few German signatories of the UN Principles on Responsible investment, which reflect the view that environmental, social and corporate governance issues can affect the performance of investment portfolios and therefore must be given appropriate consideration by investors. In the letter, Jennings and Burrow ask the KfW to intervene to solve the “brewing labour dispute and potential harm to Deutsche Telekom’s reputation.”  Download the Letter to KfW here (http://place.uniglobalunion.org/servlet/QuickrSupportUtil?type=quickrdownload&key=/LotusQuickr/pub/PageLibraryC12578BD003854B0.nsf/0/A38C2F5A24E0B1A8C12578BD004A8332/$file/20110624155351327.pdf) UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings, who signed the letter along with ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow, recorded a video message for Deutsche Telekom CEO Rene Obermann and German Chancellor Angela Merkel calling on them to intervene in the United States and stop T-Mobile USA management’s anti-union behaviour. Blogs, Workers 2011-06-28T14:59:44+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/general_secretary_of_uni_global_union_philip_jennings_verifies_union_majori/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/general_secretary_of_uni_global_union_philip_jennings_verifies_union_majori/ From: UNI Global Union Website Earlier this week, Philip Jennings, the General Secretary of UNI Global Union, travelled to Patchogue, New York, to verify that a majority of T-Mobile workers had made a loud and clear statement: they want a union. Jennings checked the cards, and met with the workers. He learned that T-Mobile had hired notorious “union avoidance” expert Peter Conrad to delay the legal proceedings and thwart the drive. Photo: Shulamit Seidler-Feller/CWA ”I am proud to be here in New York with T-Mobile USA workers who are standing up for their organising and union representation rights. They join their T-Mobile USA co-workers in upstate New York and Connecticut who also are standing strong for a union voice. In any other country, these workers would already have their union. Their right to union representation would already be recognised. But not here in the United States, where delay and harassment is the game plan that most corporations seem to follow. Photo: Shulamit Seidler-Feller/CWA Blogs, Workers 2011-06-24T14:41:05+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/better_together/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/better_together/ As many of you know, several units of T-Mobile workers on the East Coast are filing for a union election at T-Mobile USA. A majority of workers signed cards indicating their desire to join CWA-TU. Instead of accepting the voice and the vote of the majority of the workers, however, the company decided to fight back and challenge their right to have an election.  But the workers are fearless and continue to fight for their legal rights! Last week at a hearing at the National Labor Relations Board, the agency dealing with these matters, they were surprised by a visit from a couple of CWA members, who wanted to show support and solidarity to their brothers from T-Mobile. Better together: T-Mobile workers surrounded by CWA members, the legal team and CWA staff Even though the company has been using a lot of misinformation and has been spreading lies about the union, our supporters are still standing strong. Nobody has been threatened, and nobody has been fired. We don’t expect threats or intimidation. T-Mobile workers, you should call CWA if you want to join the growing movement of T-Mobile workers, who are organizing for a voice at work. This is especially crucial and important in uncertain times like these, with the upcoming merger.  Click here to find an organizer in you area: http://www.weworkbettertogether.org/pages/find_an_organizer It is your federally protected right to join a union. Even T-Mobile says so. Blogs, Workers 2011-06-21T02:55:45+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_rally_at_german_embassy_june_17_20112/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/t-mobile_rally_at_german_embassy_june_17_20112/ On Friday June 17, 2011, 175 people showed up to demonstrate in front of the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. The action was coordinated by CWA and the AFL-CIO. Participants came from the AFL-CIO, the Solidarity Center, the Metropolitan Washington Labor Council, CWA, and three CWA locals – 2108, 2201, and 2222. We also had 36 college students from the AFL-CIO’s Union Summer program. The mood was festive and impassioned. We had a long oval going. Two folks from the AFL-CIO’s Organizing Department led us in chants for 30 minutes, chants such as: "T-Mobile workers under attack! What do we do? Stand up! Fight Back" "What’s disgusting? Union busting!" With the bullhorns and the 175 people, we were heard! Passersby took our leaflets. At 12:30, 23 Union Summer students broke off from line, and headed across the street where they held up signs Stand Up for Workers’ Rights. Then they turned them around to spell: T-M-O-B-I-L-E-S-T-O-P-U-N-I-O-N-B-U-S-T-I-N-G.  More photos after the jump and videos coming soon! Blogs, Workers 2011-06-20T15:33:30+00:00 http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/cwa_wins_settlement_in_dispute_about_t-mobiles_social_networking_policy/ http://www.loweringthebarforus.org/news/entry/cwa_wins_settlement_in_dispute_about_t-mobiles_social_networking_policy/ Another win for freedom of speech! In February 2011, CWA filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB against T-Mobile USA over the company's restrictive and overly broad policies against employees' freedom to discuss workplace issues on social networking sites (learn more here). Last week, the National Labor Relations Board settled CWA’s charge against T-Mobile, before the case went to trial. As part of the settlement, T-Mobile is now required to inform all of its employees that they will revise their Social Networking Policy so that workers may discuss work related issues on Facebook and similar websites without fear of reprisal. Picture: Smemon87 The Notice to employees states that Federal Law gives workers the right to: “Form, join or assist a union Bargain collectively through a representative chosen by employees Act together with other employees for your benefit and protection Choose not to engage in any of these activities” Further, the Notice states: “WE WILL NOT do anything that interferes with these rights. More specifically, WE WILL NOT maintain or represent that our Social Networking Policy prohibits employees from disclosing or commenting on legal matters or proceedings or controversies relating their employment. WE WILL NOT in any similar way interfere with your rights under Federal Law WE WILL delete from the archives on the One Voice intranet site the August 16, 2010 posting announcing our Social Networking Policy.” District 1 Counsel Gay Semel, who handled the case, said: "This case confirms that workers’ rights to discuss their terms and conditions of employment are protected by the National Labor Relations Board on the Internet as well as at the workplace. T-Mobile workers now know that T-Mobile cannot arbitrarily take these federally protected rights away." Blogs, Company News, Workers 2011-06-13T23:10:44+00:00