CWA has released a new report detailing how AT&T has let down their employees, specifically those in the Premise Technician and Wire Technician title. The report is linked and summarized below.
The “AT&T Southeast Wire Tech Report” (July 2024) highlights critical issues faced by Wire Technicians in the Southeastern U.S. The report underscores how low wages, demanding schedules, and unrealistic performance expectations are negatively impacting both the workforce and customer satisfaction.
Key Points:
- Introduction:
- AT&T provides essential telecommunications services with a significant role in modern infrastructure.
- Technicians, particularly Wire Technicians in the Southeast, are underpaid and overworked, causing a crisis within the company.
- Background:
- The Premises and Wire Technician positions were created as lower-paid roles compared to “Core” Technicians.
- These positions have grown in importance, now comprising 32% of all CWA-bargained Technician positions at AT&T as of 2023.
- Despite union efforts, these roles lag behind in terms of fair compensation and working conditions.
- Job Satisfaction and Turnover:
- Technicians report very low job satisfaction and high turnover rates.
- Key issues include inadequate compensation and poor work-life balance.
- High turnover results in inexperienced staff, leading to lower quality service and repeated service calls.
- Economic Impact:
- Turnover costs AT&T $40 to $60 million annually due to separation, recruitment, and training costs.
- Poor working conditions also result in indirect costs such as lost productivity, reduced quality of service, and low morale.
- Technician Perspectives:
- Technicians express frustration over mandatory overtime, unpredictable schedules, and insufficient pay.
- There is a recurring theme of feeling undervalued and overworked, with significant impacts on personal lives and family time.
- Conclusion and Recommendations:
- The report calls for AT&T to negotiate fair agreements with the CWA to improve wages and working conditions.
- Improved employment practices would enhance workforce stability, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
The report concludes that to meet its fiber deployment goals and maintain service quality, AT&T must address the underlying employment issues faced by its Wire Technicians.
