AT&T workers in 9 states go on strike as union alleges ‘unfair labor practices’ [Video]

Nearly 17,000 AT&T workers are on strike as their union, the Communication Workers of America, accused the company of “unfair labor practices.”

The 17,000 workers are in the AT&T Southeast region and serve the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Striking employees include technicians, customer service representatives, and others who install, maintain, and support AT&T’s residential and business wireline telecommunications network, the union said.

The Communication Workers of America filed a grievance with the National Labor Relations Board. The union claims that AT&T is not “sending representatives to the bargaining table with the authority to make decisions.”

RELATED STORY | AT&T to hike rates on numerous older unlimited cellphone plans

“Our union entered into negotiations in a good faith effort to reach a fair contract, but we have been met at the table by company representatives who were unable to explain their own bargaining proposals …