Bargaining Update, May 21, 8 p.m.

Bargaining Underway at All Regional Tables 

Bargaining resumed today at the four regional tables in New Haven, Conn., Chicago, Austin, Tex., and Pleasanton, Calif., and was expected to continue into the weekend. This development came after many hours of informal discussions between SBC and CWA yesterday that lasted past midnight.

Districts 1, 4, 6 and 9 report that spirits are high and picket lines are going strong, with rallies and other actions bolstering CWA members in communities throughout SBC territory. Many picket lines had the added support of CWA retirees and members of District Retired Members’ Councils.

We’ve received very positive media coverage across the 13 states, and public support is strong too, with the issues of keeping quality, hometown jobs and ending the offshoring of our work resonating with the public.  

In fact, a segment on the CNN news program “Lou Dobbs Tonight” asked viewers whether SBC workers were right to strike over offshoring – and 93 percent said yes.

Support for our SBC members and bargaining continues to roll in from elected officials nationwide:

* Sen. John Kerry wrote to SBC CEO Ed Whitacre, expressing his concern about the status of negotiations and urging the company to negotiate with CWA to assure long-term growth in employment.  

* A scheduled stop by Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) on the picket line in Columbus, Ohio was delayed by a severe thunderstorm, but Edwards also expressed his support for CWA members walking the line.

* Members of Congress, 53 in all, including some Republicans, have signed on to the letter to Whitacre as requested by Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee.

Picketing, rallies and other activities are continuing into the weekend, with the support of the labor movement. In St. Louis, Steelworkers, Postal Workers and other unionists joined a rally outside One Bell Center. In Abilene, Tex., it was AFCSME and UNITE members, among others, who joined CWAers at a 7:30 a.m. strike rally.

###