Unions Backs AT&T/T-Mobile Merger??

[Hutzpa]

Now, why would the unions support the monopolization of the cell phone industry?

AT&T acquired Cingular few years ago and now they are about to merge/acquire T-Mobile
with huge opposition from T-Mobile customers I might add, here is a refresher for
those that might have forgotten, when at&t merged with Cingular the company lost few
thousands of jobs, so why would the unions think that at&t merger with T-mobile is
good for jobs.

I would like to hear this argument from the unions that supports this merger.



http://peoplesworld.org/union-sees-at-t-buyout-of-t-mobile-as-good-for-workers/

In a press release issued on Sunday, the C.W.A. talked up the benefits of the merger, primarily its aim to expand next-generation wireless service to 95 percent of the country. The union has already focused on building out the nation’s broadband wireless network as an important driver of job growth, having rolled out an initiative called Speed Matters.

“For more than a decade, the United States has continued to drop behind nearly every other developed economy on broadband speed and build out,” Larry Cohen, the C.W.A.’s president, said in a statement. “Today’s announcement of the acquisition of T-Mobile USA by AT&T is a victory for broadband proponents in both the U.S. and Germany.”

The C.W.A. will also have the chance to expand an ongoing effort to unionize T-Mobile USA workers. The group has already partnered with Germany’s ver.di union to create a new group, TU, to represent T-Mobile employees on both sides of the Atlantic.

You guys really believe this will work, then I have a bridge to sell you. The unions are acting as if they have not dealt with this people before.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/telecom-union-backs-t-mobile-deal/

I find it hard to believe the unions are supporting this merger, I am not buying this.

[Hutzpa]

1. wow, no response from DUers. n/t

[Dappleganger]

2. It's believable.

BTW, my dad (life-long CWA member) was screwed out of half of his early-retirement bonus when Verizon took over Bell Atlantic in his area, even though the leaders swore up and down that would never happen. They do make mistakes (and at times they are whoppers), although overall they would get pretty much nothing w/out the unions being there for them. I just don't see how AT&T being allowed to go through with this is going to help the regular wage earners--on paper it may look good to them but in reality they nearly always get screwed in the end.

[Hutzpa]

4. History is not on the unions side on this one

they always gets screwed, so comes as a surprise that the union will go to bed with these
guys that will be looking to screw them up the slightest chance they get.

[KittyWampus]

3. Builders unions support a Walmart going into Manhattan, Teamsters support drilling in the Arctic

Union management is often myopic and stuck in the last century.

[BOG PERSON]

5. fun fact:

JFK used to refer to the interviews he had with trade-union leaders as "pressure from my Right"

[Moondog]

6. The leadership of some unions support it. Unless the members had a vote

it is probably not accurate to say that the unions support it.

The union leadership might support it for good reasons, mistaken reasons, or bad reasons. They might even support it because it is in their personal interest to do so, whether or not it is in their union membership's interests.

Follow the money.

[onenote]

7. My understanding is that AT&T's wireless business is unionized and T-Mobile's is not

If that's the case, I could see why the CWA would view the acquisition of T-Mobile by AT&T as a positive development.

[Rosco T.]

8. Meh, I'm switching to SPRINT...

$50/line for switching credit, $125/line credit for porting my old number, $99/each for EVO 4G's, same price/month for same level of minutes/data... and I can still get $300/ea for my old phones

[Dappleganger]

9. Good luck with that.

They're the same lying sack of shits as AT&T.