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July 19, 2016 – Downers Grove, IL – Historic tentative agreements have been reached between the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers System Council T-3 (IBEW SCT-3) and AT&T for their employees working at recently acquired DIRECTV. Earlier this year over 3000, AT&T DIRECTV employees joined the IBEW through a mutually agreed to card check neutrality process to bargain a first contract. These new national agreements protect employees who perform work in call centers and technicians who install satellite services.
The contracts put into place wage progression scales, a comprehensive health care benefit package, a 401K plan with company matching, and a pension plan at a time when many across the country are seeing their pensions disappear. The agreements also offer layoff protections and a very solid grievance and arbitration process.
These agreements could not have been reached had it not been for the hard work and dedication of these newest members of the IBEW. They traveled across country to prepare for negotiations and with the help of IBEW SCT-3 negotiators they reached these agreements. The teams were headed up by IBEW International Representative Kevin Curran and IBEW SCT-3 Chairman Paul Wright.
Wright stated, “For many years employees at satellite providers have sought to be represented by labor organizations. With the help of our DIRECTV members and the relationship the IBEW has fostered with AT&T over the last few years we were able to reach these historic agreements.” These are the first national agreements that have been reached at either of the “Big 2” satellite providers.
The new agreements will be explained to the IBEW DIRECTV membership. They will then vote to approve the agreements. The IBEW bargaining team approves of the agreements and are recommending that they be accepted by their newest members. Highlights of both agreements can be found here. Information on the agreements and a contract overview are being prepared and will be sent along with voting instructions to IBEW members.
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