The Communications Workers of America today is calling for prompt approval of AT&T’s proposed acquisition of Time-Warner.

“This merger is about maintaining and creating good U.S. jobs and developing new and innovative ways to deliver technology and content,” said CWA President Chris Shelton. “A merged AT&T-Time Warner would provide much-needed new competition to companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon, where working people don’t have union representation.”

CWA is completely opposed to the Department of Justice – or whoever else’s – insistence that AT&T must divest CNN or DIRECTV, since we have a stake at both. This must be a decision-making process based solely on the merits of the case.

This is a classic vertical merger – video content produced by Time-Warner and distributed by AT&T – that should be approved by the Department of Justice just as the Comcast NBCUniversal merger was approved in 2011.

CWA supports mergers when the partners are fully committed to creating good jobs -- especially jobs that enable working people to negotiate a fair return on their work -- and investing in our communities through improved services and benefits for consumers. It deserves approval.