Tens of thousands of AT&T workers, members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), are preparing for a three-day strike if the company fails to come to the table with "serious proposals that invest in good jobs with a future."

With a 3pm ET Friday deadline, "The clock is ticking for AT&T to make good on its promise to preserve family-supporting jobs," said CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor. "We have made every effort to bargain in good faith with AT&T but have been met with delays and excuses. Our message is clear: fair contract or strike. It's up to AT&T now."

CWA says the strike would affect wireless workers in 36 states and Washington, D.C., as well as wireline workers in California, Nevada, and Connecticut, and DIRECTV technicians in California and Nevada.

"The major issues on the table CWA members are hoping can be negotiated range from increasing pay to cover rising healthcare costs, to sick day policies, and job security," New York's WIVB reports.

Another issue for the union is that "the company has outsourced the operation of more than 60 percent of its wireless retail stores to operators who pay much less than the union wage," David Bacon writes at In These Times.

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At the same time, the company rakes in $1 billion in profits a month, the union says.

A petition organized by Jobs for Justice calls on people to join the workers "in their emblematic fight against corporate greed" by urging "AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson to support them reaching a contract to save family-sustaining jobs."

21k people may have to strike soon. Stand w/them. Send a message to @ATT CEO to demand good jobs: https://t.co/lnSjHL53HV #LifeAtATT #1u pic.twitter.com/iRQWjS9dff — Jobs With Justice (@jwjnational) May 18, 2017

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