Hide Transcript Show Transcript

>> WE’VE GOT BERNIE SANDERS HERE TODAY. WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK ABOUT THAT? [CHEERING] CAROLYN: AND BEFORE HIS RALLY IN LOUSIVILLE, SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS MET WITH STRIKING COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA. CWA CALLED FOR A STRIKE AT MIDNIGHT SATURDAY, CLAIMING CLAIMING AT&T HAS USED UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES DURING NEGOTIATIONS OVER A NEW EMPLOYEE CONTRACT. WORKERS SAY, SANDERS’ TEAM ASKED IF HE COULD STOP BY THE PICKET LINE. >> ORIGINALLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT HE WAS PLANNING ON MAKING A STOP AT THE FAIR BEFORE HIS SPEECH , BUT INSTEAD, HE CHOSE TO COME OUT HERE AND REPRESENT THE HARD WORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF CWA , WHICH ALSO REPRESENTS THE HARD WORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF UNIONS EVERYWHERE CAROLYN: WE’RE TOLD THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 600 TECHNICIANS AND CUSTOMERS SERVICE REPS HERE IN LOUISVILLE WHO ARE NOW ON STRIKE IN A STATEMENT, AT&T SAID, IN PART, "OUR BARGAINING TEAM IS NEGOTIATING THIS CONTRACT WITH CWA LEADERS IN THE SAME WAY WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DONE WITH OTHER CWA CONTRACTS OVER

Advertisement Bernie Sanders joins striking AT&T workers on picket line before Louisville rally Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders met with striking AT&T workers Sunday before his rally in Louisville. More than 20,000 AT&T Southeast workers across nine states, including Kentucky, went on strike Saturday over what they allege are unfair labor practices.Communications Workers of America filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against AT&T for not bargaining in good faith and not sending representatives to the bargaining table with the authority to make decisions. Workers said Sanders' team asked if he could stop by the picket line. "I understand that he (Sanders) was (originally) planning on making a stop at the state fair before his speech, but, instead, he chose to come out here and represent the hard-working men and women of CWA, which also represents the hard-working men and women of unions everywhere," said Todd Robey, Todd Robey, the vice president for CWA Local 3310.There are reportedly around 600 technicians and customer service representatives in Louisville who are now on strike.AT&T issued a statement about the strike:“A strike is in no one’s best interest. We remain ready to sit down with union leaders to negotiate a new, improved contract for our employees. Our bargaining team is negotiating this contract with CWA leaders in the same way we have successfully done with other CWA contracts over the years. We listen, engage in substantive discussions and share proposals back and forth until we reach agreement.That’s why we’re surprised and disappointed that union leaders would call for a strike at this point in the negotiations, particularly when we’re offering terms that would help our employees – some of whom average from $121,000 to $134,000 in total compensation – be even better off.We have offered the union terms that are consistent with what other CWA-represented employees have approved in recent contract negotiations; the company has reached 20 fair agreements since 2017 covering more than 89,000 employees. The Southeast contract covers fewer than 8 percent of our employees.We’re prepared for a strike and will continue working hard to serve our customers.”