In what could act as a signal to other big union companies, AT&T is playing on hard times to demand a raft of concessions. The telecommunications giant and its workers are battling over who will carry the burden for health care: AT&T wants to as much as triple union workers’ cost for coverage.

Bargaining continued while Communications Workers (CWA) members kept working after their contract expired April 4. Talks with the company, which booked a $12.9 billion profit last year, have slowed to a crawl.

The union, with about 110,000 workers at AT&T, announced that 88 percent of voting members authorized a strike in late March. The last negotiations, in 2004, led to a four-day strike.

The company has refused to bargain over health care for retirees, and CWA expects it to try unilaterally to hike their costs. Local 1298 in Connecticut won an unfair labor practice in late April over the company’s refusal to hand over information.

WORK TO RULE

CWA is protesting AT&T’s takeaway demands with a nationwide mobilization of rallies, workplace events, and a work-to-rule campaign that asks members to “comply with all rules and procedures the company has ever taught you.”

Workers are religiously following safety rules and ensuring that every equipment inspection called for in company protocol is completed.

With their contract expired, workers are taking more aggressive action, too. Local 9503 in Southern California carried out a one-day grievance strike in mid-April after two stewards were singled out for refusing overtime. Bob Eveler, the local president, said the company backtracked on the stewards’ discipline. He added that installation and service appointments remain two to three weeks behind schedule.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis joined hundreds of CWA members at an April 24 rally in downtown Los Angeles that clogged city streets. And in one notably customer-friendly action, CWA activists in Texas handed out flyers showing how customers can get around AT&T’s automated answering systems and quickly talk to live representatives.

CWA President Larry Cohen reminded members in a nationwide bargaining update broadcast online that the union has a $375 million strike fund. Members and local officers say a strike is still unlikely at this point.

We remain very far apart at the bargaining table. Critical issues like wages, pensions, health care, employment security, and working conditions are still at stake.