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UNI Global Union has welcomed the decision of Metro PCS retail store employees in Harlem, New York to vote in favour of a union voice and representation by the Communication Workers of America. Metro PCS merged with T-mobile earlier this year.

Seven of the in-store workers voted in favour of union representation and just one against. Although only a small number of employees are directly concerned, it’s a huge win for these workers and for thousands more across T-mobile US who want union representation to address their work issues.

'In spite of continued pressure from T-Mobile-PCS management, including a number of captive audience meetings with employees, this small group of workers has won an important victory against a company which seems determined to deny workers' rights to union representation, “said Alan Tate, head of UNI ICTS at UNI Global Union, “We applaud these workers and their union, the Communication Workers of America.”

Jose Oritz, one of the Metro PCS workers said earlier:

“This has been a David versus Goliath struggle and I’m beyond thrilled to say that David won. We look forward to bargaining a fair contract that gives Metro PCS workers a real voice at work. When we stick together we win!”

At a store with nine employees, T-Mobile US executives kept up an intense campaign on workers who are looking for representation on their issues and fairness. T-Mobile US CEO John Legere and other top executives travelled from their Bellevue, Washington, headquarters to the Harlem store.

Thousands of union members at T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom in Germany, who have a significant voice on the job, collective bargaining and many seats on the company supervisory board, have taken on the US workers' cause and are protesting their company’s treatment of T-Mobile US employees. Recently, their union, ver.di, sent a letter to DT, the parent company of T-Mobile US, telling the company it should cease the captive audience meetings that workers had been forced to attend.

The Metro PCS workers tell their story in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lk2c-T0TGo More information available

at www.weworkbettertogether.org and www.tmobileworkersunited.org