News

Hamden, Connecticut -- T-Mobile USA technicians in Connecticut today voted for representation by the Communications Workers of America-TU.



The vote was 8-7 for CWA-TU representation with one challenged ballot of a union supporter who had recently transferred into the unit. The challenge will not affect the outcome.



The Connecticut technicians are the first to vote for union representation at T-Mobile USA. T-Mobile operations in Germany, owned by Deutsche Telekom (DT), fully respect workers’ right to bargain collectively, but U.S. management historically had undertaken a campaign of delaying tactics and interference to intimidate workers. The Connecticut techs stood strong against these tactics and for a union voice.



Philip Jennings, UNI Global Union General Secretary said, “Global labour is proud that the Connecticut technicians lead the way and voted to join CWA expressing freedom from fear. However, it should not be 15 workers voting but rather 15,000 having an opportunity to join a union. Deutsche Telekom has been actively interfering in the right of its employees to join a union, which is in violation of the company’s own social charter, International Labour Conventions as well as its commitments to the UN Global Compact. We expect better from Deutsche Telekom.”



Last week, UNI Global Union joined the International Trade Union Confederation (representing 175 million workers); ver.di, the union for DT workers and CWA in filing a complaint under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises against DT and T-Mobile for anti-worker activities in the United States.



Bo Larsen, World President of UNI Telecom which represents over 2 million workers, observed the election to show continuing support of the global labour movement for the union rights of T-Mobile USA workers. He said, “No worker should be intimidated for wanting a union voice and bargaining rights”.



Read the OECD complaint here

Photo: T-Mobile USA workers with UNI World Telecom president Bo Larsen and CWA Organisers Tim and Cindy





Contact:

Rachel Cohen, Head of UNI Communications

rachel.cohen@uniglobalunion.org

+41 22 365 21 29