News

In a show of international solidarity, the World Executive Board of UNI Global Union unanimously backed a resolution in support of T-Mobile US workers’ right to freely form a union.

T-Mobile US workers seeking to organize with the Communications Workers of America have endured an atmosphere of fear at the workplace, including sanctions, reprisals, and dismissals of union supporters. The company has even established a unlawful company-controlled union.

In addition to the resolution, the WEB took a picture to send a message to T-Mobile US management: We expect better!

The resolution is below, and more on T-Mobile workers’ struggle is available here.

UNI World Executive Board Stands in Solidarity with T-Mobile US Workers

Nyon, October 10-11, 2017

The UNI World Executive Board supports the demand of T-Mobile US employees that the company respect their rights to freedom of association.

We witness with great concern that in the United States, T-Mobile US is suppressing workers´ attempts to form a union by:

• Exerting pressure, through disadvantages and discrimination, on employees engaging with the union;
• Creating an atmosphere of fear at the workplace; and
• Establishing a company-controlled union, which the labour court has ruled is in breach of US law.

T-Mobile US is thereby violating International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions 87 and 98, which establish the freedom of association and the right to organise and bargain collectively.

T-Mobile US also violates the United Nations (UN) Global Compact. Deutsche Telekom AG is a founding member of the UN Global Compact, which establishes that “businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.” T-Mobile’s actions not only defy ILO conventions and the UN Global Compact, but are also in sharp conflict with Deutsche Telekom’s long tradition of social dialogue.

As unions representing workers throughout the world, we oppose any attacks on the right to organise and urge T-Mobile US CEO John Legere to respect workers´ rights to form a union and bargain collectively.

We urge Deutsche Telekom AG CEO Timotheus Höttges to demand that T-Mobile US management.