Union Criticizes DoJ Suit to Block AT&T/T-Mobile Merger

The Communications Workers of America (CWA) has branded the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) plan to file a lawsuit to block the merger of AT&T (NYSE: T) and T-Mobile as “simply wrong.”

The CWA cited that the proposed merger could create up to 96,000 “quality” jobs and that blocking the deal would be the wrong policy given the backdrop of a weakening U.S. economy and high joblessness.

“In the U.S., where too many Americans, especially in rural areas, don't have access to the tools of Internet technology, the DoJ is looking to block a plan to build out high speed wireless access to 97 percent of the country,” CWA added.

The union also knocked T-Mobile, which is not unionized.

“In a nation where workers' rights are routinely violated, as occurs every day at T-Mobile, the DoJ apparently believes that workers should be on their own instead of having a fair choice about union representation,” CWA stated.

The union added that “the DoJ's action would put good jobs and workers' rights at the bottom of the government's priorities. Just yesterday, AT&T announced that it would return a net 5,000 jobs to the U.S. on completion of the merger. That is the kind of corporate responsibility that more employers in the U.S. should demonstrate if we are ever to have an economic recovery. Instead of acting to block this merger, our government should be looking to support companies that create, keep and return good jobs to the United States.”

AT&T is believed to be the only unionized wireless company in the U.S.

According to CWA, at least 40,000 AT&T Mobility employees are union members.

“Since 2005, more than 19,000 of our co-workers from the old AT&T Wireless have joined us by organizing with CWA at AT&T Mobility,” the union stated.

“By joining together in a union, we have negotiated contracts with management, winning significant improvements in our jobs, benefits, and working conditions”