March 03--Dallas-based AT&T ( T ) has committed to bringing about 3,000 jobs back to the U.S. as part of a four-year deal with a union that covers thousands of workers in Texas and four other southwestern states.
The Communications Workers of America and AT&T ( T
Loading... Loading...
) announced Thursday that they have reached a tentative agreement to increase pay and provide paid parental leave, health care and other benefits for more than 20,000 AT&T ( T ) workers in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. The deal will go to union members for a vote.
AT&T's ( T) promise to bring back some offshored jobs comes at a time when many U.S. companies have come under fire for seeking cheap labor overseas. In speeches and on Twitter, President Donald Trump has sharply criticized companies with similar practices, such as Carrier, Apple and Ford.
Marty Richter, an AT&T ( T) spokesman, said the company's promise to bring jobs back is "not a typical part of a labor agreement."
"It's an example of what can be achieved when the sides work together and we appreciate the work of the CWA's Southwest leadership team to make this possible," he said in email.
He said AT&T ( T) hasn't decided what kinds of jobs the 3,000 will be, but said they could span from call center jobs to technicians.
Contract negotiations came to an end about a month before the previous contract expired on April 8. Both sides had agreed to start the discussions early.
AT&T ( T) officials say they've reached 19 different labor agreements, including this agreement, in 2016 and 2017 that collectively cover more than 81,000 employees.
