Historic Win For AT&T Workers In The Southeast

Today at 11am Occupy Atlanta, Communication Workers of America Local 3204 and Atlanta Jobs with Justice came together at the corporate offices of AT&T, 675 West Peachtree Street to celebrate a historic win for AT&T workers in the southeast. For the first time in years workers and allies stood up to mass layoffs at the hands of a corporation that year after year increases the pay of its top executives at the cost of everyone else in the company.

AT&T workers had previously received a letter from the company in December 2011 informing them that there would be 740 layoffs in the southeast. AT&T’s announced slashing of good, middle class jobs followed an email graciously thanking its employees for creating record profits for the telecommunications giant while CEO Randall Stevenson was paid out a record $27 million.

On February 13th, activists staged a sit-in at AT&T’s Atlanta corporate offices in protest to the announced layoffs, 12 people(including myself) where arrested for refusing to leave until layoffs were rescinded. The next day, hundreds of community supporters rallied outside the complex and launched a 42 day long tent occupation demanding that AT&T stop the layoffs and those scheduled to occur on March 15th.

As a result of the coalition’s work, AT&T reduced its announced layoffs by 255 from the original announced 740, and the March 15th layoff numbers were lower than any period in recent history, stopping potentially hundreds more that had been scheduled to occur. During the occupation, the company also cut its CEO Randall Stephenson’s pay by $2 million.


This victory at AT&T may be just the start. The organizers hope that the fight back will inspire workers around the country to take direct action against corporate greed and such examples of the continued economic injustice against 99%. The bold series of actions against AT&T’s layoffs and greed, put the 1% on notice- that the days when grossly profitable corporations can carelessly layoff workers and undermine the economic security of hundreds of working families, are over.

American Friends Service Committee has been excited to be a part of the campaign, and we’ve been there every step of the way. This morning we served breakfast to all the fulltime occupiers to make sure everyone was well fed as we prepared to breakdown the encampment. Later this week Communication Workers of America will host an appreciation dinner for all the hard working occupiers who made this victory possible.

Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

Resisting Layoffs Through Community Building

Yesterday, at Camp AT&T, we had our first family and friends day and it was a huge success. It was a beautiful site to see workers and their families breaking bread and building community with folks from Occupy Atlanta.

Communications Workers of America brought a massive grill and made sure there was tons of food for not only those who showed up, but those who were simply passing through. Occupy Atlanta brought through its excellent mobile bike shop, which was enjoyed by both kids and adults. We had lots of fun stuff for all the kids to plug into.

One way that kids plugged into the campaign to stop the AT&T layoffs was to use their creative minds to make letters out of construction paper, glitter, crayons, and stickers addressed to AT&T. The letters all had slightly different messages but they all basically asked AT&T to stop the layoffs. One young lady event threatened to put AT&T on timeout if they didn’t stop the layoffs.

After writting the letters, the kids delivered them right to AT&T's front door and chanted, "AT&T, quit taking jobs!"


Saturday’s family fun day was a great example of how the face of resistance isn’t always what we imagine; it’s not always holding a sign in the street, or going to jail to challenge injustice. Sometimes resistance laughing, breaking bread, and building community; sometimes it’s holding a spiritual service on forbidden private property, sometimes it’s occupying an uncomfortable space for weeks to visibly demonstrate commitment to justice in your community. Saturday resistance was filled with children playing, folks laughing, sharing meals, and talking about the Atlanta we want to live in.


American Friends Service Committee provided printing and facilitated the arts and crafts projects for kids. AFSC is committed supporting the ongoing struggle against layoffs at AT&T and the rest of the city.

This is an important week for the AT&T struggle. Not only are we facing terrible legislation which appears to have sections specifically targeted at our actions at AT&T, but March 15th could be the day that more layoffs will be announced. So we have a numbers of actions big and small that we would like to ask you to participate in.
Monday 1pm, Media Workshop; how to tell your story.

Tuesday 1pm, Movement meditation; using our bodies motion as a transformative power.

Wednesday, We need to get as many new campers out as possibly! Our goal is to surround the block! AT&T want more layoffs, we need to make them think twice! The workers have committed to help us grow the camp Wednesday night, can you join?

Thursday 8-9am, Rush hour rally! Thousands of folks will drive by Camp AT&T during that hour, there’s also a ton of foot traffic. If you can’t sleep over, maybe you can come join us in the morning.

Thursday 9am, Breakfast on the steps of AT&T. Come join us for breakfast ya’ll! Maybe even bring something to share!

Thursday 12-12:30pm, interfaith prayer service in AT&T’s courtyard

Thursday 1pm- Starving the hungry ghost meditation on the steps of AT&T. These meditations have been really powerful and totally non-religious. I must say that they also strike a pretty powerful image for those passing by.


Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

A Constant Light On AT&T's Greed

It was early December when AT&T employees in the South East received a letter thanking them for helping the company make record profits. AT&T racked up so much cash that they were able to pay their CEO, Randall Stephenson, over 27 million dollars!

Just six days later AT&T workers received a second letter, informing workers that 740 good paying Union jobs would be cut in March of 2012. An interesting way of thanking the very group that makes AT&T super rich, it's workers.

Yesterday AT&T experienced a surprise invasion of their Atlanta headquarters. At 12pm, the worlds largest communications corporation , twelve of us enter their building with one simple demand; resend all layoffs, all job cuts. We were willing to talk with whoever,but it was stated plainly that we would not leave unless a commitment to the 740 Union jobs under threat was made.

About ten or fifteen minutes later about 100 Occupy Atlanta and Union members showed up on the outside of the building with signs and tents! As AT&T executives grappled with what to do with us, sixteen tents were being set up on the sidewalk in front of AT&T. That occupation comes with the commitment to stay until AT&T resend all job cuts.


Close to 1pm the police threatened those of us on the inside with arrest. We decided to circle up, doing our large heart necklaces we made over the weekend, and sing slightly remixed love songs. It was only a few minutes later that we were arrested, taken to the basement of AT&T, put in police vans, and driven to Fulton County jail. It was a proud moment for me. Of the twelve we had two retired AT&T workers and CWA members, we had folks from Atlanta Jobs with Justice,Occupy Atlanta, the Teamsters,and of course AFSC in the house. The group represented to kind of alliances we need to turn the corner on the crisis of economic priority that continues to lift up those who already have an overabundance, and push down everyone else.


I got out of jail early this morning. I've just read the press coverage of Monday's action and took notice to AT&T's response. They claim that many of the 740 laid off workers will be given job offers. This is probably true. The problem is that they will be offered jobs that pay considerably less, have no bargaining rights, and have little or no benefits. Workers should never be forced to go backwards for a company that's reporting record profits. If AT&T really were struggling, which they aren't, they should consider taking a chop from the top as a first resort.

Monday's action confronted one of the roots or America's(and the globe for that matter)unprecedented wealth inequities. Perhaps we will wake up one day to a world that's had enough corporate greed. Perhaps we'll grow tired of a world that rewards those willing to build their life on the shattered dreams of their brothers and sisters. Imaging a movement that will not allow workers(profit creaters) to be exploited and discarded, a movement that physically stands in the way of those that create wealth at the cost of human misery. Imagine the unstoppable force of workers, students, the unemployed, shelter less, the Churches working together side by side to demand with their feet a more just world.

Some of us are already beyond imagining that world, some of use are trying to build it.....we need help:)

Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee