Workers at a Metro PCS store in Harlem have voted this week for union representation by the Communications Workers of America by a vote of 7-1.
The victory by the handful of workers at that store, however, is a victory for thousands of T-Mobile employees across the nation who have also been fighting to unionize. T-Mobile owns Metro PCS. The two companies “merged” last year.
Jose Ortiz, one of the Metro PCS workers, said: “This has been a David versus Goliath struggle and I’m beyond thrilled to say that David won. We look forward to bargaining a fair contract that gives MetroPCS workers a real voice at work. When we stick together we win!”
At a store with nine employees, T-Mobile U.S. executives kept up an intense campaign on workers who are looking for representation on their issues and fairness. T-Mobile U.S. CEO John Legere and other top executives trekked from Bellevue, Wash., headquarters to the Harlem store.
Today’s vote ensures representation on issues and fairness on the job.
Thousands of union members at T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom in Germany, who have a significant voice on the job, collective bargaining and many seats on the company supervisory board, have taken on U.S. workers’ cause and are protesting their company’s treatment of T-Mobile U.S. employees. Recently, their union, ver.di, sent a letter to DT, the parent company of T-Mobile U.S., telling the company it should cease the captive audience meetings that workers were forced to attend as the workers had requested.
More information available at www.weworkbettertogether.org and www.tmobileworkersunited.org
Photo: T-Mobile Workers United Facebook page
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