AT&T Buying CenturyLink Raises Union Concerns For Workers & Consumers
By Luke Bouma, Cord Cutters News - May 27, 2025
https://cordcuttersnews.com/att-buying-centurylink-raises-union-concerns-for-workers-consumers/
… The Communications Workers of America (CWA), representing workers at both AT&T and Lumen, has expressed significant concerns about the structure of the transaction and its potential impact on employees and customers: https://cwa-union.org/news/releases/atts-proposed-acquisition-lumens-home-fiber-business-raises-concerns-workers-and
The acquisition involves transferring Lumen’s residential fiber assets to a newly formed AT&T subsidiary, dubbed “NetworkCo,” which will then be partially sold to an undisclosed private equity partner. CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. stated that the union is closely examining AT&T’s plans to evaluate their implications for workers and the communities they serve. “Our union’s leadership will work with both companies to ensure that our members are respected and protected so that they can continue providing the high-quality service that customers deserve,” Cummings said. The union emphasized its commitment to ensuring that any transition maintains the workforce’s ability to deliver reliable, high-quality service.
The CWA’s concerns stem in part from AT&T’s previous establishment of a similar subsidiary, Gigapower, launched two years ago to expand fiber networks in several markets. A CWA review of Gigapower’s operations revealed a reliance on multi-tiered subcontracting and temporary staffing agencies, rather than hiring trained, experienced workers. This approach, according to the union, has led to significant issues. In Mesa, Arizona, and Bloomington, Minnesota, Gigapower contractors were linked to nearly 450 incidents of damage to public rights-of-way and numerous preventable underground utility strikes, raising public safety concerns.