Unions Criticise T-Mobile USA

At a joint news conference, ver.di, the union representing workers at Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile Germany, the Communications Workers of America and UNI Global Union said Deutsche Telekom management's claimed double standard in the way it treats workers in different countries must end.

CWA's President Larry Cohen pointed out that contrary to T-Mobile USA's anti-union efforts, "one major U.S. telecom, AT&T, has set a standard based on neutrality and recognition based on majority sign up, and the company's 42,000 Mobility employees have a contract and bargaining rights. T-Mobile USA instead chooses to ally with the worst of U.S. managers who fight collective bargaining for employees in every imaginable way. These companies use the loop holes in current U.S. labor law that support and permit anti-union campaigning by management,"

UNI, CWA and ver.di are pressing DT for a global agreement covering its workforce.

Marcus Courtney, head of UNI Telecom, noted that "France Telecom and Telefonica have signed global agreements with UNI respecting workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively. Deutsche Telekom is failing to meet standards set by its competition."

"Our message to multinational companies, in this case Deutsche Telekom, is this: We're tired of the face of cooperation in Germany ... and then the club of intolerance in the United States. We expect Deutsche Telekom to operate far above the minimum in the United States," Cohen added.