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AT&T, Deliver on your Promise!
RETIREE'S SAY,
LEAVE OUR HEALTH CARE BENEFITS ALONE, WE HAVE EARNED THEM!
AT&T says they want concessions on health benefits during 2009 contract negotiations. Retirees' health benefits are also likely to be affected, if AT&T gets their way.
After speaking to AT&T's top management last month, USB analyst John Hodulik wrote that a strike is likely, but that the company would come out on top. Management employees have received extensive training to keep the company running if there is a strike, he said, and AT&T could reap large savings on its health care costs.
AT&T Retirees have repeated again and again "AT&T PROMISED." Former employees who were encouraged to retire early did so with the understanding their health care would remain as it was until they reached Medicare. AT&T did promise and we are in no mood for word games.
The fact is every active and retired member of IBEW Local 21 paid for our health care benefits up front. We helped AT&T become the highly profitable corporation it is today. We accepted lower wages in order to preserve our health care benefits and help the company contain health care costs for decades. Altering this promise would be an unethical breach of the contract between employer and employee.
It's time to let AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson hear from us.
The message should be clear,
LEAVE OUR HEALTH CARE BENEFITS ALONE, WE HAVE EARNED THEM!
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: AT&T, Deliver on your Promise!
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
CEO Randall Stephenson
AT&T
Dallas Texas
Dear Sir,
I am writing this letter in response to an interview AT&T Management did with UBS analyst John Hudulik dated March 13, 2009. In that interview Mr. Hodulik quotes AT&T management's stated intention to likely shift retiree health care costs to retirees.
I must point out that AT&T retirees have sacrificed wages over the years in order to maintain our current level of health care benefits. Many retirees were encouraged to retire on the oft stated promise of premium free health care benefits.
Altering these benefits will cause serious financial hardship and I consider it a breech of the promise AT&T made to me over years of loyal service to the company.
AT&T is a company with a tradition of delivering on its promises. Mr. Stephenson I urge you to live up to its moral obligation and continue to provide retiree health care benefits as we know them today. Promises are meant to be kept.
Signed by:
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