America’s Work Force discusses communication giant AT&T, who after receiving corporate tax cuts, promised they would create 7,000 jobs for every $1 billion in profit, but has instead laid off 1,200 employees.
Frank Mathews, from the Communication Workers of America District 4, spoke with America’s Work Force on April 9 about AT&T’s broken promise. He said AT&T claimed they needed the tax break because they were struggling. They the CWA that if they received a tax break, they would create more jobs. Unfortunately, AT&T got their tax break, but cut 1,200 jobs and offshored others. Mathews called this a tax scam since they did not follow through on any of the promises that they made it appears they will not make an effort to bring back those jobs.
While on the topic of AT&T, Mathews talked about how AT&T’s midwest workers have gone nearly a year without a contract and are dealing with issues at the bargaining table. The company has employed union busting activities, such offshoring jobs and committing wage theft.
Ariane Hegewisch, Program Director of Employment and Earnings with the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, talked about the need to get more women in the construction trades. According to her research, there is a lack of women in the construction trades due to a number of reasons including work-family issues, such as paid maternity leave. She did say, however, that the areas in the construction trades with a high population of women workers are laborers, painters, and plumbers. Hegewisch estimates there are approximately 275,000 female workers construction workers in the U.S, which account for 3.4 percent of the industry’s employees.
AWF host Ed “Flash” Ferenc discussed Bernie Sanders’ latest speech to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.