TU (union)
Encyclopedia
TU, the international union for T-Mobile USA workers, is an international labor union that was formed represent T-Mobile USA employees. It is affiliated with the Communications Workers of America
(CWA) and Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (ver.di), a large German service-sector union
. As of 2011, no T-Mobile workgroups have elected TU as their representative. If AT&T Inc. succeeds in acquiring T-Mobile USA, Inc., AT&T has stated in documents submitted to the FCC that T-Mobile USA employees will be able to choose to organize under the agreement currently in place between AT&T and the Communications Workers of America
.
is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom
, the largest telecommunications company in Europe. Through its subsidiary companies, Deutsche Telekom has operations in around 50 countries worldwide. In Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, employees are represented by trade unions.
When Deutsche Telekom purchased VoiceStream Wireless
in 2001, the CWA
helped the company gain approval for access to the U.S. market, with the expectation that Deutsche Telekom would be open to letting employees freely choose union representation in the United States.
The relationship between CWA and T-Mobile USA has since eroded. Since it entered the American market in 2001, T-Mobile USA has been repeatedly criticized for its employment relations by CWA, ver.di, and other groups. Likewise, American Rights at Work
and Human Rights Watch
have issued studies of union intolerance at the company’s facilities.
In April 2008, CWA and ver.di formed a joint union for T-Mobile workers named TU. The new organization was "formed with the goal of overcoming the double standard of Deutsche Telekom recognizing labor rights in Germany but ignoring them in the U.S. This new global union is an effective answer to cross-border investment and the globalization of work."
When CWA and ver.di created the joint union, they originally named it “T-Union”. However, Deutsche Telekom threatened to sue the organizations for copyright infringements, since they had copyrighted the letter “T” (as they did with the color magenta). So, CWA and ver.di had to re-name the union TU for T-Mobile Workers Union.
Ver.di represents 2.3 million workers in Germany, including Deutsche Telekom employees. Ver.di was formed in 2001 when the German Salaried Employees' Union (DAG) merged with four unions of the German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB).
Ver.di members work in financial services, utilities, health, social services, education, science and research, federal government, media, printing, telecommunications, postal services, logistics, and transport, among other sectors.The headquarters of the trade union is in Berlin.
The Communications Workers of America
CWA represents 700,000 workers in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The union was established in 1947 and affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1949. CWA represents workers in telecommunications, publishing, the airline industry, public safety, healthcare, education, social work, and broadcasting, among many other industries. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Other Sources
Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States representing about 550,000 members in both the private and public sectors. The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA-SCA Canada representing about 8,000 members...
(CWA) and Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (ver.di), a large German service-sector union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
. As of 2011, no T-Mobile workgroups have elected TU as their representative. If AT&T Inc. succeeds in acquiring T-Mobile USA, Inc., AT&T has stated in documents submitted to the FCC that T-Mobile USA employees will be able to choose to organize under the agreement currently in place between AT&T and the Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States representing about 550,000 members in both the private and public sectors. The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA-SCA Canada representing about 8,000 members...
.
History
T-Mobile USAT-Mobile USA
T-Mobile USA, Inc. is an American mobile-network operator, headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, that provides wireless voice, messaging and data services in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company is the fourth-largest wireless carrier in the U.S. market with 33.73...
is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom AG is a telecommunications company headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It is the largest telecommunications company in Europe....
, the largest telecommunications company in Europe. Through its subsidiary companies, Deutsche Telekom has operations in around 50 countries worldwide. In Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, employees are represented by trade unions.
When Deutsche Telekom purchased VoiceStream Wireless
VoiceStream Wireless
VoiceStream Wireless Inc. traces it roots to the 1994 establishment of VoiceStream Wireless PCS as a subsidiary of Western Wireless Corporation. On May 3, 1999, Western Wireless Corporation spun off its VoiceStream Wireless PCS subsidiary to Western Wireless shareholders, creating an independent,...
in 2001, the CWA
Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States representing about 550,000 members in both the private and public sectors. The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA-SCA Canada representing about 8,000 members...
helped the company gain approval for access to the U.S. market, with the expectation that Deutsche Telekom would be open to letting employees freely choose union representation in the United States.
The relationship between CWA and T-Mobile USA has since eroded. Since it entered the American market in 2001, T-Mobile USA has been repeatedly criticized for its employment relations by CWA, ver.di, and other groups. Likewise, American Rights at Work
American Rights at Work
American Rights at Work is a U.S. self-described nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that advocates for workers and their right to form unions without interference....
and Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
have issued studies of union intolerance at the company’s facilities.
In April 2008, CWA and ver.di formed a joint union for T-Mobile workers named TU. The new organization was "formed with the goal of overcoming the double standard of Deutsche Telekom recognizing labor rights in Germany but ignoring them in the U.S. This new global union is an effective answer to cross-border investment and the globalization of work."
When CWA and ver.di created the joint union, they originally named it “T-Union”. However, Deutsche Telekom threatened to sue the organizations for copyright infringements, since they had copyrighted the letter “T” (as they did with the color magenta). So, CWA and ver.di had to re-name the union TU for T-Mobile Workers Union.
TU Affiliates
Ver.diVer.di
-External links:* * on the ver.di homepage...
Ver.di represents 2.3 million workers in Germany, including Deutsche Telekom employees. Ver.di was formed in 2001 when the German Salaried Employees' Union (DAG) merged with four unions of the German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB).
Ver.di members work in financial services, utilities, health, social services, education, science and research, federal government, media, printing, telecommunications, postal services, logistics, and transport, among other sectors.The headquarters of the trade union is in Berlin.
The Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America
Communications Workers of America is the largest communications and media labor union in the United States representing about 550,000 members in both the private and public sectors. The union has 27 locals in Canada via CWA-SCA Canada representing about 8,000 members...
CWA represents 700,000 workers in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The union was established in 1947 and affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Organizations in 1949. CWA represents workers in telecommunications, publishing, the airline industry, public safety, healthcare, education, social work, and broadcasting, among many other industries. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Further reading
- Compa, Lance, "A Strange Case: Violations of Workers' Freedom of Association in the United States by European Multinational Corporations." New York: Human Rights Watch, 2010.
- Logan, John. "Lowering the Bar or Setting The Standard. Deutsche Telekom’s U.S. Labor Practices." Washington, D.C.: American Rights at Work Education Fund, 2009.
Official websites
- TUworkers.org - Website for T-Mobile workers
- Communications Workers of America
- ver.di
Other Sources
- LoweringTheBarForUs.org - Website with news and information about T-Mobile USA