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Hundreds of AT&T Wireless Workers and Supporters Plan To Protest at iPhone 8 Launch at Apple HQ
Hundreds of AT&T wireless workers and members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) will protest outside the launch of the iPhone 8 at Apple HQ on Tuesday, we were told. "Marking the start of a critical sales period that's expected to bring in billions for the telecom giant, workers are calling out AT&T's pay cuts for its retail employees and the company's rampant outsourcing and offshoring that undermine their job security and ability to provide quality customer service," the Communications Workers of America said in a press statement. Over the years, AT&T has increasingly handed over the operations of its retail operations to third-party dealers that now represent over 60 percent of all AT&T branded stores. On top of this, AT&T retail employees allege that they are seeing their pay decline by thousands of dollars because the company manipulates their commission structure.
They are striking on iPhone launch day because that is when it will hurt their employer the most. Any other day of the week, it would be a blip on the radar. On the day that there will be people camped out in front of the store relying on the striking employees to get them their precious iPhone 8s, that is the day the retailers really need all hands on deck.
Getting Slashdot or others to take more of a notice is a side benefit because it is Apple's launch day, not the main benefit.