CWA Favors SBC-AT&T Merger if Jobs Are Protected

The Communications Workers of America labor organization today issued its statement on the acquisition of AT&T by SBC Communications. Following is the CWA's news release:

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Statement by the Communications Workers of America on SBC's Proposed Purchase of AT&T

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- President Morton Bahr of the Communications Workers of America issued the following statement on SBC's purchase of AT&T. CWA represents 15,000 employees at AT&T and 95,000 at SBC.

SBC's purchase of AT&T makes good business sense, and it could be good news for customers and employees as well as shareholders of both companies. Such a merger creates a strong U.S. competitor in the global telecom marketplace with the resources to substantially advance the rollout of high- speed broadband and other services and drive economic growth and job expansion.

CWA's concern is for the employment security and career opportunity of the employees we represent. In recent years, AT&T has been contracting its business and shedding jobs. With the integration of its operations into SBC, there is now the opportunity for a new strategy that instead focuses on dynamic growth and creation of new services and technologies.
We look forward to discussing the companies' plans in more detail as we talk with SBC and AT&T executives in the coming days and weeks.

With the assurance that in this merger, the companies are committed to growing the business, providing quality and universal customer services, and to creating well-paying jobs for American communities, CWA will support the proposed acquisition and urge regulators to give it their approval.

Communications Workers of America

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AB -- 1/31/05