T-Mobile employee union opening field office amid growth

The T-Mobile Workers United employee union, a local organization under the Communications Workers of America umbrella, said it plans to open its first field office on Monday.
The office in Wichita, Kansas, is set for a grand opening involving CWA Policy Director George Kohl, U.S. Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudea, Kansas State Rep. Gain Finney and employees from a T-Mobile US call center located in Wichita.
The so-called “Un-carrier” is owned by Deutsche Telekom, whose employees are represented by the German union Ver.di. Employees from T-Mobile US’ prepaid brand MetroPCS are also part of TU.
According to the organization, the goal is to accommodate “employees joining together for a voice and fair treatment at T-Mobile US/MetroPCS. We are hundreds of call center reps, retail associates and technicians and we come together as TU to support each other, discuss the issues and challenges we face, and work towards positive change at T-Mobile US and MetroPCS.”
The union says it has “won a series of important victories at America’s fastest-growing wireless company,” including wins related to paid parental leave, critical schedule improvements and free-speech protections.
This year was a reminder of the strong role unionized employees play in the wireless telecommunications industry. Verizon Communications was locked in a protracted and sometimes ugly negotiation with nearly 40,000 wireless and wireline workers represented by CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.