Five At&T technicians in red T-shirts held signs of protest near the intersection of Hodges and Broad Street in Lake Charles Monday morning. They joined more than 17,000 AT&T workers across the Southeast (District 3) who are on strike after accusing company management of “unfair labor practices” during recent contract negotiations.

“Our contract expired Aug. 3,” explained Josh Regan, leader of the Communications Workers of America, Local 3407. “We’ve been bargaining without a contract, trying to get a decision maker to the table.”

Wire and service technicians, inside and out, are represented, he said.  The strike impacts AT&T operations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina and Tennessee.

Calcasieu Parish has 80 employees on strike. Regan said the strike would not affect the expansion of broadband, but could affect getting customers hooked up to new broadband options.

“We had to take a stand to show we’re serious,” Regan said. “It’s past the due date. Please send somebody to the table that can make decisions.”

Regan said the strike will take “as long as it takes.”

“These guys don’t want to be doing this. They want to be doing their jobs.”

Kyle Loomis, At&T Corporate Communications called CWA’s unfair labor practices claim “false.”

“We have been engaged in substantive bargaining since day one and are eager to reach an agreement that benefits our hardworking employees. As evidence, we have reached three agreements this year covering more than 13,000 employees, including our most recent tentative agreement with District 9 (west). We remain committed to working with District 3 in the same manner.”

The email from Loomis said that corporate is disappointed that union leaders would call for a strike at this point in the negotiations, rather than directing their energies toward constructive discussions at the bargaining table. This action needlessly jeopardizes the wages and well-being of our employees.

“We have various business continuity measures in place to avoid disruptions to operations and will continue to provide our customers with the great service they expect,” Loomis said.