After a push from union members, the Communications Workers of America is stepping up its campaign to fight back against job cuts and union busting at AT&T retail stores nationwide, asking supporters to do business with stores that employ CWA members.

AT&T workers were in the streets outside dozens of “AT&T authorized retailers” across the country. The rallies drew attention to AT&T’s recent move to convert their corporate stores staffed by CWA union members to third party dealers, outsourcing the work to non-union employees.

Plain and simple, union-busting.

“It’s an attack not just on our union and on the working conditions in those stores, but also on the communities because there are less union jobs available,” said Knutson, president of CWA Local 7250.

AT&T has closed or converted more than 650 corporate-owned stores. The cuts have come despite AT&T’s promise that then-President Trump’s 2017 tax cut, which put billions into the company’s coffers, would create new jobs.

The CWA passed a resolution at its international convention in October, calling for this day of action against AT&T’s job cuts, to be held during the holiday shopping season.

The union has also launched a campaign to help AT&T customers tell the difference between union and non-union stores, which look alike except for a small sign on the front indicating which are authorized retailers.

Union members and supporters all but shut down AT&T authorized retailers in locations throughout the country, marching outside the storefronts on a busy Saturday with signs and distributing fliers in the parking lot.

The third party stores used to be staffed by union members, but recently closed and reopened as an authorized retailer owned by Prime Communications. Ironically, Prime Communications company’s leadership includes former AT&T executives. The sole purpose of Prime Communications is to franchise AT&T retail stores and turn them from union into non-union stores.

Find a complete list of union stores nationwide at CWA.org/ATTstore.