Brightspeed union workers picket for better benefits
DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — A disconnect between the Brightspeed corporate office and its employees led to an information picketing event in Downtown Dothan on Saturday afternoon.
Over 20 people at the intersection of West Troy Street and North Oates Street in Dothan picketed to try and get better benefits from Brightspeed. This internet company is used in Dothan, Enterprise, Ozark, and Andalusia.
“We are just trying to get the company to come back to the bargaining table with us and find a fair resolution for a new 5-year contract,” Jerry Sain said.
These picketers are a part of the local chapter of the Communication Workers of America.
Their current contract with Brightspeed expired one month ago, they came up with a tentative agreement, but that contract was also turned down by a corporate vote.
“Well, we are out here trying to get better benefits,” Terry Woodham said. “We don’t have any sick days unless we have to use vacation or PT time. Some of the wages we are trying to get better with that. We feel like the wages we are being offered are not keeping up with the times.”
If an agreement is not reached, Brightspeed could lose 40 employees to a strike.
“If we don’t get to meet with them pretty soon or we meet with them and they don’t want to budge a strike could very well be in the future,” Sain said.
Sain says if there is a strike or work stoppage it could be detrimental for customers — he says there are not many contractors out there who could step in and do the job.
“When you take that much experience out of the office and put them in the street striking it’s going to be hard to fix troubles,” Sain said.
Thousands of drivers traveled downtown on Saturday and several showed support for the picketers.
“It means that people see what we are out here trying to do and they are supporting us and it means that we are making a difference out here,” Woodham said.
The union hopes it can meet with corporate the week of April 27 to iron out details to avoid a strike.
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