When the clock struck midnight, some 20,000 AT&T workers across the Southeastern United States walked off the job in protest over contract negotiations.
Communications Workers of America (CWA) members from nine states, including Georgia, are participating in the strike.
A press release from CWA said the union has filed an unfair labor practice charge against AT&T for "not bargaining in good faith and not sending representatives to the bargaining table with the authority to make decisions."
CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt said the union entered negotiations with the company to find solutions for member concerns, but AT&T has not been fair during the talks.
"Our talks have stalled because it has become clear that AT&T has not sent negotiators who have the power to make decisions so we can move forward toward a new contract," Honeycutt said in the press release.
CWA said additional unfair labor practice charges were filed in Florida for illegally disciplining members for wearing union memorabilia and for participating in activities that are protected under the National Labor Relations Act. CWA members in South Florida initiated a strike over the company’s unfair labor practices on August 22.
The strike that began Saturday morning involves technicians, customer service representative and others who work on AT&T's residential and business telecommunications network in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Some 4,000 Georgia workers are involved, including CWA Local 3203 in Gainesville. Workers at the AT&T office at 500 Broad Street in Gainesville began walking the picket line Saturday morning. They said they plan to picket every morning beginning at 7:30 until contract negotiations are finalized.
A report in the Atlanta Journal Constitution said company officials were baffled by the walk-out, saying negotiators were offering contract terms that would help employees. CWA said the company needs to improve job security and health care initiatives.
Terms of the last contract ended on Aug. 3, 2019.
