Communication Workers of America urges states to investigate T-Mobile purchase of Sprint

The Communication Workers of America labor union, which opposes T-Mobile’s proposed purchase of rival Sprint, has written to all 50 state attorneys general to highlight potential job losses from the proposed deal as well as antitrust concerns. Attorneys general in NY and CA have reportedly begun probes into the $26 billion deal, which would see the third- and fourth-largest wireless carriers in the United States merging. UT and NM have said they see the proposed transaction, announced in April, as positive because it will give the carriers a boost in building next-generation 5G wireless technology and help them to extend into rural parts of the two states.

In the Sept. 10 letter from CWA President Christopher Shelton, the CWA “expressed concern” about the deal and asked the attorneys general to investigate. The state attorneys general work with regulators and the federal government on deals they fear will cause harm locally. The letter included a breakdown of the top 50 metropolitan areas that the union said were likely to see job losses because of the deal, mostly because of shuttered retail outlets. The CWA has estimated that the deal would lead to 28,000 lost jobs.