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Good morning, PR pros:

More than 20,000 AT&T employees in nine states have gone on strike to protest how they’re being treated during contract negotiations.

Splinter reported:

“We entered these negotiations prepared to bargain in good faith with AT&T to address our members’ concerns and to work together to find solutions,” CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt said in a statement on Friday. “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.”

AT&T spokesman Jim Kimberly issued the following statement:

A strike would be in no one’s best interest. We’re baffled as to why union leadership would call one when we’re offering terms that would help our employees – some of whom average from $121,000 to $134,000 in total compensation – be even better off.