Landline usage down, AT&T cuts GR jobs

WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) - More than 100 jobs in greater Grand Rapids will be cut by AT&T, citing declines in the land line portion of their business.

Overall, AT&T will cut 1,600 jobs in their Midwest region (Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois), including 370 overall in Michigan.

Marty Richter, a spokesman for the company, told 24 Hour News 8 in an e-mail that "AT&T has lost more than 25 percent of its wired consumer access lines" in the last three years.

But he stressed the Wyoming facility will not be closed.

Ryan Letts, the president of CWA Local 4034 , told 24 Hour News 8 a total of 110 jobs in the greater Grand Rapids area will be cut. That includes 82 at the Wyoming facility at Michael and 36th Street.

Letts blamed the bad economy for the layoffs. But a sizable number of those being laid off work on the land lines in Wyoming.

Most of the eligible workers, Richter said, "have a job offer guarantee" in another part of the business, and he expects employees to volunteer for the severance package.

The "wireline business" - that is, land lines - is shrinking, but "we continue to add jobs in those parts of our business that are growing – particularly our wireless and U-verse businesses," he said.

In March 2007, 15.2% of American households relied on only a wireless connection. As of June 2010, according to a report by Citi Investment Research , 29.7% now use only wireless.