AT&T to close 250 stores, cut thousands of jobs


AT&T on Tuesday said it plans on cutting thousands of jobs, affecting managers, executives, technicians, retail workers, and clerical staff.
The company is also going to shutter 250 AT&T and Cricket Wireless stores. In a statement to Axios, AT&T confirmed that thousands of jobs will be cut, but would not give an exact number, only saying there will be "targeted, but sizable reductions in our workforce."
AT&T said the store closures had been in the works, but are happening sooner than expected because of the coronavirus pandemic. Some company employees are represented by the Communication Workers of America, and Chris Shelton, the organization's president, decried the job cuts. "If we are in a war to keep our economy going during this crisis, why is AT&T dismissing the troops?" he said in a statement.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Today's political cartoons - May 11, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - shark-infested waters, Mother's Day, and more
-
5 fundamentally funny cartoons about the US Constitution
Cartoons Artists take on Sharpie edits, wear and tear, and more
-
In search of paradise in Thailand's western isles
The Week Recommends 'Unspoiled spots' remain, providing a fascinating insight into the past
-
Visa wants to let AI make credit card purchases for you
The Explainer The program will allow you to set a budget and let AI learn from your shopping preferences
-
A newly created gasoline giant in the Americas could change the industry landscape
The Explainer Sunoco and Parkland are two of the biggest fuel suppliers in the US and Canada, respectively
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Discount stores were thriving. How did they stumble?
The Explainer Blame Walmart — and inflation
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Could a private equity deal be the end of Walgreens?
Today's Big Question The pharmacy chain will be taken private in a $10 billion deal