Occupy protestors arrested at AT&T building

Police arrested a dozen Occupy Atlanta protesters Monday afteoon at the AT&T building in Midtown Atlanta.

Demonstrators’ hands were tied by police and they were carried out after sitting in a circle in the building's lobby and refusing to leave private property.

Outside the building, protesters said they were angry with the communication company's decision to lay off 740 employees. Service technician Ed Barlow believes his livelihood is on the line.

"Why should my job be in jeopardy?" Barlow said. "I want to work."

"There are people affected, families affected, homes being foreclosed," he said. "I don't want to be in that situation, he added.

AT&T representatives said the number of layoffs is closer to 550 jobs in the region. They said that is less than one fifth of the people they've hired in the past six months. Protesters were not receptive to that explanation.

At one point all of the doors of the AT& T building were locked as police stood at the doorways. Channel 2 Action News Reporter Carl Willis was able to speak with one of the protesters via cellphone.

"We're going to sit here until they hand tie us and carry us out," Will Marshall said moments before being arrested.

According to an AT&T statement released Monday, almost all of the people affected have been given a guaranteed job offer within AT&T.

However, Walter Andrews, the president of Local 3204 Communication Workers of America, said many of the positions that have been filled pay less than service technician jobs they're replacing and offer no benefits.

AT&T said that the shift in positions is due in part to customers disconnecting wireline access.

Andrews said he didn't think that justified the company's decision.

"Wireless people are selling wireline products," he said. "They're merging them together. The work is still there but they're just greedy."

Protesters said they will retu to the building Tuesday with an even larger showing.