Labor issues have affect one major US telco’s operations as the Communication Workers of America announced a nationwide weekend strike covering wireless, wireline and satellite employees at AT&T, Cricket Wireless and DirecTV.

The wireless strike, currently in effect in some 36 states and the District of Columbia, is the first to compromise a telecom’s retail presence — the CWA warns that some stores may be closed for the weekend. The Wall Street Journal reports that 21,000 positions are off for picketing. The latter two strikes affect California and Nevada with the wireline strike also up in Connecticut.

The fight is over downsizing and outsourcing of call center jobs and the lack of permanent contracts for all of its workers — between all of the walking workers, CWA has been under extensions for four contracts.

Three days of labor action won’t help AT&T improve on subscriber numbers, which fell in dramatic fashion in the latest earnings report. CWA also took issue with Verizon and negotiations for its wireline constituents last year.