Early Wednesday morning, negotiators for the Communications Workers of America announced that they are ending their unfair labor practice strike against AT&T Southeast. More than 20,000 CWA members returned to work at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Ben Price, a utility operator and local vice president of CWA 3372 in Danville said at 2 p.m.  Wednesday, “We are all out in the field working now.”

Members of the CWA local 3372 at AT&T in Danville were among thousands of other members across nine states who were on strike that began at midnight on Friday. On Monday and Tuesday, the company’s 16 local employees stood on North Fourth Street in front of AT&T’s building and held signs that read “AT&T Unfair & Don’t Care,” “Investigate AT$T” and “CWA on strike.”

Price said he thought the strike went wonderfully in Danville.

“The outpouring of love and support from the community was really very touching,” Price said. Passers-by honked their horns in support of the strikers and others brought them food, he added.

The CWA members had only one negative response while they were standing on the sidewalk Price said, but it was “directed toward AT&T and not us.”

Members of AT&T’s bargaining team and representatives of the CWA were meeting in Atlanta and things were looking good for negotiations to continue, Price said.

“CWA members’ spirit and solidarity over the last four days showed the company that we would not back down until they bargained with us in good faith,” said CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt. “This was a historic strike that showed the power that working people have when they join together.”

The Communications Workers of America represents working men and women in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, public service, healthcare and education, and manufacturing.