More than 21,000 AT&T Inc. wireless employees represented by the Communications Workers of America, or CWA struck a tentative deal to ensure gender identity protections, raise pay and curb outsourcing of jobs.

Also, the CWA's tentative agreement with AT&T provides 10.1% in raises over the course of the contract and shifts $2,500 from commission to base pay for retail workers. AT&T wireless retail workers would be paid an average $19.20 per hour by the end of the four-year contract, about 74% more than the national average pay for retail workers, the labor union said Dec. 21.

The CWA also has negotiated gender identity protections in other AT&T contracts covering wire line workers in the Southeast and in a legacy national contract.