As many as 70 Bakersfield AT&T employees have hit the picket line in protest of a fellow co-worker who was suspended.

The employees are picketing in the 100 block of B Street.

They're calling Tuesday morning's demonstration a "grievance protest". 

An AT&T spokesman responded saying:

A walkout is not in anyone’s best interest, and it’s unfortunate that the union chose to do that. We’re engaged in discussion with the union to get these employees back to work as soon as possible.

He added AT&T is "the largest employer of full-time union labor in the U.S., and proud of our strong longstanding relationship with our unions."