(Reuters) - The Communications Workers of America (CWA) have informed AT&T ( T ) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service that it would no longer be a part of the mediation, as the union argues that the company has used this process to stall negotiations, it said in a statement on Monday.

"The company was using the mediation process as another delaying tactic," said CWA District 3 Vice President Richard Honeycutt.

More than 17,000 Workers represented by the CWA union, which include technicians, customer service representatives, and others who install, maintain, and support AT&T's ( T ) residential and business wireline telecommunications network, remain on strike which began last month.