Flying under the radar—or tucked away in the shadow--of AT&T’s contract negotiations with the Communications Workers of America, has been the company’s talks with its other major union, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The IBEW contract with AT&T—which covers some 10,000 union members at AT&T in Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, New England, and other states—expired Saturday at midnight.
Union members authorized a strike last month, but are continuing to work under the old contract. The major issue? Health care. Union members currently pay 8 percent of their costs, but the company thinks this contribution should increase, according to an AT&T spokesman.
Chicago-based Local 21 represents the workers; about 8,650 of them work for AT&T in Illinois and Indiana. Both sides say negotiations are ongoing and express hope an agreement can be reached soon, but with negotiations between the CWA and AT&T dragging into their third month, that may be wishful thinking.
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IBEW contract expires; talks continue with AT&T
Source: Fierce Telecom
Date: 06/30/2009
