CenturyLink, union fail to reach labor agreement
DENVER (AP) — CenturyLink and the union representing 13,000 workers in 13 states in the West and Midwest have failed to reach a contract agreement, but agreed to a day-to-day extension of the expired pact.
The Communications Workers of America made the announcement after the existing labor contract just before midnight Saturday.
CWA spokesman Al Kogler said in a statement that negotiations will continue and workers will remain on the job during the extension.
Kogler has said the union opposes a proposed increase in health care premiums and wants to bring more jobs back to the U.S. The union had authorized a strike in the event that a new deal couldn't be reached with the Monroe, La.-based telecommunications company.
The workers involved are in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming.
CenturyLink workers in Montana, who are negotiating a separate contract, agreed to the extension.
The Communications Workers of America made the announcement after the existing labor contract just before midnight Saturday.
CWA spokesman Al Kogler said in a statement that negotiations will continue and workers will remain on the job during the extension.
Kogler has said the union opposes a proposed increase in health care premiums and wants to bring more jobs back to the U.S. The union had authorized a strike in the event that a new deal couldn't be reached with the Monroe, La.-based telecommunications company.
The workers involved are in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming.
CenturyLink workers in Montana, who are negotiating a separate contract, agreed to the extension.
Really another union strike... hire replacement workers and fire them all....healthcare costs go up every year, Unions need to understand even major companies pocketbooks are not endless! I pay for my healthcare out of my own pocket 100% and I get better plans than my employer offers me privately... maybe they should just say no we are not going to give you healthcare no more and here is a lump sum for you to go find a plan you can pay for yourselves...
This seems to be a repeated theme that labor union negotiations are becoming deadlocked over HEALTH CARE COSTS. Or should I say rising health care costs. Health care costs are killing our nation, killing our competitiveness, killing our pocket book.
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I still believe that Obama completely blew it by passing the affordable health care act without introducing a public single payer option that could be used as leverage to keep private health insurance in line. Unless individuals feel the pain that business is feeling, we'll never fix this mess.
WHO CARES?
 @slappywag You'd care if you or your company was looking to have phone/Internet services installed at some point this week.  If the workers aren't on the job, it doesn't get done.Â
Is there no CBA's at Comcast? Really, if it is not working for you find another job. One who works for a company is not going from cradle to grave in the environment we live in, regardless whether it be Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon etc.... Get a clue...
With the decline of copper delivered home phone service customers and a substantial growth for VOIP and cellular, erodes the companies bargaining power. Business customers are also their use of other communication options. I see significant job cuts on the horizon from legacy Telcos.
Don't believe in unions, don't believe in treating your employees unfairly. Â Don't believe in bullying... this is all a bunch of garbage
 @makeadifference You complain about excessive corporate profits, but the ONLY group that fights to pay the workers a larger share of those profits you complain about them as well.....I guess you believe that it only the Government can stop both the Unions and Corporations from their greedy ways.
@RTNavy @makeadifference Didn't say anything about excessive corporate profits. Don't believe the government can do much but infringe upon our rights. Thing you've got me all wrong.
 @makeadifference All unions?  If people hadn't united together against unfair treatment we'd all still be British.