Qwest, union still stuck on forced OT

08/12/2005

Steve Alexander,
Star Tribune
August 12, 2005

Two days before the expiration of Qwest’s union contract, the company and its largest labor union remain far apart on the issue of mandatory overtime, the Communications Workers of America said Thursday.

Wage issues also remain to be resolved, said the union, which represents 25,000 Qwest workers represented in 13 states, including Minnesota. Qwest has 3,300 CWA union workers in Minnesota out of a total of 4,600 employees.

Last week the CWA voted to authorize a strike if no agreement is reached with Qwest by 1 a.m. Sunday.

The chance of a strike may be greater than it was a week ago, when analysts thought it unlikely, said Donna Jaegers, an analyst with research firm Janco Partners in Denver.

Qwest said it expects to reach an agreement with the union but declined to discuss the talks.

“Qwest and the union continue to bargain in good faith, and we fully expect to reach an agreement by the deadline,” said Qwest spokesman Bob Toevs.

Qwest serves 14 states, but in Montana its workers are represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. That contract expires later.

“On a number of members’ critical issues, particularly their concern about the abusive level of forced overtime hours that Qwest is demanding, there is no resolution in sight,” the CWA said.

Qwest has proposed increasing mandatory overtime from eight hours a week to 16 hours, which the union opposes because of the hardship it imposes on union members and their families.

The union limited overtime to eight hours in its 1998 contract, which the CWA says was extended in 2001 and 2003. Qwest says a new contract was negotiated in 2003.

“It took a two-week strike to reach an agreement on this critical issue [in 1998]. We hope Qwest doesn’t force our members again to make such a choice,” the CWA said.

“It seems like they are really stuck on the mandatory overtime issue,” Jaegers said. “The union is in a stronger position than Qwest is, because customer service really gets damaged in a strike. And this is not a good time for Qwest to get a black eye in service, because cable TV company Comcast is rolling out their digital telephone service in cities in Qwest territory such as Seattle; Portland, Ore.; Salt Lake City, and Denver.”

Wage issues also have not been resolved, but wages typically are the last issue to be negotiated in labor talks, said CWA spokeswoman Candice Johnson.

The CWA has sought a “fair” wage increase after two years of wage freezes but has not been specific.

In 2003, the union agreed to the wage freezes but negotiated some lump-sum payments to workers. Disagreements over health care costs also have yet to be resolved.

“We are very far apart on the issues, and there is little time to get an agreement put together by the end of the week,” Johnson said.

The CWA is planning a rally for Qwest union members at noon today outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis.