SBC workers take to the picket lines over the weekend

Monday, July 12th 2004, 5:51 am

By: News On 6

For the second time in two months, SBC workers took to the picket lines over the weekend. In May, union members with the Communications Workers of America went on a four-day strike for better health insurance and job security.

Negotiations ended with both sides reaching a five year deal to improve wages and strengthen employment security. Now employees say they're working too much and barely have time with their families.

Tulsa Union president Dave Ratcliff says telephone technicians are working too much overtime, sometimes 12 to 14 hour days, seven days a week. â€œThey laid off technicians in an effort to save money and now they're going to work the rest of them like dogs."

Ratcliff says the problem has become a safety issue, technicians working long hours in a hundred degree heat without much rest.

SBC says employees are working more because recent Tulsa storms have increased employee workload.