Communications workers union plans four-day strike against SBC

SAN ANTONIO (AP) _ The union representing 102,000 employees of SBC Communications said it would stage a four-day strike beginning Friday, following a deadlock in contract talks with the nation's No.

Monday, May 17th 2004, 9:38 am

By: News On 6

SAN ANTONIO (AP) _ The union representing 102,000 employees of SBC Communications said it would stage a four-day strike beginning Friday, following a deadlock in contract talks with the nation's No. 2 local phone company.

SBC's 13-state coverage area includes Texas, California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma and Connecticut. Among the workers planning to strike are telephone operators, customer service representatives, linemen and other technicians.

``This is an opportunity for the company to see how seriously we are taking this,'' Candice Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Communications Workers of America, said Wednesday.

An SBC spokesman did not immediately return a call. But the company has said it has contingency plans for management employees and retirees to handle key duties in case of a walkout.

The union has criticized the company for proposing a first-year wage freeze while shifting more health care costs. A strike would be CWA's first against SBC since 1983.

The company has said it is negotiating in good faith.

The contract expired in early April. Negotiations have been continuing in Washington with a federal mediator. But for the past three months, health care costs and job security issues have been sticking points.

In 2003, SBC was by far the most profitable of the four Baby Bell local-phone companies, earning $8.5 billion on revenue of $40.8 billion.