September Vote on Contract for Quest Workers

Qwest Union Sets Contract Vote Deadline

Fri Aug 19, 5:36 PM ET

The Communications Workers of America has set a Sept. 30 deadline for nearly 25,000 Qwest Communications employees to vote on a tentative contract agreement.

CWA District 7 officials are expected to begin meeting with local leaders across a 13-state region to discuss the terms of the contract, which calls for a 7.5 percent pay hike over three years, an eight-hour cap on mandatory overtime and some changes to health care benefits.

The union and Qwest Communications International Inc. reached the agreement late Tuesday averting a potential strike.

Employees covered by the contract have gone two years without a raise in basic wages and had been concerned about being required to put in more overtime hours as well as paying more for health care.

The contract covers Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, South Dakota, North Dakota, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and Utah.

Qwest negotiated separately with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers representing about 300 workers in Montana.

Qwest shares rose 10 cents, or 2.6 percent, to close at $3.89 Friday on the New York Stock Exchange.

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On the Net:

Communications Workers of America: http://www.cwa-union.org/district7/

Qwest Communications International Inc.: http://www.qwest.com