AT&T (NYSE: T) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) could not reach an agreement by the Saturday midnight expiration of their West Region wireline contract, but the two sides said they will continue to negotiate a new contract.
During the negotiation period, West Region wireline employees will continue to work under the terms of the expired contract.
The West Region wireline contract covers nearly 16,000 employees in California and Nevada.
Similar to the negotiations between Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and the CWA, Tom Runnion, VP of CWA District 9, said that AT&T is demanding concessions related to health care, sick time and pensions.
"For weeks we have called on AT&T West to get serious about bargaining and negotiate a fair agreement for its workers," Runnion, in a release. "Our members showed their determination to achieve a fair contract with over 95% voting to authorize a strike if necessary."
Likewise in a separate negotiation, AT&T did not reach a tentative agreement prior to the 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time expiration of a contract covering nearly 200 wireline employees in the company's East region, which covers Connecticut.
The two sides said they have agreed to continue bargaining and those employees will also continue to work under the terms of their expired contract.
AT&T and the CWA began negotiations in three of the telco's states covered by these contracts in March.
For more:
- see the release
- and this AT&T post
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