Qwest’s union employees worked without a contract Sunday as labor negotiations with the Denver-based phone provider were hung up on health care and wages.
Company negotiators also raised concerns about recent acts of vandalism against the Qwest network, which prompted the Communications Workers of America to address the issue in a bargaining update.
“We also remind everyone that our argument is not with our customers; it is with our employer,” read the update. “Illegal acts such as vandalizing Qwest communication system is not something that CWA members do or condone.”
After taking a break for most of the day, negotiators resumed talks at 6 p.m. Sunday and continued into the night.
While progress was made in recent days when Qwest backed away from a demand to increase mandatory overtime, negotiators were stuck on how to share the spiraling costs of health care and other benefits.
“Qwest is adamant that they need changes in benefits, not only from the aspect of actual costs but also from the outstanding liabilities that are an inherent part of any benefit program,” said the union update.
Qwest union workers pay no health care premiums, but the company wants to change that. Two weeks ago, the company proposed that workers shoulder 30 percent of their health care costs by 2008.
On Saturday, Qwest also proposed its first wage increases, which union officials said were offset by the proposed increases in worker health care costs.
The two sides came close to an agreement late Saturday and agreed to continue talking beyond the expiration of the contract at midnight Saturday.
But by 4 a.m. Sunday, “that progress had slowed to a trickle” and negotiators took a break.
The lack of a contract means Qwest’s union employees, mainly call center and repair workers, could strike at any time as directed by the union’s national president. The CWA represents 25,000 Qwest workers in 13 of the 14 states where Qwest provides local phone service.
A Qwest spokesman said Sunday that chief executive Richard Notebaert was keeping in close touch with negotiators.
“Negotiators continue to bargain in good faith,” said Qwest’s Bob Toevs.
Much is riding on the talks.
Qwest, the weakest of the four regional Bell operating systems, is burdened with $17 billion in debt. Its phone customers are being whittled away by wireless carriers, cable companies and Internet phone providers.
A strike would risk angering customers with delays in repairs and new services and a long time on hold for customer service representatives.
Denver resident Shane Seitz and his wife, Meagan, are already seeking alternatives to Qwest.
“The strike doesn’t worry me. Our service is already disrupted,” said Seitz, who canceled Qwest phone service recently at his apartment after billing problems.
The Seitzes now use Qwest only for high-speed Internet service. They use T-Mobile cellphones for calls.
“We decided to go down to the bare minimum with Qwest,” Meagan Seitz said.
Staff writer Ross Wehner can be reached at 303-820-1503 or rwehner@denverpost.com.