DENVER—Members of the largest union at Qwest Communications International Inc. have ratified a new contract that includes a 12 percent wage increase over its four-year term.
The Communications Workers of America said Friday that 77 percent of voting members ratified the deal that covers about 20,000 employees in 13 states.
Union members earlier had rejected a proposed three-year contract.
The latest contract, which expires Oct. 6, 2012, increases base salary for sales employees who receive commissions and increases pension benefits for new retirees. It also adds a monthly premium for health coverage, the union said.
The new contract includes work protections, such as coaching for employees at risk of missing productivity quotas, the union said.
“The settlement meets CWA’s key objectives of maintaining quality jobs, improving workplace and respect issues, increasing wages and pensions and safeguarding health care benefits,” the union said.
“We appreciate that the CWA and its membership carefully considered the tentative agreement and we believe that we are delivering a competitive compensation package for our workers,” said Rich Baer, general counsel and chief administrative officer for Denver-based Qwest.
The contract covers Qwest workers in Colorado, Arizona, Iowa, Idaho, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Workers in Montana are represented by another union, which was not expected to release results of a vote on a new contract offer until Tuesday.
