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AT&T, Unions Bargain As Deadlines Loom

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The Associated Press

Published: April 4, 2009

NEW YORK - Negotiators for AT&T Inc. and union officials representing 112,500 employees said Friday they expect to bargain into the weekend on five labor contracts that expire tonight.

AT&T is looking to get the employees to cover more of their health care costs, among other concessions.

AT&T has several operations centers in Tampa Bay, generally focused on sales to business customers and providing data and voice connections for business. Wireless operations would not be affected, AT&T says.

Candice Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Communications Workers of America, declined to comment on whether union officials are moving any closer to calling a strike. Union workers voted to give their leaders that option last month.

"Right now we're focused on bargaining and trying to get quality contracts," she said.

The negotiations cover landline employees of Dallas-based AT&T. Six regions are represented in the talks, including one whose contract doesn't expire for several months.

AT&T spokesman Walt Sharp noted that negotiations typically continue until contracts expire and sometimes go beyond.

Tribune Reporter Richard Mullins contributed to this story.

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