News

A week after voting to authorize a strike if necessary, members of The Newspaper Guild-CWA Local 32035 at the Baltimore Sun strongly yet angrily ratified a four-year contract June 24, two hours before their previous contract expired.

CWA reached a tentative early settlement with Qwest Communications that protects health care and other benefits and sets up a bonus plan that ensures workers will share in Qwest's profitability when the company's financial outlook turns around, CWA District 7 Vice President John Thompson said.

CWA Vice Pres. Ralph Maly, Communications and Technologies, tells AT&T shareholders and executives that providing quality service should be the company's primary focus and that means investment in a quality workforce and plant and equipment improvements.

Local 3673 members striking against Verizon South in western North Carolina have been enjoying the support of their communities and, it appears, law enforcement and the media as they continue to walk picket lines in eight counties.

In early negotiations, CWA and AT&T agreed to a tentative 25-month contract extension that boosts wages by 5.75 percent and pensions by 5 percent, and also improves job security for the 22,000 workers, CWA Communications and Technologies Vice President Ralph Maly said.