CWA Contract Expires at Qwest, Union Remains Committed to Fair Bargaining

Contact: Al Kogler, CWA District 7, 303-770-2822 and Candice Johnson, CWA Communications, 202-434-1168, cjohnson@cwa-union.org

Denver – Negotiations have stalled between CWA and Qwest Communications, but CWA remains committed to bargaining a fair contract for the 20,000 workers who have made substantial contributions over past years that have enabled Qwest to move forward, said CWA District 7 Vice President Louise Caddell.

The contract expired at 12:01 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 17, but terms and conditions such as the current wages and health care coverage for workers and their families remain in force. At this time, workers will continue to report to their jobs.

The CWA bargaining team expressed frustration over Qwest management's failure to respond to numerous proposals that the union has made since the beginning of bargaining. This evening, in an effort to reach an agreement, the union made a comprehensive proposal that Qwest rejected out of hand without response. The company also has failed to respond to key information requests.

"Our goal remains gaining a fair contract and we are prepared to continue to bargain in good faith to reach the agreement our members deserve," Caddell said.

The contract covers 20,000 CWA-represented workers in 13 states.