More Information About the Qwest/CenturyLink Deal

We continue to have many questions about this deal. We look forward to serious discussions with the management of both Qwest and CenturyLink and for answers to our questions and concerns. Our focus will be jobs and employment security, the rights of union-represented workers at the companies, and investment in high speed Internet in our communities.

Jobs and Quality Service

CWA represents about 15,000 workers at Qwest in 14 states, from Iowa and Minnesota in the Midwest to the Rocky Mountain states to the Pacific Northwest and Arizona and Mexico in the Southwest. It’s a big territory. We also represent about 3,700 workers at CenturyLink, including Century Tel workers and those from the former Embarq, with much of the company’s operations in rural communities. (The IBEW represents about 3,000 workers at CenturyLink.)

We want to make sure that this deal works for communities and workers, not just Wall Street. All too often, terms like “merger synergies” mean job cuts, pay cuts or both. In initial documents, CenturyLink said it plans to find $625 million in “synergies.” What exactly does this mean? 

Keeping quality jobs is a big consideration. That’s important to workers and their families, of course, but it’s also important to communities, especially in some of the smaller communities where both Qwest and CenturyLink operate. Quality jobs mean quality service, both in traditional telecom and for future technology.

Investment

In terms of investment, we all know that high speed broadband will determine whether communities develop an economic foundation or fade away. It’s not at all different from the impact on communities of suddenly losing their water rights or losing major highway or road traffic. In those cases, most communities just fade away, and the same will be true for communities without high speed broadband access.

High speed broadband is the key factor for business and job growth and economic development. And there won’t be any high speed broadband networks without investment. We want to be certain that the CenturyLink-Qwest deal not only acknowledges the need for investment in high speed broadband, but offers specific commitments to meet the goals that the Federal Communications Commission has outlined in its new national broadband plan.

One part of this plan really is critical to rural and small communities, and that is to provide a one gigabit buildout to the anchor institutions in these communities, that means hospitals, schools and libraries, so that residents can be a part of the Internet Age. The plan also calls for a buildout that passes 80 percent of households by 2015 that provides for 50 megabits down and 20 up of high speed service.

How will CenturyLink provide high speed broadband to customers? 

Workers’ Rights

Currently at Qwest, anyone can join the union without interference from management. This is something our union worked hard to achieve in the 1980s, and the result is that a high percentage of Qwest operations have union representation. Workers need to know that their rights will be respected in any new company.

How will a combined Qwest-CenturyLink safeguard workers’ rights? What are the guarantees?  

What We Will Do

CWA members at both companies will be looking for answers to these questions and other important issues as this deal moves forward.

The deal will be considered by regulators in 37 states, plus the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission. That gives us opportunity to make the case that communities and workers also must benefit from this deal, not just Wall Street bankers and retiring executives.

There also are two scheduled shareholder meetings: May 12 in Denver (Qwest) and May 20 in Monroe, LA. (CenturyLink).