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Jul 1, 2008 8:17 am US/Central
Qwest Union Contract Set To Expire Before DNC, RNC
By Jodi Brooks
DENVER (CBS4) ―
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Qwest is the official telecommunications provider for the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities the week after the Democratic convention.
AP
Qwest Communications said it has a plan in place to fulfill its commitment for providing services to the Democratic National Convention, even if union workers strike nine days beforehand when their current contract expires.
"We are confident Qwest and the unions will reach an agreement in a timely manner," the company said in a statement made to KCNC-TV in Denver. "In the very unlikely event of a work stoppage, Qwest is prepared to meet our commitment to the DNC."
The company is also the official telecommunications provider for the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities the week after the Democratic convention.
The Democratic National Convention begins on Aug. 25. The Qwest union contract is set to expire on Aug. 16.
Qwest said it doesn't expect a strike to happen.
As the official telecommunications provider, Qwest is set to provide wireline voice and data services including high speed Internet for the convention, the delegates and more than 15,000 members of the media. Qwest will expand the fiber network around Pepsi Center, adding data lines, voice circuits and miles of other cable.
"That is not our intention at all to do anything that would interrupt that convention at all," said Al Kogler, organizing coordinator for the Communications Workers of America.
The CWA represents about 21,000 Qwest workers, including employees in both Denver and the Twin Cities.
"We settle about 97, 98 percent of our contract negotiations without a strike, but there is the potential," said Kogler.
Qwest workers last went on strike in 1998 for nearly three weeks.
"A strike affects the community, our customers, our members, the company," Kogler said. "We don't ever want to go to strike. It's something we always do as an absolute last resort."
Health care and pay increases are expected to be issues in the contract talks. Workers agreed to a pay freeze five years ago.
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