One union threatening to strike against Ameritech Services postponed its deadline and still was negotiating with company representatives early Sunday evening, while another had reached a tentative agreement with the company.
Officials from the regional office of the Communication Workers of America (CWA) said Sunday that they still were discussing pay, employment security and health-care issues with Ameritech negotiators. Greg Kenefick, spokesman for the CWA regional office in Rocky River, Ohio, which represents regional Bell telephone company union members in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, said negotiators had made progress in the discussions and hoped to reach an agreement soon.
”At this point we are still talking,” Kenefick said. ”There`s still a lot to be resolved but we feel there`s progress being made.”
The CWA talks affect a total of 37,000 Ameritech workers, including 2,700 from Illinois.
Meanwhile, Ameritech did reach a tentative agreement over the weekend with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The agreement includes provisions for higher wages, job upgrades and improved pension and family care plans. The three-year contract covers 500 employees in Illinois and Indiana, most of whom work in internal data support and purchasing and material management functions. Work at Ameritech will continue during all negotiations.
