Communication Workers of America, a union representing approximately 11,000 workers at CenturyLink, rejected a contract proposal reached by the company and union bargaining teams. The temporary contract, which was extended from the previous contract since October, will be in effect until Thursday. At that point, the parties can either return to the bargaining table and renegotiate a new contract, or pursue a lockout or strike. The proposed contract raised employee health insurance costs by approximately 150%, provide lump-sum and wage increases, and ?included a commitment from the company ?to return jobs that have been outsourced and offshored??. The union says that a decision about how to proceed will be made by Thursday.
See "CWA District 7, CenturyLink?s largest union, rejects contract covering 11,000 workers", Andy Vuong, Denver Post, September 30, 2013