
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 27, 1995                   TAG: 9506020015
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                 LENGTH: Short

AT&T STRIKE POSSIBLE

American Telephone & Telegraph Co. and two unions representing about 110,000 workers face a midnight contract deadline today and both sides acknowledge critical issues remain unresolved.

Although AT&T spokesman Herb Linnen said he believes both sides want to avoid a strike, the company has taken precautions to insure that ``high quality service'' continues in any emergency.

``A great deal of the service we provide is automated and most people dial their calls directly,'' he noted. ``However, in cases where an operator would be involved, we would staff that position with a management person if a strike were to occur.''

``We're still very far apart on the major issues in these talks,'' said James Irvine, vice president of the Communications Workers of America, which is negotiating jointly with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

Although talks began April 3, both sides said unresolved issues include wages and pensions, employment security and union access to jobs in AT&T units currently outside its jurisdiction.

``It's fair to say a number of critical issues still have to be resolved,'' said Herb Linnen, spokesman for the nation's largest long-distance telephone company.

by CNB