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

DATE: SUNDAY, August 6, 1995                   TAG: 9508070122
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ATLANTA                                LENGTH: Medium

TWO COMPANIES AVERT WALKOUT

A threatened midnight strike was averted for two regional telephone companies late Saturday, while two other companies continued to negotiate with unionized workers to try to avoid a strike in 11 states.

In Chicago, Ameritech and the Communication Workers of America agreed to keep talking indefinitely.

The CWA said they are ``still extremely far apart on most of the key issues.'' Ameritech, with 32,000 CWA members, serves about 15.5 million lines in Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.

In Washington, D.C., Bell Atlantic and the CWA broke off talks but agreed to resume negotiations today. Union employees will continue to work without a contract, at least until the status of today's talks is assessed, CWA spokesman Doug Thompson said.

Bell Atlantic, with some 37,000 unionized workers, serves about 16 million lines in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the District of Columbia.

If talks fail between the CWA and the two other regional telephone companies, more than 95,000 unionized workers could go on strike at midnight, disrupting customer service, repairs and installations for about 29 million lines.

The union's membership has previously authorized its leaders to call a strike if necessary, but the unions could agree to extend deadlines if they are close to a deal.

A strike appeared most likely at Pacific Telesis, the parent company of Pacific Bell, where only informal talks continued. PacTel serves about 15 million lines and employs some 35,000 CWA members in California and Nevada.

In Atlanta, talks between BellSouth, which serves 20 million lines, and the union continued overnight into Saturday, said CWA spokeswoman Norma Powell. The union represents about 60,000 employees in Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana and the Carolinas.

``We're prepared to handle any situation, but we don't expect a strike,'' said BellSouth spokeswoman Kristie Madara. She would not comment on the talks, but the head of the union in Birmingham, Ala., Terry Davis, said negotiations were ``slow and difficult.''

by CNB