AT&T; Drafting Plan for Early Retirements

American Telephone & Telegraph Co., continuing a campaign to cut costs, said today that it is drafting an early retirement program for some of its 165,000 non-management workers and is in talks with its two major unions over the plans.

“We’re exploring it right now,” said AT&T; spokesman Burke Stinson. “We have a fistful of plans right now, but no handshake on any one of them.”

He did not disclose how many employees may be affected, and no time frame for a plan was given.

Stinson said the interest in such a plan began last year when AT&T; offered a pension sweetener to managers that was accepted by about 12,500, or about 37% of those eligible.

More cuts would have to be approved by AT&T;’s two biggest unions, the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

The company has been using work-force reductions as its main method for cutting costs. AT&T; has cut staff by more than 90,000 since its 1984 divestiture.

Stinson said the telecommunications giant cut its work force, which is currently at 281,400, by about 25,500 jobs last year.

Last December the company said it plans to cut an additional 8,500 jobs this year.