P.M. BRIEFING : 3,000 Strike at Cincinnati Bell
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CINCINNATI — Managers handled operator-assistance calls and took over other duties after 3,000 union members went on strike against Cincinnati Bell over health benefits and a plan that would require workers to pay part of their health premiums.
The union, representing operators, clerical workers and installers, walked out on Mother’s Day, one of the busiest calling days of the year, after a 14-hour bargaining session broke down early Sunday. No new talks were scheduled.
Company spokeswoman Cyndy Cantoni said direct calls are automated and weren’t affected, and people making long-distance calls on Mother’s Day saw no difference because Cincinnati Bell is not a long distance carrier.
Cantoni said 1,000 management workers were called in to fill in for the strikers, and some will put in 12-hour shifts for the duration of the strike.
The company serves more than 500,000 customers in the Cincinnati area and portions of northern Kentucky and southeastern Indiana.
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