Phone Workers May Strike

More than 200,000 unionized workers at six regional phone companies, including Pacific Bell, are prepared to strike at midnight Saturday if negotiations fail to produce new contracts.

The companies said a strike would not interrupt service.

The employees, members of the Communication Workers of America, include operators, repair workers, technicians and customer service representatives. They hold the bulk of non-management jobs at the companies.

“Job security is the big issue,” said Jeffrey Miller, a union spokesman in Washington. The companies “are all positioning to go beyond basic telephone service . . . cutting to the bone to make these investments.”