TELEPHONE WORKERS PLAN 4-DAY STRIKE DISPUTE IS OVER COST OF MEDICAL CARE.

Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer

The union representing about 100,000 workers at SBC Communications Inc. on Wednesday ordered a four-day strike beginning Friday at midnight, potentially disrupting telephone and Internet service nationwide through the weekend.

Employees represented by the Communications Workers of America are prepared to walk out after the expiration of a monthlong contract extension. Health care and job security are among the issues surrounding three months of fruitless negotiations.

Approximately 30,000 SBC employees could strike in California and Nevada, with many of the workers experiencing their first contract dispute in more than a decade.

The union and SBC have yet to plan another round of talks.

``This isn't a fight to get more, it's a fight to keep what we have,'' said Robert Eveler, a strike coordinator and SBC systems technician in Van Nuys. ``And the company continues to make regressive offers.''

Under the proposed contract, SBC employees would see their copayment for health care rise on average by $420 a year. Employees are currently making copayments of about 4 percent to 7 percent, with SBC proposing about a 150 percent increase.

The San Antonio-based company is also planning to start a three-tier drug plan in 2005, charging $10 for generic drugs, $20 for formulary drugs and $40 for brand name drugs. Eveler said workers usually pay about $5 or less for generic prescriptions.

``Obviously, these issues cause some trepidation in people and we feel confident about standing up for these things,'' he said.

That fear could translate to the network of phone lines SBC operates throughout Los Angeles. SBC has contingency plans in place should a dearth of operators and technicians disrupt phone and Internet connections. The San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita account for the most extensive SBC network in the Los Angeles region.

``There's really no need to worry, considering the phone network is basically automated,'' said Marc Bien, a spokesman for the company.

SBC is also planning to hire retirees through a vendor, although the extent of that hiring will be unknown until the need arises. Bien said the company has implemented more interactive voice recognition services, easing the onus of hiring more temporary workers.

Eveler said despite these plans, consumers could still see delays in service. But even more important to Eveler is that the company comes through for employees to avoid another work stoppage.

``There are all sorts of different people working for the company. Some can't afford that much time away from work,'' he said.

The salaries of SBC employees generally range between $38,000 and $60,000 a year, with a majority of the work force netting close to $45,000 annually. Starting salaries for operators in the Los Angeles region generally begin at $38,000 a year, with higher wages usually designated for service technicians.

SBC's proposal calls for employees to receive 4 percent of their salary in one lump sum for the first year and about a 7.5 percent increase in salary over the subsequent three years. Eveler said employees currently receive about a 10.5 percent increase in wages during a three-year period.

Many of the issues echoed by SBC employees are similar to the woes that surfaced during the grocery workers strike. Health care weighs heavy on the bottom lines of many corporations, influencing executives to pass more of the cost along to employees.

The longevity of jobs also continues to shorten, especially on the heels of advances in technology. Wireless technologies are leading SBC and other telephone companies to downsize because they no longer need as many workers.

``These are critical issues. But health care is the No. 1 strike issue in the country. And this is a clear example of the ongoing conflict with regard to employers trying to shift the burden to employees,'' said Kent Wong, director of the Center for Labor Research and Education at the University of California at Los Angeles.

To bolster the cause, SBC employees are asking friends and family members to pledge they will switch local and long-distance service should the union need more negotiating leverage.

``By doing this, union members are sending a strong message to management,'' Wong said. ``It's also a way of generating public pressure when people have disruption with their phone service.''

Evan Pondel, [phone]

evan.pondel(at)dailynews.com