DALLAS, Dec. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T* today announced that AT&T Southwest has reached a tentative agreement with the Communications Workers of America District 6 in wireline contract negotiations.

The four-year agreement covers about 20,000 wireline employees in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, and will be submitted to the CWA's membership for a ratification vote in coming days. 

The two sides agreed earlier this month to start negotiations early. The current contract expires on April 6, 2013.

If the agreement is ratified on or before Jan. 31, 2013, a ratification bonus of $1,000 will be paid to each eligible employee. The agreement would be effective April 7, 2013 and expire April 8, 2017. 

The agreement includes general wage increases in each year of the contract -- 2.25 percent the first year, 2.5 percent the second year, 2.75 percent the third year, and 3 percent the fourth year. It includes a 1 percent pension band increase in each year of the contract for most employees, and an expansion to additional employees of a guaranteed job offer provision that promises qualified surplus employees a guaranteed job opportunity with AT&T. It maintains one of the most robust health care plans in the nation, with increases in employee contributions.

AT&T wireline employees represented by the CWA earlier ratified, on Aug. 17, three-year contracts for the Midwest region and AT&T Corp. (CWA Telecommunications and Technology Office); and on Dec. 7 a three-year contract for the Southeast region. These ratified agreements collectively cover about 40,000 AT&T wireline employees. 

More information will be posted as it is available at www.att.com/corewirelinebargaining

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.