CWA: EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, INVESTMENT IN HIGH SPEED BROADBAND MUST BE PART OF QWEST-CENTURYLINK DEAL.

WASHINGTON, DC -- The following information was released by the Communications Workers of America (CWA):

The Communications Workers of America looks forward to serious discussions with the management of both Qwest Communications and CenturyLink. Our focus will be the employment security and rights of our members and investment in high speed Internet in our communities.

Our nation is plagued by job cuts and Wall Street terms like "merger synergies" that are often just shorthand for job cuts or pay cuts. President Obama's job summit and recent legislation put jobs front and center, not just at a conference but in all governmental decision-making.

Just weeks ago, the Federal Communications Commission published its broadband plan. Central to the plan is a one gigabit build-out to anchor institutions in every community, and by 2015, a build-out of 50 megabits down and 20 megabits up to 80 percent of households.

We will work with management, and with the FCC and state regulators, to make sure that this merger offers specific commitments to meet these goals.