WASHINGTON (AP) – In the ninth day of talks with a federal mediator, representatives of Verizon and two unions kept working on a new contract Wednesday. The company’s 79,000 unionized telephone employees remained on the job.

Spokesmen for both Verizon and the Communications Workers of America reported that talks were ongoing but no agreement had been reached.

The main issues remain unchanged. Verizon wants to cut costs in its shrinking local phone service division. The unions are concerned about job security and the company’s request that they pay a higher portion of health care costs.

The CWA represents about 57,000 workers seeking a contract, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers represents around 22,000, according to Verizon.

Employees are working without a contract, which expired over the weekend, but have remained on the job as negotiations continue.

The contract would apply to workers in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Verizon said service disruptions would be minimal in case of a walkout because company managers and contract workers were ready to step in. Telephone repairs and new installations would be most vulnerable to disruption.

—

On the Net:

Verizon: http://www.verizon.com

Communications Workers of America: http://www.cwa-union.org

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers: http://www.ibew.org/

AP-ES-08-06-03 1702EDT