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The Association of U S
WEST Retirees
 

 
 

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News & Information

(Click on the underlined navy Headline to read the full article)

Qwest faces deadline on union pact By Steve Raabs Denver Post Friday, August 15, 2008 Negotiations between Qwest and its chief union are picking up speed as their labor contract nears expiration

Veteran Justice Dept. attorney to handle Nacchio case By Andy Vuong Denver Post Wednesday, August 13, 2008 Article Last Updated: 08/13/2008 03:50:33 PM MDT A veteran Department of Justice attorney who has argued 100 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court will handle the appellate review of former Qwest chief executive Joe Nacchio's illegal insider-trading case

Heavy hitter landed for Nacchio case By Jeff Smith Rocky Mountain News Thursday, August 14, 2008 A veteran Supreme Court attorney will represent the government in the full appellate court case against former Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio in September

Telstra's Net Rises 14% By Sam Holmes The Wall Street Journal Wednesday, August 13, 2008 SYDNEY-- Telstra Corp., Australia's biggest telecommunications company, said Wednesday annual net profit rose 14% from the previous year, boosted by increased mobile and broadband revenues, but slightly below market expectations

Insurers Expect Health-Care Costs To Rise More Than 10% Next Year Associated Press The Wall Street Journal Tuesday, August 12, 2008 Health-care costs are expected to rise more than 10% into next year, according to a survey of insurers by Aon Consulting Worldwide

Verizon labor deal could bode well for Denver telco By Jeff Smith Rocky Mountain News Tuesday, August 12, 2008 A Verizon labor agreement Sunday that averted a potential strike could bode well for successful Qwest-union talks, though both sides were quick to say Monday the financial situation is different here

Verizon Settlement Provides New Union Jobs, Protects Health Care for Active and Retired Workers, Boosts Wages, Pensions for 65,000 Monday, August 11, 2008 Washington, D.C. -- A new tentative three-year contract settlement with Verizon achieves union employees' major goals of promoting union jobs and expanding bargaining rights

Verizon-Union Deal Averts Strike. Three-Year Pact Will Create Jobs; Ratification Awaits By Amol Sharma The Wall Street Journal
Monday, August 11, 2008
Verizon Communications
Inc. reached a deal with two labor unions covering 65,000 workers, averting a potential strike that could have affected the telecom giant's installation and repair operations in Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states

CWA votes to authorize Qwest strike Denver Post Sunday, August 10, 2008 Members of Communications Workers of America District 7 voted to authorize a strike against Qwest if negotiations fail to produce a new contract, union officials said Saturday night

Qwest adds millions to settle old lawsuit By Jeff Smith Rocky Mountain News Thursday, August 7, 2008 Qwest Communications has agreed to pay an additional $40 million to settle a lingering, 7-year-old class-action securities fraud lawsuit, according to a regulatory filing Wednesday

Qwest cites competition in 24 percent income decline By Steve Raabe Denver Post Wednesday, August 6, 2008 Article Last Updated: 08/06/2008 09:10:02 AM MDT Denver-based Qwest reported a 24 percent drop in net income for the second quarter as the company lost phone customers to cable and wireless providers

Qwest Posts Lower Profit, Trims Full-Year Outlook By Donna Kardos and Shirleen Dorman The Wall Street Journal Wednesday, August 6, 2008 11:26 a.m. Qwest Communications International Inc. reported a 24% drop in second-quarter profit amid declining revenue and a tax charge

Companies Tap Pension Plans To Fund Executive Benefits. Little-Known Move Uses Tax Break Meant For Rank and File The Wall Street Journal By Ellen E. Schultz and Theo Francis Monday, August 4, 2008 At a time when scores of companies are freezing pensions for their workers, some are quietly converting their pension plans into resources to finance their executives' retirement benefits and pay

Qwest plans cybercenter in Albuquerque The Associated Press Denver Post Saturday, August 2, 2008 SANTA FE Some funds for a planned $40 million Qwest Communications cybercenter in Albuquerque can count toward state-mandated service improvements

SEC to consider reporting changes By Ian Katz, Bloomberg News
Denver Post Monday, August 4, 2008
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will begin considering some of the 25 proposals from an advisory group seeking to make financial reporting less complex, Chairman Christopher Cox said

Verizon Workers' Unions Delay Planned Strike, Continue Talks By Amol Sharma The Wall Street Journal Sunday, August 3, 2008 Unions representing workers at Verizon Communications Inc. delayed a planned strike, citing progress in their weekend contract negotiations with the telecom giant

Verizon, Unions Negotiate As Strike Deadline Looms By Amol Sharma The Wall Streeet Journal Saturday, August 2, 2008 Verizon Communications Inc. was facing a weekend labor strike deadline as it negotiated Friday with unions representing about 65,000 employees

Retirees cheer Nacchio decision By Alex McCarthy and Andy Vuong Denver Post Thursday, July 31, 2008 Qwest retirees rejoiced over Wednesday's decision that a full panel of appellate judges will reconsider former Qwest chief executive Joe Nacchio's insider-trading conviction

Second look at bid for new Nacchio trial. Full appeals court to decide whether conviction stands By Sara Burnett and Jeff Smith Thursday, July 31, 2008 The Department of Justice scored a victory Wednesday in its ongoing case against Joe Nacchio, as the full 10th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to consider whether the former Qwest CEO's conviction should stand

Computer Glitch? Consider Calling the Phone Company By Andrew LaValle The Wall Street Journal Thursday, July 31, 2008 When Rob Tugman's computers started acting up, he called the manufacturer

Qwest names Tom Richards operations chief By Andy Vuong Denver Post Wednesday, July 30, 2009 Qwest and its board of directors announced today that Tom Richards has been appointed chief operating officer

Qwest's Richards takes on new responsibilities By Jeff Smith Rocky Mountain News Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Qwest has promoted Tom Richards to chief operating officer, a title the Denver telco hasn't used since 2000.

Renewables attract Anschutz. The Denver billionaire's company plans to generate and transmit wind power By Andy Vuong Denver Post Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Philip Anschutz (RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post) Denver billionaire investor Philip Anschutz is plugging into the red-hot renewable-energy field, announcing plans to develop multibillion-dollar wind-farm and transmission-line projects

Bell Canada to Cut 2,500 Jobs Associated Press The Wall Street Journal Tuesday, July 29, 2008 BCE Inc. said it is cutting about 2,500 positions at Bell Canada, representing about 6% of the unit's total workforce

Chairman Tchuruk, CEO Russo To Step Down From Alcatel-Lucent By Leila Abboud and Jethro Mullen The Wall Street Journal Tuesday, July 29, 2008 PARIS The architects of the trans-Atlantic merger that created Alcatel-Lucent two years ago are stepping aside

Qwest insists network price caps unnecessary. The FCC wants better competition in four markets to lift controls. By Alex McCarthy Denver Post
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Qwest Communications is looking to prove that its level of market competition meets regulators' standards after the Federal Communications Commission denied its forbearance petition Friday, a company official said

Retirees claim 'threat' by Qwest ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL By Jack King Journal Staff Writer Monday, July 28, 2008 In the latest development in an on-going legal battle, representatives of a Qwest retirees association charge the company's lawyers have threatened the phone company's retirees' with the loss of the life insurance in their retirement packages

Unions Rally, Vowing Strike at Verizon By Javier C. Hernandez New York Times Sunday, July 27, 2008 The unions representing 65,000 Verizon workers on Saturday resounded a pledge to strike if demands for higher wages, caps on health care payments and limits on outsourcing jobs are not honored

Qwest petition denied by FCC By Kimberly S. Johnson Denver Post Saturday, July 26, 2008 The Federal Communications Commission denied a forbearance petition by Qwest Friday that would have let the carrier charge more to wholesale customers that must lease the company's "last-mile" network lines

Enron prosecutor on Joe Nacchio team. Sean Berkowitz has role defending former Qwest CEO By Keith Coffman, Special To Rocky Rocky Mountain News Thursday, July 24, 2008 The lawyer who prosecuted former Enron executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling is now on the other side of the white-collar crime legal fence -- defending former Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio from civil fraud charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission

Qwest eyes Phoenix in regulation case By Jeff Smith Rocky Mountain News Wednesday, July 23, 2008 With Qwest's request to remove wholesale price regulation in four metro areas an uphill battle, the Denver telco is focusing its final efforts on its best case: Phoenix

Tough Times Prompt Patients to Skip Care By Benjamin Brewer, M.D. The Wall Street Journal Wednesday, July 23, 2008 With gas prices hovering around $4 a gallon, my patients are cutting back on medical care

Lawsuit Threatens Sarbanes-Oxley Act By Jane Bryant Quinn Washington Post Sunday, July 20, 2008 Just when you thought that the drive toward better financial accounting couldn't be stopped, a stick may be shoved into the spokes

New Breed of Directors Reaches Out to Shareholders. Treading a Fine Line Between Apologist, Sympathetic Ear By Joann S. Lublin The Wall Street Journal Monday, July 21, 2008 Bonnie G. Hill, the longest-serving director at Home Depot Inc., has a new role: "heat shield" against dissatisfied investors

Tax districts owe Qwest $40 million. Maricopa County must pay $26.9 mil
By Yvonne Wingett and Ryan Randazzo The Arizona Republic Sunday, July 13, 2008
Arizona's counties, cities, towns, school districts and other local taxing districts must pony up millions of dollars

MassMutual offers free life insurance for working parents. $50,000 policies offered for free to benefit children By Jonathan D. Epstein, NEWS BUSINESS REPORTER Buffalo News Saturday, July 19, 2008 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. is offering free $50,000 life insurance policies for 10 years to benefit the children of low-income working consumers in Buffalo

Qwest deregulation plea draws fire By Jeff Smith Rocky Mountai n NewsThursday, July 17, 2008 Residential and business price hikes undermine Qwest's plea for deregulation in the metro area, the Colorado Office of Consumer Counsel argued this week

Class-action sought for Qwest benefits suit Denver Post Wednesday, July 16, 2008 An attorney for the Association for U S West/Qwest retirees filed a document in U.S. District Court in Denver Tuesday in an effort to get class-action status for a lawsuit regarding life-insurance benefits.

Retiree Benefits Take Another Hit. GM's Plan to End Medical Coverage For Many 65 and Over Signals a New Era; Pensions to Increase by $300 a Month By Vanessa Fuhrmans and Theo Francis The Wall Street Journal
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
General Motors Corp.'s move to eliminate retiree health benefits for salaried workers is a sobering signal to the rest of the U.S. work force

Packers name ex-Qwest exec a senior VP Denver Post Wednesday, July 16, 2008 The Green Bay Packers named former Qwest executive Laura Sankey as senior vice president of marketing and sales

Last defendant in Milberg kickback case pleads guilty From the Associated Press Los Angeles Times Tuesday, July 15, 2008 The last defendant in a major federal kickback case involving class-action lawsuits against some of the nation's biggest corporations pleaded guilty Monday to a tax-related felony

Lawyer to Plead Guilty in Kickback Scheme By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS New York Times Saturday, July 12, 2008 Paul T. Selzer, a lawyer who is the final defendant in a federal kickback case involving class-action lawsuits against big corporations, has agreed to plead guilty to a tax-related felony, prosecutors in Los Angeles said Friday

Many Retirees Face Prospect of Outliving Savings, Study Says By Nancy Trejos, Staff Writer Washington Post  Sunday, July 13, 2008 Nearly three out of five middle-class retirees will probably run out of money if they maintain their pre-retirement lifestyles, a new study from Ernst & Young has concluded

Depositions of former Qwest execs delayed. Postponement due to uncertainty of Joe Nacchio's case By Jeff Smith Rocky Mountain News Thursday, July 9, 2008 A defense attorney Wednesday described the Securities and Exchange Commission's civil fraud case against five former Qwest executives as in a "syrupy morass."

Retirees slam Qwest filing. The group says the firm is threatening to end life-insurance benefits for all if a class-action lawsuit succeeds By Kimberly S. Johnson Denver Post Thursday, July 10, 2008 Qwest retirees are voicing concern over comments made in a brief filed by Qwest last week in a case surrounding their life-insurance benefits

Qwest, union have reason to deal: DNC. Neither wants a strike before the convention By Jeff Smith Rocky Mountain News Saturday, July 5, 2008 Qwest Communications and its largest union start new contract talks Tuesday, negotiations especially critical given the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Denver

Telstra Purchases Majority Stakes In 2 China Firms By Lyndal McFarland
The Wall Street Journal Monday, June 30, 2008
SYDNEY 
Telstra Corp. said Friday it has taken majority stakes in two more online advertising groups in China, which it could spin off later in an initial public offering

AT&T moving headquarters to Dallas The Denver Post Sunday, June 29, 2008 DALLAS AT&T Inc., the nation's largest telecommunications company, said Friday that it is moving its corporate headquarters to Dallas from San Antonio for easier access to customers and operations around the world

Qwest: Let FCC rule on prices. The company asks Congress to stay out of the debate as it seeks an exception to limits on its wholesale service rates By Kimberly S. Johnson Denver Post Thursday, June 26, 2008 With just a month before a key regulatory ruling, Qwest is continuing to fight for a petition that would let it raise rates for wholesale customers and is asking congressional members to refrain from getting involved

HR Departments Get New Star Power at Some Firms. Business Executives Now Tapped to Lead As Job Is Rethought By Erin White The Wall Street Journal When the CEO of Qwest Communications International Inc. asked Teresa Taylor to run human resources a few years ago, she thought she was being punished

(AZ) Qwest chief Pat Quinn stepping down By Amy Eagleburger The Arizona Republic Wednesday, June 11, 2008 Qwest Arizona said Wednesday that President Pat Quinn would step down after 31 years with the company

SEC: Fraud case against former Qwest execs should proceed Denver Post Thursday, June12, 2008 The Securities and Exchange Commission said five former Qwest executives have failed to prove why the SEC's fraud complaint against them should be dismissed

Anschutz, IRS lock horns again in latest joust. The Denver billionaire's legal battle with the government is at least his seventh since 1987  By Greg Griffin Denver Post Wednesday, June 11, 2008 Philip Anschutz's ongoing dispute with the Internal Revenue Service isn't his first battle with the tax man

A tax break for funding HSAs via IRAs By Lydell C. Bridgeford, Employee Benefit News SourceMedia, Inc. Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Owners of individual retirement accounts who are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) can now shift IRA funds to a Health Savings Account (HSA) without facing a tax penalty

Companies Promise CEOs Lavish Posthumous Paydays. Options Vest, Insurance Flows; Even Salaries May Continue By Mark Maremont The Wall Street Journal Tuesday, June 10, 2008 You still can't take it with you. But some executives have arranged for the next best thing:  huge corporate payouts to their heirs if they die in office

Dispute with IRS could cost Anschutz millions. Issue hinges on whether a loan is sometimes a sale By David Milstead Rocky Mountain News Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Denver financier Phil Anschutz's tussle with the taxman is an academic exercise with at least $113 million at stake

Qwest hiking rates for a la carte services By Jeff Smith Rocky Mountain News Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Qwest Communications is raising the rates of a la carte products -- such as caller ID and call forwarding -- by 7 to 28 percent.  The new rates take effect July 1

When is a sale not a sale? By Al Lewis Denver Post Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Denver billionaire Phil Anschutz got a letter from the Internal Revenue Service last year, demanding $143.6 million in back taxes

IRS Targets Billionaire's Lucrative Tax Strategy By Jesse Drucker The Wall Street Journal Monday, June 9, 2008 The Internal Revenue Service is fighting with billionaire Philip Anschutz to force the Denver-based mogul to pay back taxes totaling $143.6 million. The court battle is part of a broad attempt by tax authorities to crack down on complex transactions used to defer paying capital-gains taxes.

Performance pay sends salaries into higher orbit. Execs' rewards overshadow raises given typical worker By David Milstead Rocky Mountain News Saturday, June 7, 2008 Executive pay continues to increase at a pace far beyond the raises typical workers see in their paychecks

Grinding axes over unions By Al Lewis Denver Post Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Jay Hesterman, a technician at Qwest, resigned from a union 14 years ago, but he still pays about $500 a year in dues and gets the union's newsletter anyway

Milberg law firm says it will pay $75M to settle case By Greg Risling, Associated Press Writer Rocky Mountain News Tuesday, June 17, 2008 LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Milberg law firm will pay $75 million to settle a federal kickback case involving class-action lawsuits against some of the nation's biggest corporations

Qwest, union begin negotiations in July. Workplace issues and health-care benefits are expected to dominate the contract talks By Kimberly S. Johnson Denver Post Friday, June 6, 2008 Health care and the number of benchmarks employees must reach will be among the top issues next month when Qwest and its union begin contract negotiations

Class-Action Law Firm Close to a Settlement By Nathan Koppel The Wall Street Journal Monday, June 2, 2008 Class-action law firm Milberg LLP is close to a settlement that could end a federal prosecution of the firm for alleged kickbacks, according to two people familiar with the discussions

Alcatel Talks Up Its Prospects to Holders By Jethro Mullen and Leila Abboud The Wall Street Journal Saturday May 31, 2008 PARIS Alcatel-Lucent tried to reassure restive shareholders at its annual meeting that its long-term growth prospects were strong, despite the competitive pressures buffeting the telecommunications-equipment sector

Weiss gets prison for legal scheme By Greg Risling, AP Denver Post Tuesday, June 3, 2008 LOS ANGELES Melvyn Weiss, the co-founder of a law firm known for securities class-action suits, was sentenced Monday to 30 months in prison for his role in a lucrative lawsuit kickback scheme targeting some of the largest corporations in the nation

Some Qwest directors warm to stockholders at annual event By Jane Hoback & Gil Rudawsky Rocky Mountain News Friday, May 30, 2008 Nelson Phelps noticed a change by Qwest's board of directors this year at the annual stockholders meeting

DNC host officials short on cash. The committee for the Democratic convention considers cuts in light of the fundraising shortfall. By Chuck Plunkett Denver Post Friday, May 30, 2008 Millions of dollars behind in raising money and unlikely to meet a fast-approaching final deadline, the Denver committee hosting the Democratic National Convention is considering spending cuts

SEC asks court to uphold complaints vs. ex-Qwest execs Denver Post Friday, May 30, 2008 The Securities and Exchange Commssion wants a court to uphold its complaints against former Qwest executives who say claims against them should be dismissed

Customer service survey frowns on Comcast, Qwest, Dish By Jeff Smith Rocky Mountain News Thursday, May 29, 2008 Colorado has the notorious distinction of being a hub of sorts for companies perceived as doling out poor customer service

Family to drop suit against ranch over Qwest exec's death The Associated Press Denver Post Thursday, May 29, 2008 DENVER The family of a Qwest executive killed while turkey hunting in 2005 is dropping a lawsuit filed against the ranch that hired the suspect, according to a court document

CEO Security: No Replacements. Lack of Deep Bench Can Help Preserve Poor Performers By Joann S. Lublin The Wall Street Journal Tuesday, May 27, 2008 Fewer big-company chief executives are leaving their posts, and CEOs face little risk of dismissal even after two years of poor shareholder returns, according to a new study

Qwest misses a connection By Al Lewis Denver Post Sunday, May 25, 2008 Qwest customer Joe Halpern has a problem. "I have a Ph.D. with an emphasis in applied statistics and I can't understand my bill," he told me

Qwest on defensive at meeting. Shareholders and retirees grill the board of directors and executives, but CEO Ed Mueller takes it in stride By Kimberly S. Johnson The Denver Post Friday, May 23, 2008 Shareholders and retirees ripped into Qwest's executives and board of directors during their annual meeting Thursday, asking for better leadership and accountability

Qwest adopts new severance policy during annual meeting By Sandy Shore, AP Business Writer Dener Post Friday, May 23, 2008 DENVER Qwest Communications shareholders won greater control over some executive severance agreements Thursday as they peppered the telecom's CEO with questions about retiree benefit cuts and top management perks

SEC vs. QWEST - Former execs ask court to dismiss certain claims By The Associated Press Denver Post Thursday, May 22, 2008 Former Qwest executives are asking a court to dismiss certain claims filed by federal regulators, partly because the government is invoking state-secrets privileges that the former executives say will hurt their defense

 

 

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