The Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA), an independent arm of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), today called upon Pacific Telesis (Pacific) employees for feedback on the potential impact on their jobs of the proposed merger with SBC Communications, Inc. (SBC). Comments and evidence should be sent to the CPUC no later than August 30.
The impact on jobs is one of the major concerns that DRA is analyzing and the kind of input needed might only be obtained from employees. DRA is also reviewing other key areas such as the effects on competition, impacts on local economies and the potential dollar savings from the merger.
If the merger goes through, it would be one of the largest in the history of the telecommunications industry. Pacific would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of SBC, which could adversely affect Pacific's workforce. Pacific currently employs about 47,800 persons, SBC about 59,300. The combined revenues for the two companies in 1995 totaled $21.7 billion.
The state Public Utilities Code requires the CPUC to determine whether a proposed merger is fair and reasonable to the affected employees, both union and non-union. The CPUC contact person is Sepideh Khosrowjah, DRA, 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 4012, San Francisco, CA 94102, 415-703-1900, FAX 415-703-1981; or, email: skh@cpuc.ca.gov.