Sprint Reaches N.C. Deal as Union Strike Looms

Sprint Corp. reached a tentative contract agreement with a union local in North Carolina and hoped to reach agreements with five others by a midnight strike deadline. Contract talks were continuing, said Steve Dykes, spokesman for the long-distance company. The deadline loomed for thousands of Sprint employees in Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, Oregon and Indiana as well as North Carolina, which has two locals. Sprint reached a tentative contract agreement in the afternoon with Communications Workers of America Local 3672 in Hickory, N.C. Dykes said the union’s bargaining committee will recommend that members ratify the agreement. The CWA said the company wants to cut the number of annual paid holidays and reduce regular wage increases for newer employees in training and to deny existing employees hiring preferences. Shares in Westwood, Kan.-based Sprint fell $1.13 to close at $67.19 on the NYSE.