By Mark Gomez, Ken McLaughlin and Julia Prodis Sulek
Mercury News
Posted: 04/09/2009 02:20:09 PM PDT
http://www.mercurynews.com/topstories/ci_12106300
"Even...I...know...that's...BULLSHIT!"Santa Clara County officials have declared a local emergency after they said someone intentionally cut an underground fiber optic cable in south San Jose, causing a widespread phone service outage in southern Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties today that included disruption to 911 emergency phone service.
John Britton, a spokesman for AT&T, said it appears somebody opened a manhole in South San Jose, climbed down eight to 10 feet and cut four or five fiber-optic cables.Britton also said there was a report of underground cables being cut in San Carlos.
San Jose police spokesman Sgt. Ronnie Lopez said the manhole covers are heavy and would take quite an effort to lift, perhaps even requiring a tool.
AT&T's contract with the Communication Workers of America expired at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, but Britton said "we have a really good relationship with the union" and that negotiations continue between the two sides.
Asked if the potential sabotage had anything to with the strike-threatened contract negotiations between AT&T and the Communication Workers of America, union national spokeswoman Candice Johnson replied: "Absolutely not. Our members are not involved in this."







