Talks between the Communications Workers of America and Qwest Communications were suspended early Sunday morning after a more than 20-hour bargaining session, the union reported.

CWA members at Qwest currently are working without a contract, said CWA District 7 Vice President Annie Hill. The parties expect that talks will resume later on.

The contract expired at midnight Saturday.

CWA represents 25,000 Qwest workers in 13 states: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Key issues in the contract talks are wages and health care benefits for the active union members as well as retirees.