P.M. BRIEFING : 2 Baby Bells Report Pact Progress

WASHINGTON —  Pacific Telesis today reported substantial progress toward settling with striking employees, while Bell Atlantic and one of its unions agreed on major issues of a new contract that could end a 13-day strike by next week, union and company officials said.

Pacific Bell spokesman Lou Saviano said that the Communications Workers of America and Pacific negotiators made “very substantial progress (Thursday)” and the day before but that there still were unresolved issues. Talks continued today.

A tentative agreement was worked out between Bell Atlantic and the CWA after more than two months of bargaining and a strike that slowed services to Bell Atlantic customers in the mid-Atlantic states.