By Jesse Russell

Plans by the Internal Revenue Service to cut back the hours taxpayers can reach IRS telephone assistance was attacked by the union representing agency employees. President Colleen Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union called the plan an "outrage." The IRS is seeking to reduce hours by 20 percent on January 23, 2006 - the start of tax season. Kelley said the agency is disregarding a congressional mandate that requires an increase in phone lines and staff.

It’s unclear how ATA Airlines’ bankruptcy filing will affect its workers. The airline filed for bankruptcy Tuesday but will continue operating. ATA has 7900 employees. The Association of Flight Attendants have accepted a $24 million package of concessions - including a ten percent pay cut - in an effort to help the airline deal with its financial problems. ATA is the tenth largest airline in the U.S. It has sold some of its operations at Chicago Midway and New York’s LaGuardia airports to AirTran Holdings for $87.6 million. ATA says there will be minimal impact on passengers while ATA reorganizes its business. The layoff of 156 workers was announced last Thursday.