DENVER — Negotiations between Qwest Communications and its largest union were suspended early yesterday but workers remained on the job without a contract in hopes a strike could be avoided.

The sides met for 20 hours before breaking about 4 a.m. MDT (midnight Hawai'i time), Communications Workers of America spokeswoman Candice Johnson said. Talks were expected to resume later yesterday.

Qwest Communications International Inc. agreed to drop its proposal to increase mandatory overtime from eight hours a week to 16 hours a week, but there was no agreement on other key issues such as healthcare benefits and wages, union officials said.

Qwest spokesman Bob Toevs said the company continued to bargain in good faith but he declined to offer specifics.

The contract for nearly 25,000 employees in 13 states expired at midnight Saturday but the two sides agreed to continue to talk. The union's executive board has authorized the president to set a strike date if merited, which could happen at any time, Johnson said.

Both Qwest and the union have made contingency preparations if there is a walkout. The company has set up a schedule to deploy managers across its region for such duties as installation and customer service. Toevs has said operations would remain normal if there is a strike.