|
Since June, the unions have been in talks with Verizon over the
company's plans to cut costs by controlling healthcare and
pension-related benefits over a three-year period.
Last week, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers that represent
over 37,000 wireline employees said they had voted to go on
strike, if needed, after their contract expired on Aug. 1 at
midnight. During the last round of contract negotiations in
2011, talks ended in a strike.
The unions want extra benefits in addition to job security
provisions. The CWA said on Saturday that Verizon has not budged
from its original proposal which they have said would increase
workers' healthcare costs by thousands of dollars, eliminate job
security and remove any restrictions on the company's right to
contract out or offshore union jobs.
“Despite our best efforts, Verizon refuses to engage in serious
bargaining towards a fair contract,” Dennis Trainor, Vice
President for CWA District One, which represents Verizon workers
in New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts, said. "We’re not
going to take it, and we’re going to keep the fight going while
we’re on the job.”
Verizon presented the unions with a revised proposal on Saturday
night that is on the table, the company said in a statement.
“We are disappointed that after six weeks of good faith
bargaining and a very strong effort by the company, we have been
unable to reach new agreements with the unions,” Marc Reed,
Verizon’s chief administrative officer, said in the statement.
Verizon's wireline business includes FiOS Internet, telephone
and TV services.
The company said on Friday there had been little progress in the
talks, and that it is ready in the event of a work stoppage.
(Editing by William Hardy)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
|
