Union works at Verizon may strike tonight
http://www.bostonherald.com/business/business_markets/2015/07/union_works_at_verizon_may_strike_tonight
Contract expiring for 38,000
Union works at Verizon may strike tonight
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Donna Goodison
Some 38,000 Verizon union workers from Massachusetts to Virginia are threatening to strike at midnight as the countdown looms for their contract to expire.
Both sides reported little or no progress yesterday in talks that started June 22.
The workers in nine states including 5,000 in Massachusetts whose contract expires at 11:59 p.m. are service reps, clerical workers, operators, testers and technicians that build and maintain Verizons entire network infrastructure, said Paul Feeney, spokesman for Bostons International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2222. It is inconceivable that Verizon would have a qualified and well-trained workforce capable of making those repairs in a timely manner should there be a work stoppage.
Verizon, meanwhile, said it has been training thousands of non-union Verizon employees and outside business partners in network and customer service functions. In the event of a work stoppage, Verizon is confident it can continue to maintain its network and systems and serve our customers, spokesman Phil Santoro said.
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Verizon continues to push out ALL union employees.