Union Contract Nowhere in Sight for Verizon Workers

Union Contract Nowhere in Sight for Verizon Workers

Nearly seven months after returning to work following a two week strike last August, more than 800 Verizon workers in Rhode Island are still without a contract and union leaders say there has been little progress in negotiations between the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the company.

Approximately 45,000 workers from Virginia to New England went on strike to protest Verizon management's attempt to strip many of the benefits that the union workforce negotiated over the years including healthcare and pensions. The company argued that in order to keep workers employed at a time when more and more customers are going wireless, it needed concessions in the contract. The wireless giant said it was asking employees to pay into their health care premiums for the first time while also attempting to alter pension plans and work rules.

The two sides decided to head back to the bargaining table following the 15 day strike, but neither side has budged with their demands. Verizon has said it is offering contracts that align more with the current economy while the union points to the company’s record profits as a prime example of corporate greed.

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Union Leader Rips Verizon

According to Bill McGowan, who represents the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), an agreement is unlikely to be reached soon.

“There is still no contract and there appears to be no end in sight for negotiations,” McGowan said Monday.

McGowan accused Verizon of paying no taxes in recent years while also shipping jobs overseas. He said that on March 22, unions across the country will hold rallies and actions to protest Verizon.

“Verizon continues to enjoy record profits, pay their executives millions, and paid no taxes from 2008 to 2010,” he said. “Verizon has stopped the build of their flagship product FIOS nationwide, including RI. This is in spite of FIOS success here in RI. Verizon continues to want to contract out more jobs and send more American jobs overseas. Both the IBEW and CWA will do whatever it takes to protect our members jobs.”

A Verizon spokesman did not respond to an e-mail from GoLocalProv.

Contract Talks Quiet

Contract talks have been quiet since the beginning of the year, with only one update posted on the CWA’s website.

A January 10 update said union leadership had been meeting in New York for several months.

“The meetings are back ‘on the record,” the update said. “For the last couple of months, we have been meeting in "off the record" discussions in Sub Committees focusing on several major areas of our collective bargaining agreements.”

The message continued: “Today, Vice President Chris Shelton had a District 1 Local Presidents and Regional Bargaining Committee Meeting at the Ryetown Hilton to discuss the status of contract negotiations. The Local Presidents were given an update and asked to go back to their locals and update their Executive Boards and their membership.”

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