Verizon Labor Contract Set to Expire Saturday

By George Hohmann, Charleston Daily Mail, W.Va.

Aug. 1–CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Verizon Communications’ labor contract with the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers expires at 11:59 p.m. Saturday.

The contract covers about 1,780 Verizon employees in West Virginia and a total of about 65,000 employees from Virginia, through West Virginia and up to New England, said Verizon spokesman Harry Mitchell.

Negotiations for a new contract have been formally under way since late May, Mitchell said.

“I can’t speak to the tone of the negotiations but what I can tell you is we hope to get a contract agreement by the deadline that will continue to provide for leading wage and benefit packages for our employees,” he said.

Elaine Harris, international representative of the Communication Workers of America, said, “We don’t disagree with Harry — we hope a contract is reached. That’s everyone’s goal.

“The top issues we have at the bargaining table are health care, retiree health care and job security,” Harris said.

Also, “There’s been a shift of business — a part of the business called Verizon Business — that we don’t represent, and we want our membership to have those jobs,” she said. In addition, “There have been some jobs taken offshore to India and the Philippines — jobs we think workers can do here.”

The union also sees Verizon Wireless “as a growing part of the business and we would like to represent workers there,” Harris said.

Contact writer George Hohmann at busin…@dailymail.com”>business@dailymail.com or (304) 348-4836.

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