“CWA did not authorize anyone at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to approach Verizon about extending the strike date….”
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To cope with the strike, King said Verizon has brought in “thousands” of non-union workers to continue providing service to customers.
In a statement, Verizon said it has “activated its business continuity plans”.
Verizon spokesman Rich Young said the company was disappointed that union leaders initiated a walk-out.
Verizon said on Wednesday it had trained “thousands” of non-union employees to ensure that services were not disrupted. Union officials said the strike was prompted by a lack of progress since the August expiration of the last deal with Verizon installers, customer service representatives and fix workers.
Standing on the sidewalk Wednesday morning with a sign around his neck announcing the latest strike against Verizon, employee Kurt Stover was buoyed by the public’s response.
They said they’ll be there until 8:30 Thursday night.
“Let’s make it clear, we are ready for a strike”, Bob Mudge, president of Verizon’s wireline network operations says of the strike. The jobs the striking workers perform generally include installing phone and broadband Internet lines, providing customer support and repairing out-of-service phone lines.
Workers protested at various Verizon locations along the East Coast.
The local, which reports 1,743 Verizon employees among its members in Richmond and Petersburg, has picketers outside Verizon outlets, including the customer service center at 3011 Hungary Spring Road. Contract talks broke off last week. The company has said that health care issues need to be addressed for retirees and current workers because medical costs have grown and that it wants “greater flexibility” to manage its workers.
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The unions – the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers – say Verizon has made billions in profits, while still looking to spend less on employee benefits, Joel says. There is a small group of Verizon Wireless workers among the strikers, which gives the union the right to picket Verizon Wireless stores as well.
