Bargaining Update

CWA, IBEW Members on Strike at FairPoint

CWA and IBEW members in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, on strike since Oct. 17, are walking the picket lines at FairPoint facilities.

About 215 members of CWA Local 1400 in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, and about 1,500 members of IBEW Locals 2320, 2326 and 2327, went on strike at FairPoint Communications on Oct. 17.

In late August, FairPoint negotiators walked away from the bargaining table and imposed a contract that ended restrictions on subcontracting and outsourcing, froze pensions, increased health care costs for active workers and cut retiree health care, added a two-tier wage plan with big pay cuts for new hires and more.

CWA and the IBEW have filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board, charging that FairPoint illegally imposed its contract proposals before impasse was reached. On the picket lines, workers are getting lots of support, from their communities and elected officials. The commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Service has expressed concern about the quality of service FairPoint will be able to provide during the strike. FairPoint has brought in replacement workers.

FairPoint bought Verizon's northern New England land lines in 2008 and filed for bankruptcy protection 18 months later. CWA and IBEW led a campaign fighting the sale at the time.

Read more at fairnessatfairpoint.com.