Early Verizon Talks Break Off Over Onerous Medical Proposal

On December 12, CWA Vice President Chris Shelton, District 1, officially notified Verizon Communications that CWA was breaking off early negotiations on behalf of all CWA and IBEW teams.

The company had sought early talks for the contract covering some 55,000 CWA members at Verizon "East" that expires next August.

Vice Presidents Shelton, Pete Catucci, District 2, and Jim Short, District 13, who are leading the negotiations for CWA, indicated that Verizon's demands for changes in medical benefits simply were too onerous.

The CWA bargaining teams want to negotiate a fair and equitable contract and are available to listen to and discuss reasonable proposals, but would be unable to agree to the retrogressive and extreme demands Verizon has put forward.