Verizon Negotiations Update, Aug. 8, 2008

Contact: Jeff Miller or Candice Johnson, CWA Communications, 202-434-1168, jmiller@cwa-union.org and cjohnson@cwa-union.org

Washington, D.C -- The CWA/IBEW Unified Bargaining Committees have set a bargaining deadline for completing contract negotiations with Verizon. That deadline is Monday, Aug. 11, 12:01 am. At that time, the existing contract that was extended last weekend will expire. Strike action then becomes possible if a fair settlement is not reached.

The strike date will be set by the two union presidents in consultation with the bargaining committees.

The current contract, which covers 65,000 members of the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) was slated to expire at midnight on Saturday, August 3rd.  Late this past Saturday night, the unions announced that in light of progress that had been made in bargaining, they had agreed to "stop the clock" on the expiration of the current contract and postpone strike action. Bargainers had reported significant progress at the bargaining table between the two sides. 

Negotiations have continued since then, and are continuing at this time, but progress has been slow. Among the critical issues: permanent, quality jobs at Verizon and other job issues, health care and retirement security, a fair wage settlement and others.