by Mike Hall, Aug 8, 2008

Union negotiators for 65,000 members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and Electrical Workers (IBEW) at Verizon’s East Coast operations have set a 12:01 a.m., Monday bargaining deadline to reach a fair contract.

The current contract was set to expire Aug. 3, and talks were extended. If a pact is not reached by the new deadline, a strike is possible. Workers authorized a strike last month and CWA President Larry Cohen, IBEW President Edwin Hill and the bargaining committees will set the strike date.

Last week, union bargainers reported significant progress at the bargaining table but now say that progress has been slow during talks this week.

The unions are working hard to preserve the quality of wages and benefits that telecom workers have achieved through 35 years of bargaining and also are keeping an eye on the future of the industry. As Verizon transitions from a traditional phone company to a high-tech provider of video, Internet and wireless communications, workers are fighting for the union jobs of the future.

A key issue in the negotiations centers on Verizon’s continued outsourcing of union members’ jobs to nonunion call centers in the United States and in India, Mexico and the Philippines.

Says Chris Sheldon, CWA District 1 vice president:

With $5.5 billion in profits, Verizon can afford to stop outsourcing the high-quality, family-supporting jobs that our communities need.

Other major union goals include protecting health benefits; retirement security; bargaining rights for technicians who have been seeking recognition for nearly two years at Verizon Business; and a fair wage settlement in line with Verizon’s profitability.

Rallies to demand a fair contract are set in several cities this weekend. A series of rolling rallies in the days before the contract expiration date drew thousands of CWA and IBEW members and other union and community supporters, including more than 6,000 in New York City.

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