The Communications Workers of America voted to authorize CWA leaders...
The Communications Workers of America voted to authorize CWA leaders to call a strike if contract negotiation with Verizon fails. Authorization votes don’t mean the union is about to strike, a Verizon spokesman said, saying it’s a routine measure during…
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labor negotiations to enable the union to go on strike. It’s also a “tactic to gain attention,” he said. The unions took similar votes in 2008 and 2003 but no strike occurred, he said. “In fact, there’s never been a negotiation that we can recall in which there wasn’t an overwhelming vote to authorize a strike,” he said. Contract negotiations are underway on behalf of about 35,000 CWA-represented workers at Verizon, with the contract expiring effective 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 7. Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, bargaining along with CWA, are holding a separate strike authorization vote. CWA and IBEW members will rally on July 30 outside Verizon headquarters in New York City, they said. The sentiment among CWA workers at Verizon is that the company is asking for concessions in almost every area, a CWA spokeswoman said. “These negotiations are all about good jobs,” said CWA District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton.