Anyone Brides affected by potential Verizon strike?

not Verizon Bride, but Verizon FDIL... my FFIL is all wound up to strike.... he has worked for the company since he came home from the vietnam war, & they are really screwing with their pension! I hope it gets resolved quickly!

I'm affected -- in the case that my company is dependent on Verizon to provide service in a timely manner. During the strike, that all goes out the window. (Not that its good when there is not a strike, either..)

My FH is a Field Tech. He hasn't heard anything yet, but has a screwed strike schedule. He's so worried and so am I!

Yep, Brian is a was moved from Carrier in LIC to College Point in Coin Repair after the first set of lay offs. He is now in Bushwick doing installs, miserable, and preparing for the strike. I know from his aunt in management that they might have to go in tomorrow without a contract and do a walk out on Wednesday. Brian refuses to work without a contract, but lets see what happens. It's up to the Union. I know that the arbitrators walked out in the middle of negotiations yesterday.

(1010 WINS) (WASHINGTON) Negotiators for Verizon Communications and two unions representing 78,000 phone company workers met with federal mediators Saturday as a midnight strike deadline neared.

Service in 12 states in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic as well as the District of Columbia could be affected if workers walk off the job at the nation's largest local phone company.

The current three-year contracts expire at 12:01 a.m. EDT Sunday.

Verizon and union officials spent the day at the bargaining table with government mediators. The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service began talks with both sides Tuesday.

The employees represented by the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers include repair and installation technicians and customer service operators.

A spokesman for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers declined to say whether progress was being made. 'They're working hard and hopefully something positive will come out of it,' Jim Spellane said.

Central issues are job security and health care costs.

Verizon spokesman Eric Rabe said the New York-based company needs more flexibility to adjust the size of the work force, given that the traditional 'landline black telephone business' is shrinking.

He also said workers should share in the cost of health care coverage. Employees pay no premium now, according to Rabe.

If there is a strike, Rabe insisted that customers making regular long distance and local calls would not be affected. There could, however, be delays or disruptions for repairs, new installations, or for calls made to customer service centers.

Rabe said Verizon has trained more than 30,000 managers to fill in for striking workers. The company also plans to bring in contract workers from the outside, he said.

Communications Workers of America spokeswoman Candice Johnson said local unions in several states held rallies Saturday to demonstrate for a fair contract.

In Annandale, Va., about 50 members of the CWA Local 2222 rode motorcycles into Washington as part of a 'solidarity ride.'

The unions represent workers in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

The last strike, in 2000, lasted 18 days.

I work for Verizon in Garden City! I'm sooooooo nervous we will be out for a while. Please pray I wont Thanks.
Karissa

for all of us...I am dreading midnight!

I have nothing to do with Verizon...but as a union member...'SOLIDARITY!!!'

I support you guys!!

2 more hours to go til we find out...

I'm with the company as well.

just saw it on the news that it is being extended a day because there is 'progress' being made....Still crossing my fingers for all you girls tho!

Yes, they are extending it. They were all told ro report to work today.

I know, it's the waiting part that's the worst.

I know... I just talked to FFIL...he is sweating right now. He is trying to relax, but FH says he's been pacing all morning (&afternoon, for that matter)

to all you girls & FH.... we will defiantely be thinking of all of you.