Verizon workers may return to picket lines

Verizon union workers said today they have not ruled out going back on strike and added that negotiations have reached a stalemate.

“We still have major points keeping us apart,” said Chris Shelton, District 1 vice president of the Communications Workers of America. “Verizon can move this along as quickly as they want. All they have to do is try to come to agreement with us rather than trying to hit us over the head with major concessions.”

Verizon Communications workers abandoned their two-week strike in August, agreeing to commence work despite the absence of a new contract, as both sides signaled progress in talks. But tomorrow, picketing will resume at company stores as workers urge customers to delay upgrading to the iPhone 5 on Verizon Wireless until the company agrees to a fair contract.

“We did have some movement at the table immediately before we returned to work and that’s part of the reason we went back to work,” Shelton said. “We said at that time that we were not ruling out walking out again so there is a possibility there could be another strike at Verizon.”

Shelton declined to provide specifics on which issues are keeping the sides apart. “I’m not going to bargain in the newspapers,” he said.

Other articles you might like;