WASHINGTON-Whether Verizon Wireless employees can join a union was a key topic that may have led to a strike by Verizon Communications employees as of midnight Aug. 6.
The Communications Workers of America released a statement late last week noting none of its issues had been adequately addressed in ongoing negotiations with Verizon Communications. CWA hoped to gain concessions from Verizon Communications, the parent of Verizon Wireless, that would make it easier for employees in its wireless division to join unions.
Most of Verizon’s wireline employees already belong to unions.
“There is nothing to prevent the union from conducting such a campaign” to encourage wireless employees to join a union, said Verizon Communications spokesman Steve Marcus.
Verizon Communications said it does not believe it is in a position to require its wireless employees to belong to a union because the wireless unit is run by a separate board of directors and does its own labor relations.
CWA’s contract covers more than 70,000 wireline workers in 13 states. In addition to adding employees in the wireless unit to its unions, CWA said it wants improvements in wages and pensions, and relief for customer service representatives and operators facing high levels of job stress and mandatory overtime.
Verizon Communications began doing commercial business last week after the merger between Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp. was completed. GTE union employees are not involved in the talks, but former GTE employees in Louisville, Ky., and western North Carolina could strike because contracts have already expired in those locations, CWA said.
The talks began on June 26 as the current contract was set to expire Aug. 5.
“Both sides are continuing to negotiate in good faith and are working hard to reach an agreement by the deadline of the current contracts. We are hopeful that this can be accomplished,” said Marcus.
Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of the domestic wireless properties of Verizon Communications and Vodafone AirTouch plc. It includes the properties of AirTouch, PrimeCo, the former Bell Atlantic Mobile, the former Nynex Mobile and the former GTE Wireless.
