PORTLAND, Maine — FairPoint Communications says talks remain deadlocked after weeks of negotiating with unions representing more than 1,700 workers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, and is implementing its final proposals, which it says is permitted under federal law.
Thursday's announcement comes a day after the unions delivered another contract proposal, which they said aimed to reduce operation costs while meeting union members' needs.
Pete McLaughlin from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Maine disagrees that both sides are at an impasse. He says the unions filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board accusing FairPoint of not bargaining in good faith.
FairPoint has struggled since buying Verizon's landline telephone operations in northern New England seven years ago and wants to cut labor, health care and pension costs.