The two unions representing Consolidated Communications workers in Northern New England say their membership has voted "overwhelmingly" to authorize a strike if necessary.
Don Trementozzi with Communications Workers of America Local 1400, says negotiations have been contentious since they began in April, but he says a strike is in no one's best interest, and that both CWA and IBEW are hoping an agreement can be reached "You know a strike is not in the best interest of either party, you know, you lose customers, it costs a lot of money, people lose income," he says
But, says Trementozzi, major sticking points remain, such as the company's use of subcontractors, which the union says threatens the jobs of its members.
For the current contract, which expires Aug. 4, the company and union went through almost a year of bargaining followed by a four month strike before an agreement was reached.
Meanwhile, the company has released a statement that says it has been negotiating in good faith to secure labor agreements that provide flexibility to meet customer needs. Consolidated also says it's proposed that no union employee be laid off as a result of using subcontractors, and has offered to hire additional union workers to help oversee the work done by those subcontractors.
