Verizon avoids union workers strike: 10.5 percent wage increase

Verizon has managed to avert a strike with union workers after agreeing a new three-year deal. In the new deal workers will get a 10.5 percent wage increase over the next three years.

This new pay deal has come to the relief of thousands of phone customers in Long Island, as the strike could have disrupted their service.

Verizon and the Communications Workers of America were working hard to avert this strike for two days, as talks between the two sides had stalled. The two sides could not agree on subcontracting jobs and organizing nonunion workers.

Bob Morrow, executive vice president of CWA local 1108 had said “There definitely would have been service interruptions, but thank God it didn’t get to that.”

Verizon executive Marc Reed had said that this new deal will allow the company to compete for customers while they are still able to continue to provide their employees with a package of competitive wages and benefits.

Morrow has now praised the work of the negotiators for brokering this pay deal. The deal will also, reclassify hundreds of temporary workers as full-time employees. Hundreds more nonunion workers will now become part of the Communications Workers of America.

The new deal will also allow workers to keep their fully paid health benefits for both active and retired worker of Verizon. However; workers hired after August 2 will have to contribute to their retirement health care.

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