As you may be aware, since April 13, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) have been on strike against Verizon.
This is the culmination of almost a year’s worth of negotiations – which began last June and have continued through expiration of the previous contract, in August.
I have done a good deal of reading about this strike, and come to the conclusion that, unlike some work actions, there are two very credible sides to this one:
-Verizon claims it has made a more-than-fair offer to union members, who are already very well paid;
-The unions claim that what Verizon is offering with one hand, the conditions of the offer take away with the other.
The single best write-up I have seen, which provides a very complete view of both sides’ positions, is written by Eric Kiefer, of Hoboken Patch, a local publication.
I urge you to use the above link and read Mr. Kiefer’s article. I don’t know which side, if either, it will move you toward. But I can almost guarantee you’ll understand more of what this strike is about.
Happy (or unhappy, as the case may be) reading.
