WASHINGTON-While Verizon Communications workers strike in part to make it easier for its wireless workers to join unions, union issues have been largely settled at other companies.
Before its workers began striking Aug. 6, Verizon Communications said it did not believe it was in a position to require easy union organization of the employees in its wireless division because the unit is run by a separate board of directors, which handles its own labor relations.
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.
The Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers are striking against Verizon on a variety of contract issues, including job security and forced relocation.
Most wireline employees at Verizon belong to unions, but most wireless workers do not. The unions want easy access to the wireless employees. Less than 50 of Verizon Wireless’ 32,000 workers belong to the union. If the unions get their way, Verizon Wireless would recognize the union after a majority of employees signed cards claiming they want union representation. Verizon wants the unions to conduct a secret ballot campaign.
The Associated Press reported Friday that the two sides were closer on wireless union efforts, but no details were given.
Other wireline/wireless phone companies such as AT&T Corp., SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp. all allow expedited organizing. BellSouth, however, has no wireless union members. Alltel Corp. does not have any union employees. CWA has about 5,000 members that work for SBC’s wireless subsidiary.
Two years ago, AT&T and CWA agreed that employees in new and emerging units could organize. This is an ongoing effort as CWA attempts to expand its membership into the New Economy areas of wireless, Internet and broadband cable, said CWA spokeswoman Candice Johnson.
Employees at Nextel Communications Inc., a wireless-only player, are not represented by a union and there are no current plans to launch an organizing campaign there, said Johnson.
The strike and bad weather along the East Coast has led to a backlog of 80,000 repair orders as of last Thursday as Verizon struggles with 30,000 managers trying to fill in. One customer said when he lost phone service during a storm, Verizon said they would send a technician out the next day. But when he called to cancel the order because his service had been restored, there was no record of his original call.
Politicians are getting involved in the strike. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic candidate for the Senate in New York, sent a letter of support to strikers, and Ralph Nader, presidential candidate for the Green Party, joined the picket lines in Falls Church, Va.
The talks began June 26 in preparation for the expiration of the current contract on Aug. 5.
