WASHINGTON-Union employees at Verizon Communications, the parent company of Verizon Wireless, remained on strike at RCR’s deadline Friday afternoon with both sides refusing to say when the strike might end.
Whether the key issue of easing efforts at union organizing of wireless employees has been resolved is unclear.
Earlier in the week Verizon declared that this issue was taken care of but Jim Spillane of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the lesser of the two unions striking, said Friday morning it was not yet settled.
Spillane said negotiations were occurring between both Verizon Communications and Verizon Wireless.
Verizon Communications said before the strike that it did not believe it was in a position to require easy union organization of the employees in its wireless unit because that unit is run by a separate board of directors and does its own labor relations.
Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of the recently merged 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 IBEW are striking against Verizon on a variety of contract issues including job security and forced relocation.
Most wireline employees are unionized, but most wireless employees are 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 if a majority of employees signed cards claiming they want union representation. Verizon would prefer that the unions conduct a secret-ballot campaign.
The union talks began on June 26 in preparation for the expiration of the current contract on Aug. 5.
