Washington, DC – Verizon, unions restart negotiations

Verizon and union officials agreed to restart negotiations, according to U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez, who said he met with both sides on Sunday. Combined, the two striking unions, the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, represent 39,000 landline and cable workers across nine states and Washington D.C. The workers, who had been working without a contract since August, said they have been striking since April 13 because Verizon wants to freeze pensions, rely more on contract workers and make layoffs easier. “I was singularly impressed by the parties’ appreciation that time is of the essence, and their strong commitment to use the collective bargaining process to reach a mutually beneficial resolution,” Perez said. Both sides agreed to restart negotiations Tuesday.