FairPoint Workers Picket Portland Headquarters to Protest Company’s Refusal to Compromise on Layoffs

Source: NH Labor News

PORTLAND, ME — Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and Communications Workers of America (CWA) who work for FairPoint Communications conducted informational picketing at company headquarters on Davis Farm Road in Portland today to protest the company’s unwillingness to compromise on significant issues during talks about the recently announced layoff of more than 10% of the northern New England workforce.

FairPoint Communications announced on May 15th that it would lay off more than 200 employees across its northern New England operations. Since then, leaders of IBEW and CWA have met with company representatives to discuss the layoff process in an effort to reduce the number of workers who will lose their jobs.

Union leaders said the company has refused to cooperate on several issues of importance, and the unnecessary cuts will further erode already severely compromised service quality for the region’s telecommunications customers. “There is absolutely no shortage of work out there,” said Peter McLaughlin, Business Manager of IBEW Local 2327 in Maine. “Right now, the company is forcing hundreds of workers to work overtime and many are on permanent standby at locations where the company is planning to cut positions. It defies common sense.”

Leaders point to widespread rumors of an imminent sale of the beleaguered company, and say that the decision to layoff so many workers is all about increasing share value ahead of a sale. “It’s a damned shame that this company is sacrificing hundreds of good, local jobs and our customers’ trust in order to ensure the Wall Street hedge fund owners make a huge profit in a sale,” said Don Trementozzi, President of CWA Local 1400. “What kind of telecommunications infrastructure will northern New Englanders be left with in the wake of FairPoint’s slash and burn strategy?”

FULL story at link. NH Labor is run by DUer Matt Matthews

About NH Labor News
The New Hampshire Labor News is a group of NH Workers who believe that we need to protect ourselves against the attacks on workers. We are proud union members who are working to preserve the middle class. The NHLN talks mostly about news and politics from NH. We also talk about national issues that effect working men and women here in the Granite State.

Read more: http://nhlabornews.com/2015/06/fairpoint-workers-picket-portland-headquarters-to-protest-companys-refusal-to-compromise-on-layoffs/