FairPoint Responds to Vermont Delegation Over Strike
FairPoint Communications’ labor dispute with striking workers “involves FairPoint’s ability to be the 21st century telecommunications provider Vermonters want and Vermont’s economy deserves,” the company wrote the state’s congressional delegation Thursday. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D) and Bernie Sanders (I) and…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
Rep. Peter Welch (D) wrote the company Wednesday urging FairPoint to negotiate an end to a strike in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont involving more than 1,700 of the telco’s workers (see 1412170059). In response, the company wrote the union’s demands “are not within the mainstream.” The company said the workers are seeking wage increases, maintaining accrual of defined pension benefits despite having a matching 401(k) plan and do not want to make “meaningful contributions" to their health plans. A spokesman for the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) locals representing the workers called FairPoint's letter "misleading."