Little Progress Made in Verizon Strike

Progress slowed Monday in contract talks between local-phone company Verizon Communications and its unions because of disputes over job security, forced overtime and union access to jobs in the wireless telephone unit, one union said.

“While progress was reported [Sunday] on many issues, bargaining hit a snag over the issue of movement of work throughout the new Verizon company,” the Communications Workers of America said.

The CWA and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ desire to organize workers at Verizon’s wireless unit has been one of the most contentious issues in the contract debate, both sides said.

Despite the strike, Verizon’s 27 million customers from Maine to Virginia had basic telephone service and Internet access. Directory assistance calls and line repairs were delayed, the company said.

About 87,000 union members, or 33% of Verizon’s work force, went on strike Sunday.