Verizon workers set strike deadline

August 8, 2008 10:38 AM ET

If no contract agreement is reached by 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 11, Verizon Communications Inc.'s union workers could strike.

That's according to Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

"With $5.5 billion in profits, Verizon can afford to stop outsourcing the high-quality, family-supporting jobs that our communities need," said Chris Sheldon, a CWA vice president.

Verizon workers are planning to picket today as contract negotiations continue. It's the second picket in a week. On Tuesday, CWA and IBEW, which represent more than 65,000 Verizon workers, scheduled pickets and rallies before workers' shifts.

Today's pickets are scheduled to take place throughout New York and New Jersey, including in Albany, where Verizon has about 1,000 workers.

The unions decided last weekend to postpone striking as a result of progress made in negotiations on Aug. 2. But today, CWA said: "In light of the slow pace of bargaining, CWA/IBEW leadership has called on members to ratchet up the pressure on Verizon to settle a fair contract."

The workers' contract expired Aug. 3.

A call to Verizon was not immediately returned.

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