PORTLAND — Leaders of two unions representing workers at FairPoint Communications on Thursday directed its members to continue working to the minimum required terms imposed by the company last week as they “take this fight to a new level.”
Though the contract only covers workers in New England, union officials said members in New York picketed outside of an event where FairPoint CEO Paul Sunu spoke Wednesday. They said they have plans for more demonstrations at the company’s headquarters in North Carolina and at the offices of the company’s law firm, Seyfarth Shaw.
The update to members came exactly one week after the company stepped away from bargaining.
“We are outraged by the company’s actions,” the letter, published on the Fairness at FairPoint group’s Facebook page, stated. “But we recognize those actions for what they are: a calculated attempt to provoke our members to take action without careful consideration.”
That group consists of members of four local unions of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Communications Workers of America, representing about 2,000 workers in Northern New England and 800 in Maine. The letter was signed by lead negotiators for each of those local unions.
Workers have been on alert for a strike since Aug. 28 and held their first public demonstration in Portland on Monday, getting support from the national labor federation the AFL-CIO over the Labor Day holiday.
The union in its letter directed members to continue informational picketing and to “work-to-rule,” meaning workers do no more than the minimum required by the terms of their employment.
Company officials said they have prepared for a strike, taking such measures as marking the boundary of its property at offices around the region and hiring outside contractors.
Maine’s public advocate has expressed concern about a strike because FairPoint maintains the “backbone” of the state’s telecommunications infrastructure.
In the meantime, union leaders continue to evaluate options and directed members to continue pressing the company to return to negotiations, according to the letter issued Thursday.
“We need every member to stay united as we take this fight to a new level. We need you to continue to take visible actions like picketing your worksites and leafleting public events,” the letter said. “We will continue to assess the situation every day and keep you informed.”
The company last week stepped away from negotiations, saying the union was no longer willing to bargain. Declaring an impasse allows the company to put into effect the terms of its last offer to workers, which has provisions they don’t want. Mostly, the unions mostly oppose the company’s ability to bring in outside contractors under the imposed terms.
The union also has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board contesting the company broke federal law by declaring an impasse.
Company officials say changes to the contract are necessary for it to keep up with evolving technology and to make the company competitive. Union officials argue the publicly traded company is looking for steep concessions, and they anticipate the investors who purchased the company out of bankruptcy in 2011 are gearing up to sell it.
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