More than 1,700 members of the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers mark their 100th day of striking, according to CentralMaine.com:
Dozens of striking FairPoint Communications workers from across Maine showed up at picket lines in Portland on the 100th day of the strike Saturday.
With snow falling and temperatures hovering near 30, conditions contrasted with the sunny skies and high 60s of the first days of the strike. But workers rallying at the entrances to FairPoint’s offices on Davis Farm Road said they remained optimistic their efforts were not in vain.
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The company is asking for $700 million in contract concessions, including a pension freeze, health-care coverage reductions and future use of nonunion contract workers. The unions offered to make $200 million in contract concessions.
The unions and company have been using the services of Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service since November and have, essentially, had a news blackout since then.
On Friday, FMCS released the following statement:
Allison Beck, Acting Director of the U.S. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), issued the following statement today on behalf of FairPoint Communications Inc., the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the Communications Workers of America (CWA):
“FairPoint Communications, Inc., the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Council T-9 and the Communications Workers of America Local 1400, collectively agree to announce that the parties continue, with the assistance of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, to work towards new collective bargaining agreements and that progress is being made. Any statements or assertions made by any other party are not authorized by the Company or the Unions.”
As is Agency practice, the FMCS is not releasing additional information regarding meeting dates and locations. In addition, the FMCS will have no further comment at this time regarding the status or substance of the negotiations.
To estimate how much Fairpoint strikers lose in pay for every week on strike, go here.
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