Salisbury employees join Verizon strike

A number of Verizon employees in Salisbury took part in a nationwide strike after the company failed to reach a contract agreement in August.

Union workers in Salisbury gathered along Mount Hermon road Wednesday. There was about 50 workers as of 10:00 a.m.

Nationwide, the strike included about 39,000 workers in nine eastern states and Washington, D.C. It was organized by the Communications Workers of America (“CWA”) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (“IBEW”).

According to the Associated Press, union workers on strike say Verizon wants to freeze pensions, make lay-offs easier, and rely on more contract workers; however, the telecom giant has said health care issues need to be addressed for both retirees and workers since medical costs have increased.   

James Cutter, a local CWA president, says the workers are prepared to continuing striking until their demands are met.

“What I’d like for Verizon to do is come back to the table is bargain fairly and actually work with us to get a contract,” Says Cutter. “It doesn’t do us any good for Verizon go to bankruptcy or be in trouble financially. We want them to succeed because they when they succeed, our members succeed.”

Verizon spokesman Rich Young tells the Associated Press that the company is disappointed that union leadership have called a strike.

Thousands of non-union workers have reportedly been trained to fill in for the striking employees.