Catherwood LibraryILR School

Following a seven weeks-long strike after negotiations halted with the rejection of Verizon’s proposal by the IBEW and the CWA in early April, Verizon and its employees have finally come to an agreement. After months of demonstrations and even the intervention of Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) director Allison Beck, a tentative contract was drafted between the unions and Verizon which just requires members’ approval to be effective. CWA District 1 VP Dennis Trainor has lauded the nearly 40,000 employees as heroes for risking their families’ and their own livelihoods to protect their collective rather than their individual interests. This four-year agreement is a major victory for the IBEW and the CWA in its granting of better healthcare, pension plans, wages, and many other benefits to employees who have tirelessly worked to improve their standards of living.