As of 6 a.m. April 13, nearly 40,000 men and women employed by Verizon went on strike after months of bargaining between the company and members of the IBEW and the Communications Workers of America failed to produce an agreement.
The wireline installation and repair technicians, call center operators and clerical workers from New England to Virginia had been engaged in negotiations for nearly a year and working without contracts since they expired last August. Bargaining has so far been unproductive, with the company in many cases refusing to consider union proposals.