Union seeks fair deal from FairPoint

    PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Talks have stalled between FairPoint employees and management, with the expiration of the union’s contract Aug. 2 and subsequent negotiations making little headway.
Union members were on Carmichael Street in Presque Isle Aug. 21, signs in hand, to raise public awareness of the matter.
“We’re members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 2327. Our contract expired Aug. 2, with the union and the company agreeing to continue working under the terms and conditions of the expired contract,” said Chris Colligan, SST at FairPoint, and shop steward.
Colligan called negotiations “trying.”
“We’ve done a couple informational pickets; we’re trying to raise public awareness. Verizon sold their Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire service to FairPoint several years ago. We (union) didn’t think that would be good for Maine, with FairPoint subsequently facing bankruptcy but came out of it. FairPoint basically kept the business afloat,” he said.
Colligan said FairPoint is headquartered in North Carolina, a “right to work state and not a union-friendly state.”
“FairPoint’s CEO is Paul Sunu. The company has a bargaining team, which has been meeting with our union (which represents Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire). They want us to take painful concessions,” said Colligan.
Colligan said the union has tried to work out a deal, to no avail.
“The union made a number of proposals but were denied — changes to health benefits, restructuring our pension plan and 401K,” he said. “No one wants to be on strike, we just want a fair deal.”
Colligan said the union isn’t asking for any increases.
“We’re not asking for increased pay or benefits. We just want to maintain what we have. The company wants to take much of that away,” said Colligan. “We have a decent benefits package but we work long and hard, in often dangerous situations (storms, accidents) to get it.”
The company released a statement on their website regarding negotiations, noting “Contracts with unions representing approximately 1,700 of FairPoint’s 2,550 northern New England employees expired at midnight on Aug. 2. With no strike as yet called by the unions, for now work will continue under most terms of the expired contracts.”
FairPoint’s spokesperson, Ange Amores Beaudry, indicated the unions had “rejected company proposals on most of the core issues in these negotiations.”
“There has been little or no movement on pensions, retiree medical for active employees or subcontracting, issues which are key to reaching new contracts,” noted Beaudry.
Beaudry continued, “The unions have dug in on almost all of their current benefits under contracts from a bygone era,” which she said “results in no movement toward an agreement which will be fair to our employees while enabling the company to be competitive and facilitate in providing modern telecommunication products and services successfully to our customers, communities and states.”
“In the meantime, FairPoint remains focused on meeting the product and service needs of our customers,” concluded Beaudry.
Pete McLaughlin, business manager of IBEW 2327, said it’s not about what’s best for employees but what’s best for stockholders.
“They want more than $700 million in cuts to benefits. We have 1,900 workers between two unions. The unions are proposing $200 million in cuts to retirement, pensions and health care. The cuts FairPoint officials are looking for won’t do any good for Maine, New Hampshire or Vermont. They’re only beneficial to shareholders and the top five owners of the company — all hedge funds. It won’t benefit our customers or employees,” said McLaughlin.
“They’re just trying to squeeze more profits out then sell the company, is what we suspect,” said McLaughlin.
Colligan said in the end it’s about his and his fellow workers’ livelihood.
“We’re a pretty tight group up here. It’s a dangerous job. I used to fear being electrocuted, but now we’re more likely to get struck by a car in a work zone. It’s not a low-skilled job; the union ensures we get the training we need,” said Colligan. “But pushing for more cuts could jeopardize safety — less funds for training, health care. We just want a fair deal.”