In Pa., New Classifications Build A Stronger Union

Locals Approve Change to Constitution

North of 49°
Ontario Electrical Safety Coalition Launches Campaign Against
Working Live

Au nord du 49° parallèle
La Coalition pour la sécurité électrique de l'Ontario lance une campagne contre les travaux réalisés sur le matériel électrique sous tension!

ANOTHER BAD CONNECTION?
Damaging Deals Worry More Telecom Workers

The deal by Verizon Communications Inc. to sell off a chunk of its rural landline system to Frontier Communications Co. is giving IBEW members across the country a disconcerting sense of déjà vu (see sidebar, page 2).

"We've seen this story before," said Telecommunications Department Director Martha Pultar, who was active in the campaign to stop Verizon's sale of its northern New England landlines to FairPoint Communications Inc. "And it's always ended badly."

The FairPoint deal ended up with the underfunded and debt-heavy company in financial disaster, placing the economic health of the communities they serve at risk, a fate shared by two other previous sales made by Verizon-Hawaiian Telecom and Idearc Media.

Now many Verizon employees and customers are worried that the looming Frontier sale is another catastrophe waiting to happen.

"Utility commissioners and political leaders should do their homework and look at what happened at Hawaiian Telecom and FairPoint," said Honolulu Local 1357 Business Manager Scot Long, who represents more than 900 workers at the now-bankrupt company. "Both companies were swamped as soon as the cutover happened. They can't just let Verizon say to heck with its customers and its responsibilities and walk away with the money."