Cablevision was not the only one taking aim at FiOS Wednesday (Aug. 13).
While the cable operator has promised it will continue to make “substantiated" anti-FiOS statements, the Communications Workers of America continue their fight on a different front, slamming Verizon's video offering as part of a general push for more from Verizon at the negating table.
Some thirty-nine thousand CWA workers along the East Coast, including FiOS employees, are still on the job but have been working without a contract since the old one expired Aug. 1.
According to CWA, workers rallied at over 50 Verizon locations saying they were ready to bargain but that they were looking for a "real offer."
“Verizon is committed to reaching a contract that’s fair to our employees, good for our customers and positions our landline unit on a path for ongoing success," said Verizon spokesman Edward Mcfadden. "We respect the rights of our employees to hold rallies, but we truly believe the best way to achieve a new contract is not on the street rallying, but at the negotiating table in serious and meaningful bargaining. We’ve had discussions with union leaders from both the CWA and IBEW this week and we stand ready to meet with them again.”
Among the criticisms leveled by the union is that Verizon has underdelivered FiOS service in New York, citing the findings of an audit of FiOS service.
Verizon has said that the FiOS buildout criticism is not germane since that deployment is not an issue in the contract negotiations.
