After ten months of negotiations, CWA members have not been able to reach agreement on a fair contract with Frontier Communications. As a result, 1,400 Frontier Communications workers in West Virginia and in Ashburn, Va., went on strike at 12:01 am on Sunday, March 4.
WV State Police arrested a temporary Frontier worker who pulled a gun on a striker in Flatwoods, W.Va.
“We’re taking a stand,” said Johnny Bailey, President of CWA Local 2276 in Bluefield, W.Va. “Customers are waiting way too long to have their problems resolved, and too often we’re back fixing the same problems over and over again. Frontier is leaving West Virginia behind. The network has been neglected and there are just not enough experienced, well-trained workers left to handle the service requests.”
An analysis of informal complaints filed with the West Virginia Public Service Commission shows that complaints have increased steadily over the past three years, rising 69% from 639 complaints in 2014 to 1,072 complaints in 2017. Since Frontier acquired Verizon’s landlines in West Virginia in 2010, the company has cut more than 500 good, middle-class jobs in the state.
Ed Mooney, Vice President of CWA District 2-13, urged Frontier customers to exercise caution after the WV State Police arrested an armed temporary Frontier worker who threatened a striker in Flatwoods, W.Va., on Tuesday.