10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

Progress reported in negotiations related to Frontier Communications strike

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — It’s been three weeks since 1,400 Frontier Communications workers went on strike, but an end may be in sight.

During an appearance Thursday on MetroNews’ “Talkline,” Ed Mooney, vice president of District 213 of the Communications Workers of America, said his group has made progress at the negotiation table.

“We met with (Frontier) last night and gave them our latest proposal. We’re making some progress, but some of the progress we’ve made during the strike were issues that the company placed on the table after we went on strike,” Mooney said. “We are making some headway, and we hope that the company stays there and continues.”

Mooney’s most pressing concern centers on layoff notices, which Frontier agreed to withdraw during the negotiations.

“But if we make an agreement that doesn’t protect them going forward, within 90 days, they can follow through to layoff again, which puts the state at a disadvantage, puts the customers at a disadvantage, and we’re in the same boat,” he said.

However, Frontier’s Communications Manager Andy Malinoski said Frontier’s goal is not to lessen staff but to increase it.

“Our objective in these negotiations has been and continues to be to preserve good jobs with competitive wages. The company is anxious to bring this work stoppage to a close,” Malinoski said. “Frontier has put forth its latest proposal as recently as yesterday. Our current proposal includes the potential of adding 200 jobs, and we are focused on getting back to the bargaining table and resolving this as quickly as possible.”

Those proposed additional jobs satiate a CWA concern that they do not currently have enough employees to keep up with service and expand new service.

However, the CWA wants better job security for those already employed.

“We started out with around 1,800 employees in this state, in this footprint, and we’re now down to 1,400,” Mooney said. “With the reduction we have now, we can’t maintain the quality service to the customer, and the company isn’t building out and keeping the network updated.”

But Malinoski responded: “In today’s changing and competitive industry landscape, we cannot simply guarantee 100 percent job security.”

Having such guarantees in place, Mooney said, not only benefits Frontier’s employees, but also its customers.

“Because of the path we’re going down, our children aren’t going to have a viable internet connection to do their school work, and the business community in this state isn’t going to have an opportunity to attract businesses to this state because there will be no viable network here,” he said.

Mooney said those issues, which took the employees to the picket line earlier this month, can be traced back to 2010, when Frontier acquired the majority of West Virginia from Verizon.

“Which the CWA fought at the time because we didn’t believe Frontier would have the resources to invest in the state or to build out a viable, high speed broadband network,” he said. “Over our objection, they were given the rights to acquire the state, and the arguments that we made in 2010 that they would cut jobs, not invest in the network and then put the state at a disadvantage are now coming to fruition.”

Malinoski, however, disputes those claims, stating that through the Federal Communications Commission’s Connect America Fund and Frontier’s own private capital investment, the company has brought a higher level of connectivity to 165,000 homes and businesses in the last two years.

“Since Frontier came to West Virginia, more than $500 million has been invested in the network, and the CWA’s helped us run fiber further out into the market, put new equipment at the end of that fiber and serve our communities better,” he said. “In fact, there are 89,000 homes and locations that we will be improving through 2020 in conjunction with the Connect America Fund.”

While this is the third week of the strike, Malinoski said the company is working to assure Frontier customers see no impact to their service.

“Our managers, our Frontier employees, our local and regional contractors are out in the field today completing jobs, installing new service and working on service orders and issues today,” he said.

Mooney believes there is a simple solution before Frontier, which he hopes will be taken soon so that CWA employees can return to work.

“We apologize for any disruptions that customers are going through,” he said. “We hope to be back to work soon, restore the network and move forward.”

Striking Frontier Communications workers and supporters plan to rally before the company’s MacCorkle Avenue location in Charleston on Saturday. The rally will be held from 1 to 4 p.m.





More News

News
MetroNews This Morning 3-29-24
Summary of West Virginia news, sports, and weather for Friday, March 29, 2024
March 29, 2024 - 6:24 am
News
Dunlow Volunteer Fire Department closes
The Dunlow VFD did not have a valid workers compensation insurance policy.
March 29, 2024 - 1:23 am
News
As Yeager Airport's Wildlife Patrol Dog turns 7, a new dog comes in to learn from him
The new Border Collie is getting acclimated and receiving training for his soon-to-be role.
March 28, 2024 - 6:30 pm
News
PEIA examines financial effects of new law meant to ensure local pharmacies get fair reimbursements
Gov. Jim Justice signed Senate Bill 453 into law this week.
March 28, 2024 - 4:11 pm