CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Several hundred striking Frontier Communications workers, members of the Communication Workers of America, rallied with members of other unions in a show of solidarity Saturday in front of Frontier’s state headquarters in Charleston.
The workers went on strike three weeks ago Sunday after nearly a year of failed contract negotiations. The issue at top of mind Saturday was job security.
“We’ve got to look out for the future,” Twenty-year line worker Shawn Lacy of Huntington told MetroNews. “If we don’t take care of the people that are new there’s not going to be anybody left to take care of.”
Union members fear there will be further cuts in office jobs including shifting the positions to another part of the country or another part of the world.
Roz Williams, of St. Albans, has 15-years with the company but as a consultant is concerned about her future.
“They want to come in and be able to cut 15 percent of our jobs. Job security is about being able to wake up, come to work and know that you really have a job and that they’re not just going to come in and send you home,” Williams said.
Most strikes tend to be about pay and benefits but that’s not on Lacy’s mind.
“We don’t need the money, we’re comfortable with what we make. We’ve got pretty decent insurance in today’s environment—we’re after job security that’s all we’re caring about. If you pay me $300 an hour but you don’t guarantee me a job—that $300 an hour is useless,” Lacy said.
CWA Local 2001 President Kenneth Williams said negotiations are continuing and there has been progress in recent days.
”We’re trying to keep these good jobs in West Virginia, we need some security for the future,” Williams said. “We still have a few things to iron out as long as we’re still talking we can reach a resolution.”
Saturday’s show of solidarity included United Mine Workers Union President Cecil Roberts.
“There’s an old union song written in the 30’s called ‘Which side are you on,’ but everybody in West Virginia should be on the side of these strikers because they are trying to keep good jobs here,” Roberts said. “And if you’re on the other side it’s like you’re saying ‘We don’t care if jobs leave here.’”