By WBFO Newsroom
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-982815.mp3
Buffalo, NY – Striking Verizon workers will be back to work Tuesday, though an agreement between the union and the company has not been finalized.
Both sides are appearing confident that an agreement can be reached.
The company has identified its landline business as an area for cutbacks, and the union is looking to protect workers and their healthcare and pension benefits. With the parties still a distance apart on terms, John Wagner, President of the local Communication Workers of America 1122, believes that negotiations will be productive.
Wagner said there is still a lot of work to do, but both sides are committed to a resolution.
"We are still far apart, but we believe right now there's a commitment from Verizon to sit down and negotiate fairly. A contract negotiation is give and take, it's compromise its the exchange of proposals and the exchange of ideas," said Wagner.
The two unions represent 45,000 workers in the Northeast who have been walking picket lines since August 7th.