![40K Verizon Wireline Employees On Strike Over Healthcare Pension Issues](https://www.srjnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/40K-Verizon-Wireline-Employees-On-Strike-Over-Healthcare-Pension-Issues.jpg)
About 40,000 wireline employees of Verizon walked off the job and it could affect the telephhone, television and Fios Internet services in east coast states including Virginia, Massachusetts and New York.
Communications Workers of America called the strike along with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Verizon has ensured the services will not be disrupted as over the past year it has trained thousands of non-union employees.
The company is in talks with the unions since June 2015 over plans to cut healthcare and pension-relaed benefits over a three-year period.
The agreement with the workers expired last year in August and since then the workers have been working without a contract. The issues that persist yet include offshoring call center jobs, pensions, work rules and healthcare.
In 2011 too the last round of contract negotiations led to a strike. However, within two weeks a new contract was made.
Meanwhile, Verizon says it is willing to go to mediation but no word has been heard from the unions.
Verizon is the largest wireless carrier in the country and its wireline unit generates about 29 percent of revenue.
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