Frontier Communications workers in West Virginia and Ashburn, Virginia, are returning to work after reaching agreement on a new contract.
The 1,400 workers are members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and will resume their jobs by Wednesday. The tentative agreement now will be submitted to the workforce for a ratification vote.
“We are very pleased a tentative agreement has been reached,” said Chris Levendos, Frontier executive vice president of field operations. “We are eager to have the CWA-represented members back at work focused on providing quality customer service and expanding broadband connectivity throughout the state.”
The workers went on strike three weeks ago. Their contract originally was set to expire on Aug. 5, 2017, was extended until Nov. 4, and then extended again to March 3.
“I could not be more proud of our members,” said Ed Mooney, vice president of CWA District 2-13. “Going on strike is never easy. But they knew what was at stake for their co-workers and for their communities. Thanks to their strength and unity, our bargaining team has reached an agreement with Frontier that will ensure that they will continue to have good, family supporting jobs.”
Earlier this month, Frontier got a temporary restraining order against the striking workers in West Virginia, barring them from picketing in large numbers, using violence and interfering with business. It said the order was in response to “dangerous, destructive and reckless behavior” by some CWA members.
Average annual wages for the company’s union employees exceed $64,500, and more than half of all union employees earn more than $75,000 per year, it said.
