Rumor has it the meeting call by the Labor Secretary between the IBEW/CWA presidents and Lowell was a last attempt for the Union leadership to save face. Vz is willling to back off a few of the items (30 year freeze and some medical items) and the Union will have to accept flexible work force requirements. If the Union accepts,they can blame the terms of the contract on the Government. If they balk and continue no to negotiate, the fault is their own. Verizon has no interest in declaring a lockout, the Unions are doing that for them and there can then be no ULP charges that will stand. Verizon will then implement the doomsday scenario using temporary replacement workers to fill all domestic based positions. More outsourcing will continue and in the end, there will be fewer jobs for Union members to have when and if they return to work. Also, Union Leadership was told any attempt to add Wireless to the roles should be done in another effort, the focus should be getting their members working. Union enrollment should be done at a later time.
More to come.