IBEW Members in Tampa Begin Contract Talks with Verizon

Published Tuesday, July 19, 2005
LAKELAND
Verizon Begins Labor Talks

Labor negotiations between Verizon Communications Inc. and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) began Monday and are expected to conclude by the end of the month. Earlier this month, about 150 Verizon employees protested against the telecommunications company in a picket organized by the IBEW Tampa office. The workers protested against company's policies on employee schedules, retirement benefits and health insurance costs. These items will be discussed in the coming weeks. Verizon has about 300,000 business and residential customers in Polk County and about 500 local employees. Verizon has more than 2 million customers in its Central Florida region, which includes Polk, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee and Hillsborough counties. A 24-hour call center opened in 2004 in Lakeland.