WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the announcement of an agreement in principle in Verizon-CWA-IBEW talks, union officials praised Labor Secretary Thomas Perez and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director Allison Beck and other officials who assisted in the negotiations.
IBEW President Lonnie Stephenson praised officials. “I offer my deep gratitude to Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez and Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director Allison Beck for their efforts to help us reach a fair and mutually beneficial agreement that gets our members back on the job,” he said in a statement.
Chris Shelton, President of the Communications Workers of America, also praised the efforts of federal mediators. “CWA appreciates the persistence and dedication of Secretary Perez, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director Allison Beck and their entire teams,” he said in a CWA news release.
In his statement, announcing the tentative agreement, Labor Secretary Perez said, “This tentative resolution is a testament to the power of collective bargaining. I commend the leadership of Verizon, CWA, and IBEW for their commitment to resolving these difficult issues in the spirit of constructive engagement.”
FMCS Director Allison Beck issued the following statement on the announcement today: “We appreciate the hard work and perseverance of all the parties—CWA, IBEW and Verizon – and the remarkable leadership Secretary of Labor Tom Perez brought to these negotiations. The parties worked around the clock for nearly two weeks to narrow their differences and reach a resolution that addressed the interests of both sides. In the months ahead, FMCS stands ready to help the parties achieve their goal of improved labor-management relations as the best means for assuring the future success of Verizon and its workforce.“