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MAINE LABOR UPDATE
Urge Maine Union Members to Attend
Hearings
Verizon is currently attempting to sell its telephone landlines in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire to a tiny, financially unstable company called FairPoint Communications. If this sale goes through it could destroy nearly three thousand union jobs with good pay and benefits.
In addition to the loss of union jobs, a
sale like this would send Maine and its economy backwards. Cutting edge
technology is essential to keeping good paying jobs in the state.
Fairpoint does not have the resources or the technology to keep pace with
today’s world. Public Utilities Commission is calling the state's most important telecommunications issue in a generation.
"On Monday, Maine parties to the case begin meeting behind closed doors, trying to reach agreement on divisive issues that will affect the majority of phone customers in Maine. The outcome of the meetings could influence the PUC's decision in this landmark proceeding.
"The private meetings underscore what's at stake in the proposed sale of Verizon's phone network in northern New England to FairPoint Communications. The deal would transfer poles, wires and other equipment from a legacy carrier of the Bell Telephone age to an independent phone company with no experience in
running a statewide telecommunications
system."
If the sale goes through, phone rates could increase, the quality of service could suffer and the only type of internet service Maine would ever see is a slow paced, high priced service that FairPoint’s current customers already complain about regularly.
Because Verizon is a public utility, the
sale must first be approved by Maine’s Public Utilities Commission. The
Commission is holding a public hearing in areas in Maine to hear from the
public about this potential sale.
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 18 UMaine Fort Kent, Fox Auditorium 23 University Drive 6:00PM -9:00PM
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 20 BANGOR Bangor High School Auditorium, Outer Broadway 6:00PM – 9:00PM
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25 PORTLAND Portland High School 6:00PM
We need a big crowd at these hearings. Please plan to attend one or more of these hearings. We need local area residents to voice concerns. Many of you have probably had experience with FairPoint either now or in the past. Please come and help out your fellow union brothers and sisters.
Maine AFL-CIO Public Policy & Political Mobilization Director PH: 207.786.0045 Cell: 207.576.3572
IBEW 567 Union Hall
238 Goddard Rd., Lewiston
Tuesday, Sept. 11, 5:30pm – 8:30pm Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 716 Hall
21 Gabriel Drive, Augusta Wednesday, Sept. 12, 5pm - 9pm Teamsters Local 340 Hall 144 Thadeus St., South Portland
For Map:
http://www.maineaflcio.org/map%20teamsters%20local%20340.htm
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