Tentative Deal Reached in Verizon Strike

N E W  Y O R K, Aug. 21 -- While nearly two-thirds of the 87,000 striking Verizon Communications employees returned to work today after unions reached a tentative agreement, a backlog of new service requests could mushroom if a formal deal isn’t reached soon, a Verizon spokesman said.

That’s because fall is a traditionally busy time for new phone line requests, with students moving into dorms and apartments. Additionally, families terminate phone services for summer homes.

“The demand for new service [during the fall] is phenomenal,” said Jim Smith, a Verizon spokesman.

About 200,000 orders for new service already remain pending as the strike officially continues. Verizon workers have focused on repairs during the past two weeks, not installations, Smtih said.

During a press briefing earlier today, Lawrence T. Babbio Jr., vice chairman and president of Verizon, said there are about 80,000 service “troubles” outstanding. Half of those problems are reports of no service and the rest cover minor service glitches including static, Smith said. Verizon serves a total of 40 million lines or customers.

Frank Paxton, a vice president of CWA Local 1105 in New York,estimated it would take two months for workers in his region tocatch up on the backlog of orders and repairs tallied up during thestrike.

Smith estimated it could take three to four weeks to catch up on pending service orders.

Verizon spokesman Eric Rabe said problems with directory assistance should clear up almost immediately.

Negotiations Continue

On Sunday, a new, tentative three-year contract was struck with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and one of two bargaining units for the Communications Workers of America, or CWA, covering employees in New York and New England. The two represent 50,000 Verizon workers.

Talks with another bargaining unit for the CWA, covering employees in the Mid-Atlantic states, are continuing.

The unions have been striking for two weeks, and the walkout has affected 25 million phone users on the East Coast. Union negotiators are seeking the right to unionize the growing wireless work force at the telecommunications giant.