Unions representing more than 1,700 FairPoint Communications workers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont have delivered another contract proposal to the company in hopes of ending a stalemate.
Pete McLaughlin from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Maine said the proposal submitted Wednesday aimed to reduce operation costs while meeting union members' needs.
The previous proposal submitted on Aug. 14 was rejected by the company.
FairPoint has struggled since buying Verizon's landline telephone operations in northern New England seven years ago and wants to cut labor, health care and pension costs. Union workers, who've authorized a strike, are working under terms of the contract that expired Aug. 3 while negotiations continue.
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