Voting is underway on proposed contracts for about 1,000 Consolidated Communication workers across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
The unions and the company expect an announcement by the end of Friday.
Negotiators announced tentative agreements over the weekend. One covers the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the other the Communications Workers of America.
Workers had authorized a strike if there was no agreement. Workers said they’re especially concerned about job security, and are worried about the possibility of call center jobs leaving the region. Consolidated operates in 21 other states in addition to Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
These were the unions’ first negotiations with Consolidated, which purchased FairPoint Communications last year. Workers’ last contracts were preceded by a four-month strike against FairPoint.
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