Verizon is reporting that it is deploying thousands of additional employees and contractors during the strike, which is currently almost three weeks old. Employees on special assignment and contractors are presently enrolled or have recently graduated from the company’s technical training classes in Virginia, according to the company.
“While we’d rather have our seasoned veterans in these positions, each day, more and more customers are giving us high marks in that their inquiries and issues are being successfully resolved in our call centers and in the field,” Bob Mudge, president of Verizon’s wireline network operations, says. “We are taking additional steps to ensure our services are available as our customers deserve and expect.”
Last week, CWA charged in a statement that Verizon customers are “tired of the wait times, unsafe work practices and poor service being provided by untrained management replacement workers” put in place by Verizon.
Verizon’s latest announcement came a day after the company presented union leaders with its “last, best and final” contract offer, which the both the CWA and IEBW condemned in separate statements.
New remote and automated technologies are also helping resolve issues in ways unseen in the past, Verizon also states. “Many Fios products and services can be ordered online and self-installed, often eliminating the need for a technician to be dispatched to a customer’s home. In addition, enhanced network technologies can remotely resolve many issues that once required dispatch.”