Ouch. The strike came to nothing despite the hundreds of instances of sabotage they perpetrated against their own company. Verizon should simply have fired them and hired non-union employees. There are tens of thousands of qualified people in the northeast and mid-atlantic regions that would take those positions for reasonable pay and be happy to contribute to their healthcare, unless it is Obamacare of course.
Skype, cell, any/all of the digital voice transmission modes have delays which make conversation difficult. Old fashioned landline does not have that problem unless it's over a very long path...
Speaking of stripped clean-- If the unions weren't so damn greedy over the past 50 years, there wouldn't be such a backlash against them now. Fact is, it's IMPOSSIBLE to pay the ridiculously cushy pensions and health care costs that the union thugs manhandled from the government and companies over the last few decades. Now that the greatest bull run in equities and housing is a distant memory, those cushy deals have to get renegotiated to more realistic standards. I for one am thrilled that corporations and others (Chris Christie) are finally standing their ground against the unions.
He recognizes it, he just doesn't care. The mentality of these union members and apologists is "we deserve our outrageous benefits and don't care if they cause our employer to become insolvent". I've come to believe that most unions would hold that position right up to the point where they all lose their jobs. Given that real unemployement is probably around 16% you would think that many of these unionized businesses would be pondering strategies that break or rid themselves of the unions. I think unions had a place in America...about 80 years ago. These days the unions are so corrupt and anti-business that they support benefits that are simply unsustainable. Their willingness to harm the companies they work for are difficult to comprehend.
and they have Sometimes I think it's like the charge of being a "racist". Typical spineless management is more afraid of being labeled "anti-union" than salvaging their company. I agree.