According to reports, Verizon has five days to sort out issues with unions that represent 39,000 workers of Verizon. It has been reported that approximately 86% of employees of Verizon in the in nine states of the US want to go for strike, if needed.

As per reports, the employment contracts of employers of the Verizon will lapse at midnight of August 1. Verizon staff in the company’s wire-line business is in Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and Connecticut. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in addition to the unions Communication Workers of America (CWA) is representing them.

According to the CWA, on Saturday, the Verizon workers decided the move in a rally in New York. The difference of opinion is related to increases in pension concessions and employee healthcare contributions.

According to Rich Young, spokesman of Verizon, the company has come up with an offer for the union. It is “a solid proposal that recognizes the changing communications landscape and offers a path toward success".

According to Young, some parts of the contract came up over a decade ago and it now has no importance in telecom industry which is facing troubles from structural pressure and changes. Verizon is providing training to non-unionized workers to take over more roles so as to make sure services don’t get interrupted if the unionized staff doesn’t work. This is being done considering the threat of a strike.

The spokesman slammed Verizon's Union rallies and votes approving strikes, saying it will not help achieve anything.