Verizon strike—and high-profile supporters—put CEO on the spot

In public relations, a nearly 40,000-employee strike is rarely a good thing. In protest of the mobile carrier’s plan to outsource work, union members—and others—took to the streets.

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Verizon Wireless experienced one of the largest corporate walkouts this century as 36,000 workers joined the picket lines on the East Coast on Wednesday.

The company and two of the unions that represent many of its employees failed to reach an agreement on new contracts after negotiating for nearly 10 months. The unions are resisting proposed pension cuts and some stipulations that would make it easier for the company to outsource certain positions.

Verizon was prepared for the possibility of the strike, CNN money reports. Media relations reps said that it is prepared to serve its customers despite the strike, and that thousands of non-union workers have been trained to cover new assignments in the event of a strike. RELATED: Utilities communicators: Inspire trust in your community with quick and effective crisis management plans.

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