NEW YORK, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A strike by 45,000 Verizon workers is set to end Monday even though there has been no agreement on a new contract, the two striking unions announced.
Union officials said the strikers would report for duty Monday night, ending a walkout that began Aug. 7.
The Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electricians said the unions had not caved in and had agreed to go back to work because Verizon was now prepared to negotiate seriously.
"Everybody knew we faced a long list of management demands and that's why there was a strike, and we would go back into bargaining when the talks could be meaningful," said Larry Cohen, president of the Communications Workers. "We don't consider this a victory in any way. We consider it progress toward a good process at Verizon."
The New York Times said Sunday the strike was called after Verizon laid out a list of more than 100 proposed concessions it wanted from the union workers who are employed in the company's land-line division.
A Verizon human resources executive told the Times the company had not taken any of its demands off the table.
