{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswaomn-pingree-fairpoint-reverse-decision-holiday-layoffs", "Congresswoman Pingree to Fairpoint: reverse decision on holiday layoffs", "2016-12-20", "2016", "2016-12", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congresswoman Chellie Pingree joined several of her colleagues from Northern New England in sending a letter to FairPoint late last week asking the company to reverse its decision to lay off 10 percent of its workforce during the holidays. FairPoint\u2019s move comes while Consolidated Communications is negotiating to purchase the company.\nIn a letter to FairPoint CEO Paul Sunu, the Members said, \u201cWe write regarding our concern for your employees and their families given the recent announcement by FairPoint that it will lay off 10 percent of its workforce in Northern New England. This will impact Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, and will be rolled out at a particularly difficult time of year. \u2026 We urge you to reverse this decision and send the clear message that FairPoint values its workers and the communities in which the company operates.\u201d\nPingree was joined by Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Representative Peter Welch of Vermont, as well as Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Representative Ann Kuster of New Hampshire.\u00a0\nFull text of the letter is below and a signed copy is available here.\nDecember 16, 2016\nPaul H. Sunu  \n\tChief Executive Officer  \n\tFairPoint Communications  \n\t521 E Morehead Street, Suite 500  \n\tCharlotte, NC 28202\nDear Mr. Sunu:\nWe write regarding our concern for your employees and their families given the recent announcement by FairPoint that it will lay off 10 percent of its workforce in Northern New England. This will impact Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, and will be rolled out at a particularly difficult time of year. Understanding that Consolidated Communications is working to acquire FairPoint for a significant sum of $1.5 billion, we ask you work on a seamless transition that avoids any employee layoffs.\nAs our largest telecommunications provider, we have contacted you several times throughout your tenure operating in Northern New England. \u00a0We have been frustrated with inconsistent customer service, a stagnant infrastructure, and unattended service outages. We have always worked to better the services available to our states, and we have always appreciated the contributions of FairPoint employees to our states\u2019 workforce. It is in that spirit that we sincerely hope the sale, if approved, will result in improved customer service, expanded access to broadband service in rural areas, and the creation of more good jobs in our communities, not a reduction in workforce or a relocation of the workforce. However, it is deeply distressing that one of FairPoint\u2019s last actions in our three states is laying off even more workers.\u00a0\nWe urge you to reverse this decision and send the clear message that FairPoint values its workers and the communities in which the company operates.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congresswaomn-pingree-fairpoint-reverse-decision-holiday-layoffs"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.3386566899716854, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}