{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-deeply-disappointed-in-fairpoint", "Sanders Deeply Disappointed in FairPoint", "2014-12-18", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "BURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 18 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after FairPoint Communications CEO Paul Sunu snubbed a request from the Vermont congressional delegation for the North Carolina company to negotiate an end to a two-month strike by about 1,700 New England workers:\u00a0\r\n\u201cI am deeply disappointed, but not surprised, with the response from Mr. Sunu.\u00a0 His letter confirms what I have long suspected.\u00a0 FairPoint wants to slash wages and benefits for Vermont workers and it refuses to negotiate in good faith.\u00a0 In essence his letter says FairPoint\u2019s bargaining posture is \u2018take it or leave it, we want it our way, and we\u2019re not going to make any compromises.\u2019\u00a0\r\n\u201cMr. Sunu fails to mention that the unions already have offered more than $200 million in concessions, nor does he describe just how deep FairPoint\u2019s proposed cuts are.\u00a0 I think most Vermonters would be very surprised to know that FairPoint\u2019s opening positon on new employee wages was below Vermont\u2019s minimum wage.\r\n\u201cMr. Sunu also does not seem aware just how bad FairPoint service has become. Frankly, the people of Vermont are becoming sick and tired of poor customer service that is getting worse by the day.\r\n\u201cIt is time for FairPoint to put its customers\u2019 safety and its workers wellbeing ahead of the interests of the multi-billion dollar Wall Street hedge funds that stand to profit from a sale of the company. It is time for FairPoint to negotiate a contract that respects the contributions of its experienced and dedicated workforce.\u201d", 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://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-deeply-disappointed-in-fairpoint"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.7282177470624447, "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"}