{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-welch-call-for-reversal-of-fairpoint-layoffs-", "Sanders, Welch Call For Reversal of FairPoint Layoffs", "2016-12-14", "2016", "2016-12", "Independent", "House", "VT", "Bernard Sanders", "S000033", "www.sanders.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Sanders, Welch Call For Reversal of FairPoint Layoffs \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tWednesday, December 14, 2016\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tBURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 14 \u2013 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., Tuesday called upon the CEOs of FairPoint Communications and the Illinois company that is set to purchase it, Consolidated Communications Holdings, to reverse the planned layoff of nearly 10 percent of FairPoint\u2019s workforce.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIt is particularly callous to destroy the livelihoods of loyal FairPoint workers just as the cold weather approaches and as families prepare to celebrate the holiday season,\u201d Sanders and Welch wrote to FairPoint CEO Paul Sunu. \u201cThese workers helped build the company\u2019s value, yet they are being discarded as collateral damage of a sale designed to maximize profits for a tiny group of Wall Street hedge fund investors.\u201d\u00a0\r\nIn their letter to the CEO of Consolidated Communications, which is in the process of purchasing FairPoint, Sanders and Welch outlined FairPoint\u2019s checkered history in dealing with its Vermont workforce, stating \u201cFairPoint\u2019s relationship with its workforce was unnecessarily antagonist.\u201d The Charlotte, N.C.-based phone company purchased Verizon Communication\u2019s landline phone operations in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont in 2007.\r\n\u201cInstead of negotiating a reasonable labor agreement, [FairPoint] pursued drastic cuts to pay and benefits that led to a four-month strike in 2014-15,\u201d Sanders and Welch wrote. \u201cJust three months after the strike ended, FairPoint closed its South Burlington call center and laid-off more than 70 unionized workers. Most recently, FairPoint announced last month that it was laying off nearly 10 percent of its remaining workforce, presumably to make the company more attractive for the sale to Consolidated.\u201d\r\nSanders and Welch said reversing the layoffs would \u201cbe a significant demonstration of good faith\u201d on Consolidated\u2019s part. \u00a0\r\n\u201cWe urge you to reverse FairPoint\u2019s decision and send the clear message that Consolidated values its workers and the communities in which the company operates. We know the CWA and IBEW welcome the opportunity to work with Consolidated to help make its New England operations successful again,\u201d Sanders and Welch wrote.\r\nTo read the letter to FairPoint,\u00a0click here\r\nTo read the letter to Consolidated Communications,\u00a0click here", 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-welch-call-for-reversal-of-fairpoint-layoffs-"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7669241167604923, "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"}