The University of Massachusetts Amherst
Robert S. Cox Special Collections & University Archives Research Center
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New England Telephone Workers’ Strike

New England Telephone Workers Strike Collection

1989
1 folder 0.15 linear feet
Call no.: MS 323

In 1989, almost 60,000 telephone workers in New England and New York waged a successful fifteen week strike against Nynex to protest a new contract that threatened cuts to medical benefits.

This small collection includes three handouts and a bulletin documenting the four-month labor strike carried out by New England telephone workers (represented by the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers unions) against the NYNEX corporation.

Historical Note

In 1989, almost 60,000 telephone workers in New England and New York waged a fifteen week strike against NYNEX to protest a new contract that threatened cuts to medical benefits. For months, almost forty locals organized by the Communication Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers anticipated a showdown with management and when contract negotiations broke down, they were well prepared.

The strike of 1989 was one of the largest of the decade, with rallies of up to 15,000, and hundreds of arrests, firings, and suspensions. The strikers formed effective coalitions with a number of organizations, ranging from the Rainbow Coalition to the National Organization for Women to religious and community organizations, and after nearly four months of conflict, NYNEX agreed to drop its demand for weekly payroll deductions to cover the cost of medical coverage.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

This small collection includes three handouts and a CWA-NYNEX Strike Bulletin (November 4, November 22, 1989) documenting a four-month labor strike carried out by New England telephone workers represented by the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers unions against the NYNEX corporation.


Information on Use
Terms of Access and Use
Restrictions on access:

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Cite as: New England Telephone Workers Strike Bulletins Records (MS 323). Special Collections and University Archives W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts Amherst.

History of the Collection

Acquired from: Ken Fones-Wolf.

Processing Information

Processed by Ken Fones-Wolf, 1990.


Additional Information

Language
English.

Sponsor

Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.



Search Terms
The following terms represent persons, organizations, and topics documented in this collection. Use these headings to search for additional materials on this web site, in the Five College Library Catalog, or in other library catalogs and databases.

Subjects
  • Communications Workers of America–History–Sources.
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers–History–Sources.
  • New England–Economic conditions–20th century–Sources.
  • NYNEX Corporation–History–Sources.
  • Strikes and lockouts–Telephone companies–New England –History–Sources.
  • Telephone companies–Employees–Labor unions–New England –History–Sources.
Genre terms
  • Handbills.

Subjects

NYNEX CorporationNew England--Economic conditions--20th centuryStrikes and lockouts--Telephone companies--New England --HistoryTelephone companies--Employees--Labor unions--New England--History

Contributors

Communications Workers of AmericaInternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Types of material

Handbills