As 2015 comes to a close, we want to report some good news on the labor front, particularly as it relates to hundreds of working families in New Hampshire. The IBEW Local 2320 and the lawyers at Nolan Perroni, PC have been fighting a now year-long battle to secure unemployment benefits for its members that were denied them during a lengthy and contentious strike of their employer, Fairpoint Communications. After two hearings and an appeal of an initial denial of benefits, the State has finally ruled in favor of the Union. The decision marks the first time in New Hampshire that a large group of striking workers has received unemployment benefits.
FairPoint Communications’ unionized workforce struck from October 17, 2014 to February 25, 2015 in protest of the Company’s insistence on deep cuts to employees’ pensions and other benefits. The company freely conceded that, nearly a year before its CBA expired, it developed a negotiation strategy that involved demanding wholesale concessions from the union. Because of this, the company knew that a strike was probable and began planning for it months in advance.
Attorneys Peter Perroni and Meghan Cooper were proud to represent Local 2320 in this fight. As a result of this continuing effort, these working NH families -- who for months walked a tough, cold picket line -- will receive more than a million dollars in unemployment benefits, and just in time for the holiday season.