More Problems for FairPoint

Details: Created on Wednesday, 03 December 2014 15:31; Written by Cassandra Bernier

NORTHEAST KINGDOM- The largest network in Northern New England is under investigation after almost 400 complaints have been brought to the state's attention since September.

FairPoint Communications was given two warnings by the Vermont Department of Public Service to fix the problems that were occuring. Some of these complaints included: phone service being down or spotty, internet serivce not being avaliable, and poor customer service. However, according to the "FairPoint Difference," costumers are supposed to count on FairPoint to keep them connected.

The Department of Public Service has asked the Publice Serivce Board to investigate the root casuses of the outages, as well as the delays that FairPoint customers have been seeing. On September 4th of this year, the Public Service Department warned FairPoint that if it did not improve its service by November 30th, then the Department would ask for an investigation. From July to September there were about 70 complaints, which the department thought was too high. And now with 388 complaints from September to November, along with the E911 program going down, the departmnet has much concern.

Last Friday's five and a half hour 911 outage caused 45 calls to not make it through, endangering the people's well-being. The 911 system is managed by a Colorado-based company, but FairPoint will take over the contract next summer after winning the bid.

According to the department's Telecommunications Director, Jim Porter, complaints regarding the company's service spiked after the unionized workers went on strike in mid-October.

Senator Bernie Sanders is displeased with FairPoint's service. He says, "FairPoint is clearly putting the interests of the multi-billion-dollar hedge funds, which own the company, ahead of its workers and ahead of its Vermont customers."

Senator Sanders believes that the only thing that is going to help the service is getting FairPoint to return to the bargaining table. "The company's plan to freeze pensions, eliminate future retiree health benefits, force workers to pay hundreds of dollars more a month for health care and outsource jobs will only result in worse customer service," Sanders says.

Yesterday, in Keene, New Hampshire, three FairPoint strikers were hit on the picket line. A FairPoint replacement worker that was driving across the picket line, where the employees were lawfully picketing, did a U-turn in the parking lot trying to back out. When he tried doing this, he hit three of the picketers, pushing one onto his hood, hitting another with his mirror, and the third with his bumper. No serious injuries were reported.

The three stirkers are members of the International Brotherhood of Electrial Workers. The Business Manager, Glenn Brackett, from the local IBEW chaper said, "Today's near tragedy in Keene shows just how reckless FairPoint has become. It's outrageous that they'd hire people who would hit workers standing up for their families and the customers we serve. FairPoint is hiring clearly unqualified contractors, and we have no ideas if these people have ahd proper background checks. And that's not just a concern to us. It's a serious concern to the public. FairPoint is telling the public to let these people come into their homes."

In attempts to better service customers FairPoint sent out 1700 letters to workers in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. These letters encouraged their employees to come back to work.

Striking FairPoint workers rejected the offer because they believe that FairPoint is becoming desperate due to the service problems.

FairPoint is ready to negotiate with striking workers as soon as they come back to the table with a resonably offer.