About two dozen Vermont employees of FairPoint Communications walked the picket line in front of the company's Middlesex office Friday.
The workers are among about 1,700 FairPoint employees who went on strike Friday in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
The company says it's willing to listen to any union proposal that "meaningfully addresses the core issues."
The strike, authorized months ago, began early Friday after union officials met with company officials in Boston.
Peter McLaughlin from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers says the unions have offered "significant concessions," but the company isn't interested.
The company contends the old union contract was out of sync with industry norms. The company-imposed contract has frozen worker pensions and requires them to contribute to their health care costs for the first time.
Duane Gibson, a 40-year employee of FairPoint and its predecessors, who is taking part in his fourth strike says he's willing to stay on strike until the issues are resolved.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
