Verizon Shedding Wireless, Landline Workers

Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) is shedding workers in its wireless and wireline divisions.

Verizon Wireless this week fired former Alltel workers in Little Rock, Ark. Verizon closed the $28.1 billion Alltel purchase early this year and said the latest layoffs were a result of redundant job descriptions. Verizon would not say how many people lost their jobs but did tell The Associated Press the cuts came in the finance, marketing and legal departments.

Meanwhile, Verizon is looking to slash 8,000 jobs by the end of January, according to reports. On Thursday, the company started offering voluntary severance packages to some non-salaried employees, many of whom work in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The Communications Workers of America (CWA) union is protesting the cuts. Representatives say Verizon remains a profitable company – it did report $1.18 billion in third-quarter net income – and is putting money ahead of people.

“They're blaming the economy, but it's not apparent the economy has eaten their lunch yet," Gail Evans, a CWA spokeswoman, told The Daily Press.