Verizon Communications Inc. Looks To Cut 1,700 Jobs, Offers Buyouts-Reuters

Reuters reported that Verizon Communications Inc., is looking to cut its workforce by 1,700 people, or almost 1%, through a buyout offer for technicians and call-center employees. Verizon, which has been seeking to cut costs in its declining traditional telephone business, said on Monday it could resort to involuntary layoffs if too few employees accept the voluntary package. Verizon said it was too soon to estimate the financial impact of the buyout plan, which was announced to union workers in several states last week. Verizon, which has about 192,000 workers in total, has been in talks for months with unions for labor contracts covering 45,000 employees, or about half its wireline business workforce. Spokesman Richard Young said the talks were progressing but declined to give any details. Verizon said that it made the offers because of a "workforce surplus" in certain parts of its wireline business.