Letter to the Honorable Paul H. Sunu, Chief Executive Officer of Fairpoint Communications - Reverse Decision on Holiday Layoffs

Letter

Dear Mr. Sunu:

We write regarding our concern for your employees and their families given the recent announcement by FairPoint that it will lay off 10 percent of its workforce in Northern New England. This will impact Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, and will be rolled out at a particularly difficult time of year. Understanding that Consolidated Communications is working to acquire FairPoint for a significant sum of $1.5 billion, we ask you work on a seamless transition that avoids any employee layoffs.

As our largest telecommunications provider, we have contacted you several times throughout your tenure operating in Northern New England. We have been frustrated with inconsistent customer service, a stagnant infrastructure, and unattended service outages. We have always worked to better the services available to our states, and we have always appreciated the contributions of FairPoint employees to our states' workforce. It is in that spirit that we sincerely hope the sale, if approved, will result in improved customer service, expanded access to broadband service in rural areas, and the creation of more good jobs in our communities, not a reduction in workforce or a relocation of the workforce. However, it is deeply distressing that one of FairPoint's last actions in our three states is laying off even more workers.

We urge you to reverse this decision and send the clear message that FairPoint values its workers and the communities in which the company operates.

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