WATCH: Local Verizon Employees on Strike

More than 45,000 Verizon Communications employees went on strike Sunday, and on Monday local employees were adorned in red shirts walking the picket lines at the plant on Lake Avenue in St. James.

The strike is the result of stalled contract negotiations, which began June 22. The contract expired at midnight on Saturday.

A statement released by Communications Workers of America Local 1108 stated the company is looking for $1 billion in concessions from its employees.

“Throughout bargaining since June they have put a whole list of concessions on the table … we are the middle class, we’re not asking for much, we’re asking to keep our benefits and our wages,” said Dave Lamberson, business agent for CWA Local 1108.

Despite the sudden loss of its existing workforce, Verizon's media relations director, John Bonomo, said the company doesn't expect any disruption in its field and telephone-based customer service departments.

Bonomo said it began hiring retirees and training managers to fill those roles when the unions first announced their strike plans a few weeks ago.

"We implemented that plan on Sunday after the two unions called a strike and inconvenienced our customers," he said.

Bonomo said the company is still answering repair calls, performing installations and taking orders, though he admitted the scope of the strike on Long Island is far-reaching, with Verizon garages throughout the region.

"Just drive through any community and we're not hard to find," he said.

Lamberson said the company eventually would not be able to keep up with consumer demands and the work of the long-time employees will be needed.

“There’s no way they can keep up with the installation work, the plant is already deteriorating at the old copper plant – they didn’t fix it with us here so I’m sure they’re not going to fix it with us not here – and the repairs are going to back up,” he said. “Eventually they’re not going to be able to handle the workload.”