The chief negotiator for the unions on strike against FairPoint Communications in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine is rejecting assertions by the company that they're not willing to negotiate.

Peter McLaughlin of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers says the company has rejected all its proposals.

McLaughlin spoke in response to comments FairPoint CEO Paul Sunu made in a Wednesday letter to Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin.

In the letter, Sunu says his company has always been willing to negotiate with the unions that represent more than 1,700 workers across the three states. Sunu was responding to a letter from Shumlin last week that urged the company to work to resolve the strike that began Oct. 17.

Sunu says recent service problems are due to four major storms in 50 days.