A last minute deal was made Sunday between two unions representing 65,000 Verizon workers nationwide and the company, averting a planned strike at midnight.

The strike would have affected about 130 Verizon employees locally.

They are represented by the Communications Workers of America Locals 1124 and 1128.

The union members had been without a contract since August 2nd.

While the union waited for word on contract negotiations Sunday, members in Potsdam readied just in case of a strike.

The union was prepared with a strike fund set up to help off set losses for employees.

But the strike fund would not have covered full salaries and the union said a strike would have been a last resort.

The union says the new tentative three-year contract settlement with Verizon met their goals of promoting union jobs and expanding bargaining rights.

According to the union, the tentative settlement also includes eliminating subcontracting of work in a number of areas and should create 2,500 new union jobs nationwide.