In a faceoff to rival the debt ceiling debacle, 45,000 of Verizon Communication Inc.’s landline workers went on strike Sunday, after failed negotiations regarding pensions caused their contracts to expire at midnight on Saturday. The negotiations began on June 22.

The Communication Workers of America union members, who install traditional phone lines as well as Internet and television lines, picketed Verizon’s New York City headquarters Sunday morning. The group was clad in red and held signs that read, "CWA on strike for middle-class jobs."

Verizon executives pointed to the decline in landline use as the reason behind the proposed contract changes.

"It's not reflective of today's marketplace," said Verizon spokesman Rich Young to msnbc.com. "Our union employees pay nothing toward their health care premiums. That's virtually unheard of."

Union workers, on the other hand, contend that the money that should be going to them is instead kept in the pockets of Verizon’s corporate members.

"We're just making a regular living, middle class—we're not making a fortune. We just want to keep what we have," said 45-year-old Helga Weber, a 13-year Verizon employee and union member.

Verizon says that it is willing to negotiate at the leisure of the CWA.