Verizon: $1 Billion a Month Isn’t Enough

Poor Verizon. In contract negotiations with the Communications Workers of America and the Electrical Workers, the telecom giant says it just doesn’t have the money to strike a deal with nearly 40,000 workers from Virginia to Massachusetts whose contract expired August 1. Meanwhile, Verizon made nearly $10 billion in profits last year, and is doing even better this year. Recognizing that it’s hard to make it on just $1 billion in profits every month, CWA has launched a new website, GoFundVerizon.com, where you can “donate” to a new yacht for Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam, a new Jacuzzi for the company’s corporate jet or a raise for top execs. This isn’t crowdfunding for the 1%; the union is using the site to show how ordinary folks are paying attention to this ongoing struggle for jobs with justice.
photo: Retirees and active members of CWA Local 2108 met recently on Central Avenue in Capitol Heights, MD, for informational picketing during the morning rush hour. The local's 1,700 members work as central office technicians, cable splicers and consultants.

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