Tens of thousands of Verizon workers are ready to strike. At a rally Saturday in New York City with thousands of workers and supporters, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) announced that 86% of Verizon workers have voted to authorize a strike if necessary. The contract expires at 12 midnight this Saturday, August 1 and covers 39,000 CWA and IBEW represented telephone workers from Massachusetts to Virginia. “Verizon doesn't want to share their profits with the workers whose labor actually creates those profits,” says CWA Local 2108 president Marilyn Irwin. “They are willing to pay nearly $95k for a full-page ad in the Washington Post and other papers to tout what a wonderful employer they are, but they fail to mention that their bargaining demands would strip most of the benefits listed from their employees and retirees!” Click below to read more.
“Our members are clear and they are determined – they reject management’s harsh concessionary demands, including the elimination of job security, sharp increases in workers' health care costs, and slashing retirement security,” said Dennis Trainor, Vice President for CWA District One. “Verizon made $9.6 billion in profits in 2014, and reported $4.4 billion in profits just in the 2015 second quarter alone. Their demands are completely outrageous and unwarranted.” The union and its supporters also highlighted the company’s refusal to build out its state-of-the-art FiOS network and its lack of investment in maintaining the original copper network. “On the one hand, Verizon refuses to build its high-speed FiOS network in lower-income areas. And on the other, they are systemically ignoring maintenance needs on their landline network,” said Ed Mooney, Vice President for CWA District 2-13, which covers Pennsylvania to Virginia. “This leaves customers at the mercy of a cable monopoly or stuck with deteriorating service while Verizon executives and shareholders rake in billions.” Read more here.