Business & Tech

45,000 Verizon Workers Go on Strike

One IBEW Union local calls Verizon "corporate pigs" and vows "we built this company and we are going to make damn sure they know that."

45,000 unionized Verizon employees from New England to Virginia are now on strike after the two sides failed to reach a contract agreement by the 11:59 p.m. .

A statement posted on the Communications Workers of America (CWA) website said Verizon"refuses to bargain seriously" and the company's proposals "would take workers back decades."

Verizon Executive Vice President of Human Resources Mark Reed said the unions' decision to strike is regrettable. The Huffington Postquotes a Reed statement that read in part "We will continue to do our part to reach a new contract that reflects today's economic realities in our wireline business and addresses the needs of all parties."

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According to the Huffington Post report, Verizon has trained "tens of thousands" of company managers and other personnel to step in and handle emergency work assignments.

Read more about the details of the dispute here on the Hufftington Post.

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The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 2222 in Massachusetts posted a note for members on its website that put it bluntly in calling workers to picket lines on Sunday morning: 

"Remember you are a proud Union member who will not let these Corporate pigs take from your family. We built this company and we are going to make damn sure they know that."

A statement posted overnight Sunday on the CWA website reads:

More than 45,000 workers are on strike today at Verizon Communications. Bargaining continues. Since bargaining began on June 22, Verizon has refused to move from a long list of concession demands. As the contract expired, nearly 100 concessionary company proposals remained on the table.

As a result, CWA and IBEW have decided to take the unprecedented step of striking until Verizon stops its Wisconsin-style tactics and starts bargaining seriously.

Even at the 11th hour, as contracts were set to expire, Verizon continued to seek to strip away 50 years of collective bargaining gains for middle class workers and their families.

CWA and IBEW members are prepared to return to work when management demonstrates the willingness to begin bargaining seriously for a fair agreement. If not, CWA and IBEW members and allies will continue the fight.

 

Related Topics: CWAIBEWStrike, and Verizon


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