Verizon Workers on Strike..........Support Appreciated

[lpbk2713]

At this point in time it looks like a certainty that Verizon hourly-paid employees will be going on strike at midnight tonight. This will affect most of the Northeastern US states. The issues are many and complex but the main roadblock is the greed of Verizon upper management. Profits are on the rise but still Verizon wants to reduce the workforce and the hell with the working people (and their families) who generated their profits. Striking union members would appreciate your support. If you are inconvenienced by the strike please try to consider the big picture. Verizon has backed the employees up against the wall and there is no viable alternative..................GTE (now Verizon) retiree thanks you. :thumbsup:

[Stephanie]

1. I am sick that I just got a Verizon cellphone

Why didn't I hear about any of this six weeks ago?

What kind of support do they need?

[inthecorneroverhere]

17. can you get out of the contract and go 'orange'?

CWA has a discount if you go with the little 'orange' thingy (i.e. with Cingular)

http://www.cwa-union.org/

Verizon news:

http://www.cwa-union.org/verizon/

[thermodynamic]

2. I'm already disgusted with them for their perversion of the peace symbol,

but what you said is even worse!

Repukes have the gall to send DU hate mail and yet they they don't bother to look around in the world to see what is happening? Fuck 'em all!

[Generic Other]

3. Is this the same Verizon that wouldn't let me cancel service

in my name because my ex-husband signed the contract? The company that forced me to get a ten year old kid to come to my rescue, just to get the service disconnected?

Is this the same company where I made the phone person cry by saying that if "you work for a crooked company than you are a crook too"?
Hmmm....appears they treat their employees no better than the customers.

Hey, Verizon workers, I won't cross your picket line even after you settle your strike.

[BuelahWitch]

13. Did it make you feel good to make the rep cry?

Shame on you! These people are only trying to do a job! And whose fault was it that you didn't get the phone put in your name when you split with your ex? Why do you think you're so special that the rules have to be changed JUST FOR YOU???

Every person should be FORCED to get a job working with the public at some point in their life. Then maybe they'd think twice before getting their jollies from harassing workers.

YES I am a person who has worked these kinds of jobs before and had to deal with BULLIES who know that if I give them back their BS I risk losing my job. One thing that it's taught me is to be compassionate with phone (and in person) customer service people. If they get rude, ask to speak to a supervisor. But don't take your wrath out on someone who is just doing what the business makes them do.

Next time it could be YOU!

[bslater523]

23. Thank you!!

I too have to wait on the public and get bullied on a constant basis by people who think they are above the law. Thanks for pointing out that we aren't the ones who make the rules or the real money off the company that's pissing you off, so don't take it out on the us! We're not after you, we just want to make our 5.15 an hour!

[JohnKleeb]

24. wait you guys only make min and min wage is bull to begin with

I am real sorry for what you all go through but good luck with your strike. I dont have communication worker blood but I do have working class roots.

[Generic Other]

29. I was the bully?

Verizon was the bully. They planned to continue charging me for the phone indefinitely. I hadn't even used it in a year! They also automatically signed me up for two more years just for calling to cancel. So, yeah. I made someone cry. If a crook cries, so what? An angel gets his wings.

[inthecorneroverhere]

18. wunnerful, wunnerful!

Yeah, you're really 'nice!' You told a working stiff that he or she is crooked because their employer is crooked!

C'mon, 'who got da Power?' 'Da Boss-Man or that person answering the telephone? Think about it.

What a wunnerful, wunnerful, wunnerful true Democrat we have here!!!! /sarcasm

[Generic Other]

30. They turned off my phone when I could get a male (10 years old) to do it

Big Big Brother Verizon. I had paid the bill, but I was not alowed to cut the service? I hope your strike puts your stupid company straight out of business.

And if you think that makes me a mean old liberal, too bad. You sound more like a comapany man than a striking worker anyway.

[Paulie]

4. Best Wishes!

I promise not to complain about the 8 T1's I need installed this month. :) :) :)

It's a shame that a company that has the rep such as Verizon, is going to have the public blame the workers, instead of management and their ghod aweful systems.

I wish the workers well, and piss on management. :D

[JanMichael]

5. What can I do!?!

I'm SO happy to see this. They need all the support we can give.

[flamingyouth]

6. I hate Verizon

I have their cell phone service and I wish I didn't. I think they are a crappy company.

[JanMichael]

7. I ditched mine last month.

Hallefrickin'lujah!

But I'll support an organized labor assault on those greedy fucks 100%.

[AnnabelLee]

34. Same here

:mad:

[MoonAndSun]

8. As a member of CWA here in Phoenix,

I stand in solidarity with my fellow union members. Here at QWEST, we are still counting the votes to see whether or not members will ratify the latest union contract.

Best of luck.

[Lone_Wolf]

9. Does your union have a place to send donations to?

Maybe some people would be willing to send in some money to help all of you buy food and help pay bills while you're on strike? I know money can get scarce when you are on strike.

[JasonBerry]

10. FOUND INFO

A lot of information here:
http://www.ibew.org/

In Solidarity with Verizon Workers!
Jason Berry

[bluestateguy]

11. Who is going to handle the RIAA subpeonas?

Oh well!

[DemoTex]

12. No incovenience here, my union sisters and brothers at Verizon!

Solidarity! I'm union to the bone (Air Line Pilots Association - AFL-CIO).

[JohnKleeb]

16. cool I work with your buddies in the tower kind of

I am not an ATC myself of course. Whenever I go up there I see all kinds of stuff for NATCA, their union. I bet they are fuming over with Bush, he wants to privatize their jobs. http://www.natca.org/
They are also part of the AFL-CIO.

[OrdinaryTa]

14. CWA Supports Democratic Candidates and Issues

I have to admit being mistrustful of unions these days. Lots of them cut private deals with Republican politicians in exchange for their endorsement. However, the Communication Workers of America is not one of these unions that support Republicans. Here are the links:

Communications Workers Endorse Gore

... No other leader in public life can match Al Gore's understanding of the changes taking place in the information age economy, and what needs to be done to provide training opportunities to create good, high-skilled jobs for the 21st Century workforce," said CWA President Morton Bahr, who served with the Vice President on the President's Advisory Commission on the National Information Infrastructure.

At the same time, CWA members know Vice President Gore as a man who cares deeply about the concerns of working families - affordable health care, family and medical leave protections, retirement security, good schools and a clean environment," Bahr said. "And we know him as a champion of equal rights for minorities and women, and of the rights of all workers to organize and bargain collectively.

He has been a visionary leader in both the House and Senate and today as the most active and energetic Vice President in history," said Bahr. "Al Gore has the combination of experience, a brilliant mind and compassionate heart that make him uniquely qualified to lead the nation as our next President.

Polling of CWA members, according to union Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling, shows that, "Our members overwhelmingly favor Al Gore over all of the other names that have been put forth for the 2000 presidential race." She added: "The enthusiastic reception that CWA delegates have given the Vice President at our conventions and legislative conferences leaves no doubt that our members will campaign hard for him in towns and cities all over the nation.

http://cwa-union.org/news/PressReleaseDisplay.asp?id=95

CWA President Barr Hails Democrats as Friends of Working People

.... today we are in a struggle with Congress to help all of the workers around the nation who have lost their jobs due to the tragedy. The AFL-CIO now estimates in its latest report that 476,000 workers are economic casualties — and that number will surely rise. Labor is urging Congress to pass emergency relief legislation for laid-off workers. We are asking for extended and expanded jobless benefits, help with health insurance, targeted tax relief, and other assistance.

But the Republicans, led by House Majority Whip Tom DeLay and House Majority Leader Dick Armey, oppose any real relief for workers. The relief package proposed by President Bush is an insult to working families.

The underlying philosophy of the Bush Administration was best expressed by House Majority Leader Dick Armey who, during the debate on the airline industry relief bill, said: "The thought that says we need to go out and extend unemployment benefits and health insurance benefits and so forth is not, I think, one that is commensurate with the American spirit here."

Organized labor will continue to work with the Democratic leadership in both Houses and the moderate Republicans in the House led by Buffalo Congressman Jack Quinn. We will work together to shape an employee assistance package as well as an economic stimulus package that will put money in the hands of working families rather than tax cuts for the wealthy. We need a stimulus package that creates jobs.

Without any debate, we gave $15 billion to bail out corporations, many of which were victims of poor business management prior to September 11. We seriously debate more tax relief for the wealthy, more tax cuts for business, more tax cuts for investors. Yet, we quibble over economic relief for working families who are the backbone of the nation. Something is wrong with this picture.

http://cwa-union.org/issues/bahr/bahrViewer.asp?ID=191

[inthecorneroverhere]

19. CWA has been one of the most solid unions the past 20 years

CWA is on the right side. They're the good guys.

[JohnKleeb]

20. Ive noticed they give good marks to the dems

Steelworkers I think are probably also one of the more liberal ones, I could see them endorsing DK.
Kleeb's great uncle was a Steelworker
lol I hate talking about myself in third person.

[OrdinaryTa]

25. At Fifteen

I hate talking about myself in third person

You get to do that when you're 85. You've got 70 years to go!

[JohnKleeb]

31. lol I know

ummmm sorry Ta I am 16. Union all the way man.

[JohnKleeb]

15. Good luck union

Keep it up.
Not a union member yet because well lets just say I am the only one who does what I do in my job, I do office work in the Dulles ATC facility, I really like how the controllers are very in to their union, and they are great and nice people too.

[silverlib]

21. Happy Verizon customer

I've had great service whenever I've had to call customer service. Never had any problems. I wish this group the best! It's nice to see Unions have some power, as I live in a "right to work" state and am married to a Union carpenter. I worked for the State and had the option of joining a Union, but under State guidelines, they had no striking options.

[Eloriel]

22. Solidarity. Absolutely, positively.

I regret to say I have a Verizon contract with at least a year to go. Unless they straighten up and fly right I won't renew.

I'll be watching this carefully. Please keep us updated!

Solidarity!!

Eloriel

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

26. I'm a Verizon employee on the west coast.

As a member of IBEW local 89 our contract expires in 2005. What the Verizon employees in the Northeast get or don't get will make a difference when my contract comes up for renegotiation later on.

[SyracuseDemocrat]

27. I dunno

I just hope this doesn't affect my Verizon cell phone service in any way. If it does I'll be pissed off, but seeing as I know nothing about communications companies and their inner workings, I will defer to other people on that one.

[BiggJawn]

28. Former IBEW here! I'm with you!

No Verizon Cellie, no visits to the "Verizon Music Center".
What else can I do to help stick it to Verizon?

[Samuraimad]

32. Union dues kept bread

on my father's table for many a year. You can be damn sure I'll avoid Verizon whenever I get a chance.

[silverlib]

33. Question?

If the union works and the strike is successful, wouldn't it be good to support the company? If we don't support the company, and it goes broke, blames the union employees and then there is just one less union company. I'm a little confused. I know how excited I was when the UPS strike was successful a few years ago. I'm not saying I am right, 'cause now I am not sure. I'm just confused.

[JohnKleeb]

35. Well the union has good reason to strike

It looks like they are paid not so good.

[newyawker99]

36. I am also a satisfied Verizon customer. They have been

my phone company for some years now. I have never had any problems with them and their customer service is fantastic. I wish the union members success with their strike.

[LizW]

37. I've had Verizon service for a long time

and it has always been very satisfactory. I had no idea the employees were dissatisfied. I continue to use the company because I get the best deal.

Can someone say more about what the grievances are? What can customers do to support the hourly employees? Are their other cell phone companies that treat their employees better? If we decide to leave Verizon if they don't treat their employees fairly, who should we be looking to as an alternative?