Union To Verizon: Hear Us Now?

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.tbo.com/news/money/MGBITJL0MEF.html

By RICHARD MULLINS The Tampa Tribune

Published: Apr 4, 2008

TAMPA - Verizon's largest labor union in Florida is asking employees and customers to picket the company's workplaces Monday. But the protest isn't about union jobs at Verizon, they say.

Rather it's about the level of customer service the company is giving customers, union officials say.

"Verizon is not letting us do our jobs, and not letting us take care of the customer," said Doug Sellers, president of the union that represents Verizon call center and repair workers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 824. "Customers are waiting up to 10 days to get their phone lines fixed. … If you have something as simple as static on your line, that could be out 10 to 15 days."

Such pickets are a rare occurrence in Tampa, Sellers said, and it comes as "a last resort" after meetings with Verizon managers did not prove satisfactory to the union.

Meanwhile, the Tampa City Council voted Thursday to ask Verizon officials to come to a meeting and address customer service issues.

Councilman John Dingfelder made a motion to explore the issue Thursday, citing the city's role in 2006 in granting Verizon a franchise to sell cable TV in the city.

FULL story at link.

[silverojo]

1. Woo-hoo!

Screw you, Verizon! :mad: