45,000 Verizon workers are on strike Sunday after contract negotiations failed.
Two unions representing the employees - the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Communications Workers of America - say they are calling for a strike because Verizon wants large concessions on items such as health care and pensions. Verizon argues the concessions are necessary due to a “long-term drop” in revenue from competition and the company’s land-line business.
The strike affects Verizon’s wire line division, not their wireless division.
The Communications Workers of America released a statement on the strike early this morning:
Since bargaining began on June 22, Verizon has refused to move from a long list of concession demands. 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.
Verizon released a statement saying they have a “contingency plan” in place to prevent customers from experiencing disruptions in service.
Read more at the New York Times and the Baltimore Sun.
I stand with Verizon’s workers and the rights of every American to organize.
These companies make waaaaay too much money to be holding out on their employees. This is pure fuckery.
(Source: pantslessprogressive)
