Vol. 80/No. 20 May 23, 2016
(front page)
Strikers solid against Verizon union busting
Solidarity pickets held across U.S.
The unionists are fighting Verizon’s attempts to close down or outsource call centers, increase health insurance payments, cap pensions after 30 years of service, increase the use of nonunion contractors and increase the distance workers can be sent on mandatory out-of-town work assignments for up to two months.
By 6:30 p.m. strikebreakers preparing to exit the facility were greeted by a loud chorus of chants and horns from the strikers. Motorists driving by increased the volume by honking in support.
At 7 p.m. police on horseback pushed back the strikers to clear the driveway of the building. As scabs walked past, strikers on both sides chanted, “Who are we? CWA!”
After the hundreds of replacement workers exited to the parking lot, this worker correspondent spoke with three call center workers who asked that their names not be used because of management harassment. They said Verizon forces them to work overtime and hasn’t hired for years. They said some unionists have crossed the picket line, but the company sends them to different locations to decrease the likelihood they will be recognized by pickets.
More than 1,000 strikers and supporters rallied at the Verizon Corporate Office in Lower Manhattan the same day, including members of the Hotel Trades Council, janitors and building workers in SEIU 32BJ, the New York State Nurses Association, subway and bus workers in Transport Workers Union Local 100, postal workers and the United Food and Commercial Workers. They marched through the financial district, getting cheers from workers on construction sites and office workers on their lunch breaks or waving from windows above.
‘Stronger than in 2011’
“I think we’re in for a long haul,” Michele Fuchs, a customer representative, told the Militant at that rally. “But we’re stronger than in the 2011 strike. Other workers are more supportive this time because of how bad things are for so many people.”“Verizon has only hired a small percentage of nonunion contractors to do technician jobs, but they want to increase that,” said Carmine Provenzano, a central office technician at the building where the rally took place.
Verizon corporate spokesperson Ray McConville told the Militant May 10 that the company doesn’t plan to increase its number of contractors. He declined to say how many were employed before the strike. The number of union workers covered under the contract has fallen by 6,000 just since the 2011 strike.
Some 40 unionists rallied near the Verizon Wireless store in Roseville, Minnesota, May 5, including members of the CWA; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; postal workers, nurses, students and a few Walmart workers.
In Atlanta, an action included members of the CWA and IBEW, painters and Teamsters unions and fast-food workers active in the fight for $15 an hour.
Unsafe working conditions
On the picket line in Moorestown, New Jersey, April 27, strikers described why they were on strike.“They send us out after dark, we can be out until midnight,” Virgil Chooch, an outdoor technician for 10 years, told the Militant. “That can be very dangerous.” They are often sent solo and rarely get two consecutive days off, he said, so “our bodies never recover.”
IBEW Local 827 shop steward Donald Bean told of a co-worker who “lost half his hand in an electrical accident” on the job. “Verizon is trying to blame him for the accident. They always, always try to blame us.”
The Lenola Road truck garage where Bean works now has 41 workers. Verizon hasn’t hired anyone in 10 years, he said, and now forces the outdoor line techs to do payroll, take orders and other office work.
Verizon cut off health care benefits for strikers May 1. Strikers have begun receiving weekly payments from a $440 million union strike fund.
Verizon striker Barb Wangler spoke to members of IBEW Local 236 in Albany, New York, May 3, Ray Parsons, a member of that local, told the Militant. Local 236 voted to donate $5,000 to the IBEW Unity Fund, and it was reported that three other IBEW locals in upstate New York had contributed an additional $8,000. Wangler invited the unionists to join picket lines in the area, and some did the next day.
The CWA and IBEW have set up a Verizon Striking Families Solidarity Fund. Contributions may be sent to Verizon Striking Families Solidarity Fund, c/o CWA, 501 3rd Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001 or go online to standuptoverizon.com.
Susan LaMont in Atlanta, Janet Post in Philadelphia, Jacquie Henderson in Minneapolis and Maggie Trowe in New York contributed to this article.
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