Pam Galpern, a striking field technician at Verizon and a member of CWA Local 1101, explains that Verizon is pushing to offshore more call-center jobs, outsource more line work to low-wage contractors, and force workers to accept assignments away from home for up to two months at a time—all while it’s making $1.8 billion in profit a month. Along with the 39,000 strikers, negotiations affect 80,000 retirees. The company is proposing to raise the price on their medical benefits even though retirees are on a fixed income. Workers at seven Verizon Wireless stores are also on an unfair labor practice strike over the August firing of a union activist. Efforts are underway to broaden picketing at Verizon Wireless stores across the country. Join a Solidarity Picket in Vermont or go to www.standuptoverizon.com to check which Verizon Wireless stores have an active picket line and when.
This strike is a key test of the ability of working people to defend ourselves from the corporate drive for more work, less pay; job insecurity; reducing benefits and increasing healthcare costs; cutting or eliminating pensions....