Ongoing Coverage Of The Unions’ Negotiations At Verizon

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Image credit: AFL-CIO

A Primer For Union Members:
How Not To Be Burned During A Union Strike [download]

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From the July 30th CWA Rally:

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

69 COMMENTS

  1. honestly its hard to feel bad for some overpaid fools in a dying business model, that want to strike when the nation as a whole is at teetering on disaster. Thanks in part to a couple of union bailouts we finally got our credit score dinged(it was way past time really.) unions for the most part are obsolete, not all but many are, and this just happens to be one that is… bring on the union busting imho

      • The middle class was created by Capitalism not the Unions. The Middle class has been growing since the mid-1800s. All the Unions want is power/Socialism, which will lead to the rich (as in Union/Government Leadership and poor (as in Union Workers’) and I am on the side of Freedom which include economic and social.

      • Steve, you can’t expect these people to understand the dynamics of what has happened. You have to be in the company to understand just how much Verizon has ripped off the American people, workers, customers and taxpayers alike. There is so much corporate wrong going on here, the public will never understand it. Needless to say, Verizon has quite an advantage in this fight, and the union knows it. The hordes of the unemployed have no sympathy for those that have what they should have. It is very understandable. When the strike is over, we will go back to our jobs and life will go on. For those who have less, life will still be what it is now… a struggle. Good luck and may this strike be over soon, with a minimum amount of grief to all involved. God Bless America.

        • If Verizon is such a horrible company then why do you people even work there?

          Quit and go find yourselves a job with a better company. BUT we all know that will never happen because you don’t want to give up your nice union job.

      • steve I have read many of you postings. I wonder if you realize just how much of a loser you are. I feel sorry for you and pray you do not have kids. It is scary to think of you teaching life lessons to a child. You think that your litte union job at Verizon is something.
        I make your years salary in a month. Try going to collage, getting a real job in the trenches on wall street. You wouldnt last a week you loser. No union to cry to. A real man stands on his own feet, he doesnt hide in a union. Do yourself a favor and stop embarrissing yourself on by posinting your pathetic opinions loser.

        • Yes I have kids, but I also learn multiple trades, I didn’t just sit around after work watching TV. Verizon pays well, but if I had to, I know I can find work in the IT field. And working the trenches on wall street sounds more like someone who get coffee for him boss.

          • whatever helps you sleep at night loser. Oh and by the way, My office coffee boy makes 150,000 a year. Do you?

        • Well James, you’re the looser, I really think you’re unemployed and envy those of us who have jobs, there is just too much anger coming from someone who claims to live in la-la land making boo goo bucks. Keep your head up and you may find a job someday but I know you will bendover and take it with no dignity, at least hookers do it for money.

        • Getting a real job in the trenches on wall st? Are you fucking kidding me? Wow! You must be a real man when you put that tie on in the morning, talk about being a joke!

    • This website is sponsored by big business. An average American that actually agrees with these slanted stories must be ignorant. One must be blind not to see the rich are getting richer and the working middle class is eroding.

      Instead of being jealous of not having this or that that a union member may have, why not raise your own bar so that you may have these things as well. It is not union members fault that many are not willing to dispute cororate greed. It is like saying I don’t have ice cream so you shouldn’t have it either. Go out and get your ice cream.

      As far as verizon is concerned they have made record profits last year. Also the new incomming Verizon CEO, Lowell McAdam voted himself along with his friends on the Board a one million dollar a year raise. Verizon chairman Ivan Seidenberg makes close to five thousand dollars a day. These people mentioned get free medical for life.

      But we should all stand still and not take notice that wages are decreasing, pensions are disapearing, medical insurance premiums and most other costs are increasing, companys are shipping American jobs oversees, etc. But of course corporate profits are at record highs. Even if you are ignorant and like all of these things, from a logical stand point this is wrong. If the working middle class erodes away as it looking like it will, who will be left to pay taxes?

      • Actually, John, it is not. It is a non-monetized site, paid for by NO donations, sponsors, or advertisers (unfortunately).

        However, if you would like to think so, go ahead.

        BTW: Donations are welcome, so pls hit the tip jar on your way out. 🙂

  2. Simply fire them all and hire Americans for the jobs. There are lots out of work. Unions have become as un-American as Communism…oh, that’s right they are Communists.

    If I lived in the strike area I would cross the picket line and apply for work. See how these jerks like not having a job or ANY benefits.

    Go Verizon!!

    • Exactly, if you had a job, looser. Why don’t you get a union job and stop being jealous, oh that’s right, you need to pass a drug test, bummer.

  3. The union will destroy the verizon workers. What is wrong with you people. You have jobs-I have been out of work for 1 year and no future. Be thankful-and for idiot who put his daughter in front of the trunk- it is great way to teach and show your daughter anger, language and attitude-way to you- you don’t deserve a job

    • Thank god his daughter wasnt hurt but could you imagine what an absolute moron that guy is, he should be arrested for endagering the wellfare of a minor. These verizon idiots are so out of touch with reality, they should try not having a job for a while. They will have a brand new outlook on their current job. Bunch of overpaid crybaby’s.

  4. This has to be the dumbest strike ever. The landline division of Verizon makes only 12% of their profit, according to an article at zdnet. Even if the profit of that unit is cut in half, the most Verizon could lose is 6%, and probably much less than that. And every day that the unions are on strike means that the landline unit has near zero labor cost. I doubt Verizon is losing money at all on this strike.

    • The landline makes a 100% of their profits, without the landline, they wouldn’t have wireless. Where did most of Verizon’s monies come from to invest into the wireless network? What is the wireless backbone network made of? Who maintains that backbone? Maybe you should do some research before mouthing off on a subject you know nothing about.

      • Uh- he did do the research, AND named his sources.

        Where are YOUR sources? 100% of their profits come from the landline division? According to whom?

        • Obviously you don’t comprehend well, the wireless backbone that connects to cell phone towers is made up of both fiber and copper networks that were laid by Verizon landline workers and maintained daily by Verizon landline workers. They were in place before cell towers were erected. The first cell towers used T1 circuits which Verizon workers also maintained. If Verizon’s landlines were destroyed, then all the wireless would no work.

          • Im gonna do you a favor and let you in on a little secret. The company wants the union to tell everyone to leave Verion. You know why. Then when the stike is over, the company is going to say Oh no we lost so many customers we now have to layoff 25% of our union workforce. The union is just to stupid to realize they are dealing with people far more intelligent and devious than they are.

        • James, why don’t you stop your crying, you’re an embarrassment to mankind. Don’t worry about the union members, worry about Verizon’s management, if that’s what your hangup is, they will also loose their jobs because companies cut across the board. Verizon is not a person, it has no heart, it only cares about making money and it will do anything it can to achieve that. Verizon is a greedy corporation that will do anything underhanded against anything, anyone, anywhere for as long as it can until someone or something puts a stop to it. Corporations learn from each other, look at the oil companies and how corrupt they are.

  5. These strikers are proving that they are very lowclass in their mentality. Ask them what their union bosses make when they want to downgrade the company executives. The company executives can be trained to do the strikers’ jobs so they have to admit their jobs don’t demand much education. They should be fired and all the out of work Americans given their jobs..

    • Maybe if you had an education, you too could get a union job, Verizon requires employees to take an aptitude test to get hired in as a technician, but most applicants fail it.

      • steve dont pat yourself on the back, I am a verizon superviosr, promoted from the union. Try passing the test to become a managment employee. It makes the entrance exam look like a ABC book.

          • I’ve been offered management positions on multiple occasions, but I’ve always felt that you really have to be stupid to take it. If you really are a manager, especially an LCOM, then you know you get the shit from both ends. Besides, I can’t stomach how managers have to suck up to their bosses.

          • BMAT or in Verizon lingo its called the Business Managment Aptitude Test Ask anyone who has been a manager more than 15 years and they will know. But I understand that you wouldnt, being a little union sheep. Go put on your red shirt and go Baaahhh!

  6. News flash to all you people that think you can get the union jobs. Verizon doesn’t want you. The call center jobs will go to Argentina or India, like they are now and the field jobs will go to a contractor that only hires people with a green card so they can take advantage of them. And for those who think that the wireline business is going away…what you dont realize it that the entire wireless network depends on the wireline business. The towers dont power themselves. It is the backbone of the wireless industry. While old copper lines are down, fiber optic /FIOS is up. IS cable TV going bankrupt? Every new TV subscriber is a customer verizon never had. This isn’t your grandma’s old telephone company. Even VOIP needs and internet connection and we have one of the fastest. People who work from home love FIOS. Its one of the best options in the Northeast for TV and Internet. The company has 4.5 million +FIOS subscribers, avg bill $150-200 per month. You do the math. News flash company executives dont want to climb telephone poles. SAVE AMERICAN MIDDLE CLASS JOBS!!!!

  7. The company executives are being treated like crap too. They took their pension years ago and unfortunately for them, there was no union to fight for it. They keep laying them off making the ones that are left work harder for less. ITS CALLED CORPORATE GREED. Most of them can’t wait for us to come back and either can the customers. Many non-union wireless jobs are being outsourced. If you have a phone and computer on your desk your job can be done in INDIA. Over 20,000 wireless is the last report I heard. Our union negotiated that no more than 1.7% of our jobs can be outsourced. Verizon needs to participate in fair negotiations and we will be happy to get back to work. No offense to people in India, they have families too.

    • You rabid deranged animals that call yourselves humans and many of you communist thugs also call yourself Americans are a disgrace to this Country and should be fired right away. Your demands for more and more are what, oh yeah that’s right: “GREED”. You have the nerve to call Corporations greedy and you scum that were given very good jobs and pay work a couple hours a day and go home with no care in the world as to what your employers go through to keep it going for you all. No it is all about you; “USEFUL IDIOTS”, that is all that concerns you selfish scum that demands more and more. Remember it is your neighbors that foot the bill for your arrogance. Save American jobs by running the pond scum out of America, (UNIONS)………….

      • You must be bi-polar, you should seek mental health. If you’re hurting because you don’t have a job, don’t take it out on the union, we stick together and fight for what we get, do you just bend over and take whatever some greedy employer wants to give you, yeah I now you do.

      • Then where do the coporations get off supporting the republicans and keep raising the price of goods while the pay don’t increase. Explain that a$$ wipe.

        • @Straightfacts: Are you actually saying that Democrats don’t get pay-offs and do underhanded business with major corporations? If you are you are clueless about what goes on in D.C..

  8. Well it didn’t take long for a union rep to find this blog and start spouting the typical rhetoric. Save your time and bull for the union hall rally – we’ve heard this same clap-trap for years. Union greed has no match and people not swayed by group-think know that’s a fact.

    • Verizon is asking for members to pay for part of their healthcare, like $650/mo for family, loose job security, which makes it easier to fire or layoff employees or move jobs to other states or countries. In the west, they get employees to quit by moving their jobs back and forth to different locations hours apart causing financial burdens. Verizon implements unobtainable goals for union workers while not enforcing them on contractors.

      • Verizon employees pay 7% of their healthcare costs. SEVEN PERCENT.

        The rest of the world would call that some sort of miracle plan, as THEY have to pay 100% of whatever the doctor charges.

        Union leaders have decided that they don’t need to pay attention to the fact that the economy is failing, people are out of work, and fewer people are interested in paying for Verizon’s big dollar plans. Unions bosses care about one thing, how much money THEY can get.

        Unions started out as a way to keep employees safe and preventing 12 year olds from working in a sweat-shop 15 hours a day. Modern unions are nothing but a modern day mob operation. They use intimidation practices to keep businesses feeding them money, and they use fear tactics to make their members think that the company that employs them is exploiting them.

        In the end, no one wins except the union mob boss.

        • And you would just bend over and take whatever greedy corporations would give you, but then again, if they had it their way, they would replace employees with automation. I don’t feel sorry for corporate America because they’re all thieves that would sell their own mother if it they could profit from it.

  10. I agree with Carl, we need less middle class making 40-60k per year, and more in the 10-12k range so our country can really go bankrupt! YAY USA! Maybe if we have less people paying federal taxes and less people buying things the politicians will all leave!

  11. PS Carl If your phone goes out maybe Lowell Mcadam will come by and fix it, since he gave himself a 1.6 million dollar raise last week. One breath before he said the union workers all need concessions!

  12. Union members are the middle class of America, corporations have been removing jobs by outsourcing jobs to other countries, or using technology to replace employees, one day corporations will be wondering why nobody is buying their products when we’re all left jobless.

    • The corporations meantime are making millions and the greed increase. Unions know this. The powerful unions also know that we can’t turn our heads because we are fighting for our life as well as for our children’s future.

  13. If you want better wages, watch this You-tube clip and support unions, they’re for fair labor. Verizon is a strong company and they have taken money from its wire line side to build the wireless infrastructure, Verizon core technicians have for years supported fiber and copper networks for Verizon wireless. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIqjc50a750

  14. What fool in their right mind, in an economic environment such as ours would go on strike and jeopardize losing their overpaid union job when real unemployment is at 20% or more in this country. A prime example of spoiled rotten, ungreatful Americans always wanting more and believing, without merit, they deserve it. These folks need to end up just like the “former” union employees of Caterpillar in York, Pa.

    • What kind of spineless jelly fish are you? Are you saying you’ll bend over and take whatever your employer wants to give you as long as you have a job? If you live in New York or Los Angeles $70k is really not a lot when the medium priced home is over $300k.

      • steve come back to planet earth. Try being unemplyed then ask yourself what you would take just to have a job. Do you have kids steve? When you have kids that thing called pride doesnt apply anymore. Wake up steve your in la la land.

        • What are you saying James, are you unemployed or are you employed? You were a union employee or a management employee? Do you have kids or you don’t have kids? Do you make over $150k a year or you don’t make over $150k a year? I really think you’re an idiot and will not waste my time anymore commenting your blogs because you’re full of B.S. and have more psychological issues than anything else.

    • Because Rex, he knows what coming. He knows that once the corporations get control over workers and destroy unions, they and yes,you to will fall to the corporations new labor law. It is the will of the corporations to turn America into a third world country of working day and night with little pay for those who will fight Americans in a very large labor pool (mixed with illegals) and a fight for few low paying jobs.The strategy of corporations are to get enough labor workers so that the pay won’t increase because of a very large pool of unemployed Americans and illegals and then over time, the production will increase but the pay will stay low. This is why they want the borders to open and anybody who want a job, can come to america. See the picture…Rex?

      • If you believe this:

        The strategy of corporations are to get enough labor workers so that the pay won’t increase because of a very large pool of unemployed Americans and illegals and then over time, the production will increase but the pay will stay low. This is why they want the borders to open and anybody who want a job, can come to america.

        …Then, why has the union movement shifted to favoring amnesty? Is it purely a “if you can’t beat them, then join them” strategy, or is there something more to it?

        If you can figure it out, then you’ll know that American workers have been getting screwed by more than just corporations.

  15. Whoever has the screen name CREATE AMERIECAN JOBS….It’s AMERICAN. IF YOU CAN’T SPELL THAT RIGHT, I DONT KNOW HOW YOUR GOING TO CREATE AMERICAN JOBS. ARE YOU AMERICAN? I’ve never heard of the Ameriecans.

  17. What is so sad is rather than be envious of those who have fought and negotiated for their benefits and to keep their jobs here. Our union has negotiated limits on how many jobs can be outsourced. CORPORATE GREED is a Fact and it has nothing to do with the union. We’re not taking about some struggling company here. PROFITS IN BILLIONS.
    These are the facts:
    “Soaring profits and tax cuts translate into jobs, right? Yes! Just not in America. Those half-million jobs were created by multinationals cutting 2.4 million jobs in the U.S. while adding 2.9 million offshore.”

    You think because we make a decent MIDDLE class wage that this is why companies are moving jobs offshore. These companies dont even want to pay YOU non union employees.Why should they when they can have someone overseas person do it for $5,000 per year or less. Is that what you want to live off of. Thank God were in a trade that requires some employees have to be here. Somebody has to climb the telephone pole and manage the network. Their answer to that…hiring contractors who hire only those with a green card that Vz can take advantage of. WAKE UP AMERICA. UNITED WE STAND/DIVIDED WE WILL FALL. THE MIDDLE CLASS BETTER STAND UP OR WE WILL ALL QUALITY FOR WELFARE. OH I FORGOT, THEY WANT TO TAKE THAT AWAY TOO.

  18. I belonged to 2 unions in my life and am sorry I had to join one, the RR union to go to work for Santa Fe RR in the 50s and I got out of any union as an Airtraffic controller and as a result the union lied and over 10,00) controllers were fired Good going Unions screw you all.

  19. Sorry bro, traffic controllers got a bum rap, but it was the federal government that screwed you, there wasn’t anything any union could have done. I’ve worked for a large non union employer that really sucked. I punched my time in and worked hard all day to make productivity but what bothered me the most was the favoritism that went on, it made me sick to my stomach.

    • Are you for real? The Federal Government screwed the ATC’s? Really? The ATC’s had a NO STRIKE CLAUSE in their contract negotiated by their union reps. But what did they do? They went on strike. THAT negated their contract.

  20. OMG – the company wants you to contribute to your health insurance? The horrors! The calamity! Wait – I thought your bought-and-paid-for-Democrats fixed all that for you with ObamaCare. And thinking that having a union contract gives you job security? Sucker.

    No – union workers are not THE middle class in America. There are an awful lot of us that are very middle class that are not in unions, but have to continuously pay more for our goods/services and government just so that 14% of the workforce can get more than us. Evidently the union middle class is just more special than the rest of us. Keep trying to sell that outside your echo chamber.

    We have bailed out the UAW at GM and Chrysler while the investors (401ks anyone?), and the non-union workers there and at Delphi got screwed. We have bailed out every state and local paper-pusher with the failed stimulus. Every time the unions howl that they create jobs. Well, where are they?

    We didn’t get any jobs, my kids and grandkids just got stuck with the bill. You’re welcome. Ingrate.

      • Oh yeah. Google. Its on the internet, it must be true. Don’t be a sucker use your own eyes. When was the last time a union did anything for the men? Its always good for the union. But the men always pay the price. Keep striking boys verizon will go %100 subcontractor. lolz

      • Hey Steve should you be picketing. Let guess your daddy was a blue collar wokrer and you bleed you union red. Steve your so far behind you actually think your ahead. Just sit there and take your union pay, or try getting a real job where your employment depends on your performance not just because you showed up. You are whats wrong with unions Steve Its people like you that give unions a bad name. Try stading on your own, oh wait your wouldn even know how because you only do what your union and the CONTRACT says you should. Your a little sheep. Go down to the picket line and gaze upon some real workers. The managers who have to work for there raises and promotions based on job performance. They dont hide behind a contract or a union.

        • What’s your real job, getting coffee for your boss, I’ve worked non union jobs and it doesn’t matter if you’re a good worker, ITS NOT WHO YOU KNOW ITS WHO YOU BLOW, SUCKER!

  21. We went through this years ago the company I work for was close to bankruptcy and we being the commented employees trying to do the right thing voted on a contract for 3years with no pay raise and healthcare cuts to keep the company afloat. We did this on the pretense that once profitable we would be compensated for our act of good faith on the next contract. Corporate greed does exists because that was all lip service we now pay even more into a healthcare system that just seems to get more and more expensive each year. Due to the healthcare cost out of pocket as opposed the the meager percentage of the cost of living adjustment we have seen Executives of our company compensated by riding the backs of the working people all the way to the bank. Weather it’s their so called bonus package or personal use of the cooperate jet just how much is enough before an employee ask what about me? Yes I have a job but I also work very hard for my pay to hear the comments made here by people who have no idea what working in this field consist of sickens me. CWA & IBEW stay the coarse if you let them take concessions away now those are all gone forever.

  22. If our company was some broke state govt or automaker, I would see why employees would have to make concessions but even then they should have a right to negotiate. Fed and State govts waste so much money and then they want to cut pay for teachers, firefighters and police officers while they take a helicoper to a baseball game. GET REAL. And non union America no one is asking for your support, your just jealous because we have negotiated to keep benefits that you gave away because they convinced you to just be “happy to have a job”. When the Verizon management lost its pension, the only result was a big fat bonus for the CEO and corp execs. I think this was a disgrace to the management worker, many of them had years in the company. They have no job security. Every management employee at Verizon knows the last layoff was not about performance. They were just cutting staff to fund the bottom line while they made all of us work harder w/less people. The management has been treated like crap and if they would have had a union to help keep their pension benefits, Im sure they would have used it. Good job to the workers who wont just settle for “be happy that you have a job”. These profitable corporate businesses dont want any american worker. Why would they when they can send phone calls to India and subcontractors that only hire people they can rip off, like those w/greencards. No disrespect to those overseas or w/greencards for trying to make a living for their families but this so called cheap labor has ruined middle class america. These companies just use these people and make them work far below what they should. So to the unemployed americans, unless you fall into this category, don’t bother brushing up on your resume.

    Here is a sobering fact:
    “Soaring profits and tax cuts translate into jobs, right? Yes! Just not in America. Those half-million jobs were created by multinationals cutting 2.4 million jobs in the U.S. while adding 2.9 million offshore.”

    WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!

  23. A CEO WHO CARES ABOUT HIS COUNTRY WOULD BE GLAD TO TAKE A FEW LESS MILLION TO REWARD THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BUILT HIS NETWORK. IN THIS CASE, OUR CEO HAS MADE A FEW MORE MILLION AND STILL WANTS TO CUT WHAT THE EMPLOYEES GET. INVEST IN AMERICAN WORKERS AND THEY WILL INVEST IN YOU BY SENDING OUR KIDS TO AMERICAN COLLEGES AND PAYING FOR IT. BUYING YOUR CARS AND HOMES AND USING YOUR SERVICES. KEEP IT UP AMERICA AND WE’LL ALL BE ON UNEMPLOYMENT AND WELFARE…OH, I FORGOT THEY WANT TO CUT THAT TOO.

  24. At Verizon, you’re not a person, you’re a number. It doesn’t matter if you’re in management or an hourly, if they succeed in their quest, both management and hourly employees will be cut and no matter how much you feel that you are a valuable asset to that company, they wouldn’t think twice about riffing you.

  25. A good, honest American worker having to cope with both the IBEW and a large corporation is like having to pick a side in the battle of Kursk.

    God help the workers; Verizon and the IBEW sure aren’t.

    That said, one of Verizon’s bad, dishonest minions certainly lied about Verizon’s signal strength in Kirbyville, Texas.

  26. This back to work agreement comes just before the CWA would begin paying up to $300 per week in strike benefits to its striking members, saving the union up to $10 million per week out of its union treasury.

    Back to work losers!! LOL!!!

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