45,000 Verizon workers go on strike over contract

Verizon workers picket in front of the company's headquarters, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011, in New York. / AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

NEW YORK - Stalled contract negotiations led thousands of workers in Verizon Communication Inc.'s wireline division to go on strike Sunday, potentially affecting landline operations as well as installation of new services for consumers.

The contract for the 45,000 employees from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., expired at midnight Saturday with the company and the workers unable to come to terms on issues including health care costs and pensions.

The dispute does not affect the company's wireless division. Verizon is the nation's largest wireless carrier.

Verizon employees who are members of the Communication Workers of America union picketed headquarters in New York City on Sunday morning, wearing red and holding signs with messages including "CWA on strike for middle-class jobs."

Vinnie Galvin, 56, said he and his fellow workers are the backbone of the industry. "Everybody needs to be wired and we're the people who do that," said the three-decades-plus veteran of the company.

"They're trying to bust us. ... This is stuff that it took us 40, 50 years to get."

The affected workers are responsible for maintaining and repairing traditional landlines, as well as installing fiber optic services, union spokesman Bob Master said.

Workers covered by the expired contract also include 10,000 represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, who serve as telephone and repair technicians, customer service representatives, operators and more. Contract negotiations began June 22.

New York-based Verizon has 196,000 workers; 135,000 are non-union.

The company is asking for changes in the contract because it says its wireline business has been in decline for more than a decade as more people switch to using cellphones exclusively.

It had 25 million landlines at the end of the second quarter, down from 26 million at the end of 2010. It has been selling off some of its landlines to other phone companies.

"It's not reflective of today's marketplace," Verizon spokesman Rich Young said of the contract. "Our union employees pay nothing toward their health care premiums. That's virtually unheard of."

Master said the company wanted worker concessions at a time when it was making billions in profits and top executives were making millions in salary.

"We have never seen such a sweeping attack on the quality of life of our members," he said. "This is an unprecedented and in our opinion completely unjustified attack on middle-class jobs."

[VotersOfNY]

More than 20% of people are out of work. Let's give them the jobs and fire the greedy union workers. It's none of their business how much money a company makes. jut because a company is making tons of money doesn't mean THEY should be able to tell the company they should get more money. Here's an idea. START YOUR OWN COMPANY!

Then you can give yourself a raise whenever you want. We have to put unions in their place. They used to be good so companies wouldn't take advantage but now they have become leeches. It isn't actually the workers, it's the bosses who make millions who tell them they wll get them more money. Fire all these leeches and give the jobs to people who appreciate it.

I remember a strike by them many years ago where they were out for many months. They were getting their rents and utilities paid as well as some other bills. They didn't want to go back because the unions was picking up the tab for them. I know because I knew a lot of them. They had it made. They didn't have to work and the unions paid their bills. When they did go back, they got nothing. The union spent millions though. once again, fire these leeches aqdn get new workers as far as I'm concerned.

[derickwh]

How soon union members forget...

http://biggovernment.com/laborunionreport/2011/04/07/cwa-members-seeing-red-after-union-bosses-blow-dues-money-on-themselves/

[Jayd724]

Verizon Employees Stop being little ******* about having to pay for some of your healthcare. YOU PAY NOTHING FOR IT NOW. You aint striking for the middle class, YOU'RE STRIKING FOR YOUR FREEBIES.

[Jayd724]

fire em all, I can assure you there will be a rush of 45,000 applicants and more to fill that void. FIRE EM ALL.

[imaseller]

hey seeonoland and you other uninformed people simply google verizon quarterly report and you will see what a line of bull Verizon is putting out there regarding the bargaining of our contract yet clearly on their 7-22 quarterly report it's a whole different story . Look Below that's just an sample of their report:
Improved Revenue Trends in Wireline
Verizon's Wireline segment continued to expand margins, supported by improved revenue trends. In the second quarter of 2011:
Wireline Financial Highlights
> Segment EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 23.8 percent, compared with 22.4 percent

[seenoland]

That profit money is not yours. Profits are made and shared by owners, ie stockholders, and that is non of your business. You made your deal when you hired on, they told you how much money they were willing to part with in exchange for your services. At that point you say yes or no as to whether your time and talent are worth it to you to provide for that money. Deal done. What they make or don't make is not part of that deal and none of your business. You want part of that? Buy stock, that is how it is done in a free society. You take a risk (buy stock) and reap reward or loss for it. You want part of those profits another way? Start your own company and run it the way you want. Boy, would you get your eyes opened then.

[jimbom121]

So the workers fighting back against cuts to benefits and wages, meanwhile in 2010, despite a loss of revenue, the CEO was given a 4% raise and took in $18M in total compensation.

That is what is wrong with this country today.

[seenoland]

In the Obama recession every company has dealt with loss of revenue. That CEO could well, and most likely did, save that company from far greater losses than that. His compensation would be based on internal numbers that would show that. So your union leaders are falling back on the old class warfare and envy routine. Standard stock. That CEO most likely save dthe very job you have during this recession so don't be so quick to bash them.

[seenoland]

Voodoo economics? The Reagan Revolution brought the longest sustained period of growth in US history. The voodoo is thinking you can keep raising the amount of other peoples money that you take and produce nothing and expect a better result.

[imaseller]

So everyone is upset about us going on Strike. We are not thrilled either. Do you realize the company does not pay us so they are saving money and if we give in and help them save money by contributing to our healthcare do you think that money is going to go to YOU the customer or the CEO's? Has verizon stated that they need to save money to be more competitive NO because they threaten our jobs if we do not try to squeeze every and I mean every nickle out of our poor customers when they call in. Do you really think we want to try to get a customer calling in becasue their bill increased by $5.00 and now try to sell you on something that will increase it by $30.00 but not give all the information. That is their idea of tying to performance. Now we have the backing of the Union so that we can try to offer our customers quality service. We know alot of people are out of work and we are all very happy to have a job but Verizon is brutal to it's employees. I hate answering that phone and hearing people say "you people" exactly but the you people that make it that way is good old corporate VERIZON not the average worker. I want nothing more than to go back to work and try my best to make every customer I deal with feel special I know my salary is paid by our customer's sometimes wonder where Corporates head is other than up their ass. Please READ what they are putting out there and tell me what benefit is in it for the customer. Stop hating us

[newnameagain]

45000 job openings

[imaseller]

not in the U.S you moron they are sending the work out of the country. That is our big fight. And anyone foolish enough to believe that it costs the company $50,000 a year per employee for benefits is really ignorant. Insurance costs lot's but my husband owns his own small business and only has 4 employees and pays $1500.00 a month and their coverage is just as good as the one we have at Verizon. Over the last 15 years they have already cut into what we get for healthcare now since it is the standard in the world they want us to kick in while the post major MAJOR profits.

[seenoland]

"while the post major MAJOR profits."

So buy stock and share the profits while supporting what you do.

[ladyang]

I hate to support any company that goes against the average worker. I have Verizon cell phone service. I dropped AT&T a year ago. I just cut off ComCast (but still have their internet service).I now stream exclusively on the internet and get blu-ray movies from the library. That's about as far as I will go to supporting big biz. I remember the lessons learned from the Grapes of Wrath.

[seenoland]

have you thought that maybe they are trying to save all those jobs? Remember Eastern Airlines? Here in Atlanta we do. Unions stood firmly together and took themselves and everybody else down with them.

[derickwh]

You know, before unions, companies used to take FULL advantage of their employees. Unions were created to protect employees from bad treatment by their employers, that is not the case anymore. The top union leaders are making salaries comparable to the CEO's we all complain about. This is about healthcare or lost jobs...it is about unions flexing their muscles and trying to dictate terms and conditions to companies. When the employees start telling the companies how to run their business, how much to pay, how much to charge...it is the beginning of the end...I say bust the CWA and hire some good solid people who have been out of work for the past couple of years...I'm sure that THEY will appreciate it!

[netjunkie1]

you are lieing you scumbag. They make what the membership says they make. Your posting is yet another reason to maintain unions.
Unions made the middleclass, were a force for our national holidays, and some of you actually get weekends off.

[seenoland]

Apples and oranges. Today a successful business owner knows he needs talented employees and knows what it takes to get and keep them. What happened in 1800 is simply not pertinent today. Unions were made for men dying in mines. At companies like Verizon, no ones life or health is jeapordized by bad working conditions. As for wages, if an employer puts a dollar amount out that he will pay and no one wants the job then he knows he has to raise that, but when the amount is enough to attract talented individuals then workers and employers have their balance. Netjunkie just made a point that "they make what the membership says they make"...which is exactly what is wrong with unions. The boss is the one that writes the checks, own a business and you will understand that. If an worker feels his time is worth more than the money offer he is free to just walk away. If an employer feels his money is worth more to him then the rate a worker wants then he is free to keep looking for someone that does, or raise his rate (at least here and other right to work States). People are really tired paying more for services because some workers feel they are special and entitled to more than what a market will bear, and they are tired of being shut out of jobs they would be willing to work because a group bands together and shuts them out. In jobs where peoples health and lives are at stake I hope unions stay forever. But for jobs where people are offered good working conditions, safe working conditions, and good benefits...based on their value to a company, then you will find your support among average Americans at near zero.

[OHSNAP08]

You know if you ask to keep this plan that you want. You will pay in spades. Like 20,000 PLUS of you will lose your jobs in a heart beat. I seen this done before. I say Shut your mouth and thank god you have a job!!! Just saying it in a nice way. Please take no offense.

[jjpanico]

Wireless data is connected to the IP routers and eventually servers by fiber optic land lines placed and maintained by union workers. DSL is a wire line service, placing data on existing copper wires using the inaudible bandwidth the exists on these legacy twisted pairs, once again placed, provisioned, and maintained by union workers. The FiOS product that so many customers seem to enjoy, you guessed it brought to you by union labor. Don't believe everything you read. Verizon's profitable lines of business are all supported, and delivered through the efforts of UNION men and women. Just saying in a nice way if you are not with us you are against us.

[askagain]

Verizon workers on strike may be doing Comcast a big favor. Anger your customers and watch them leave Verizon.