The media wants you to think that the unionized workers are spoiled. That the strike against Verizon solely revolves around paying into our healthcare. While this is an important part of what we are fighting for, there are other major issues that lie on the table.
A reduction of 20% in salary, removal of the pension plan already in place, major re-tooling of the employee’s 401k plan, removal of holidays, sick time and the most important one: job security. To save money, Verizon wants to ship unionized jobs overseas to places such as India and the Philippines.
Verizon wants you to believe that they are pleading poverty. While it is true that landlines have been declining due to the surge in wireless and Internet availability, Verizon has posted a profit of $27.5 billion dollars in the first two quarters of 2011.
Former CEO Ivan Seidenberg received total compensation of $36.75 million was ranked number 10 on Forbes Top Executive Pay in 2011
Lowell McAdam, Seidenberg’s successor, received $7,195,900.00 total compensation for 2010.
Since the Verizon spin is that this strike is about only healthcare, let me point out that both parties do not pay for their healthcare and will not ever do so for the rest of their lives.
This does not only affect Verizon’s customers’ service, but also the livelihoods of our families are affected during this work stoppage. Verizon has hired 10,000 scabs to do the work of 45,000 unionized workers, in addition to their staff of lower to middle-level management (Why aren’t higher-level managers assisting during the strike?). How long can an understaffed corporation continue to operate at this capacity without affecting the innocent customers who are expecting their new service installations, repairs, and ordering FiOS? This is, plain and simple, a fight against corporate greed.
I would be more than happy to get off the picket line and get back to work, but Verizon has yet to come to the negotiating table with a fair deal. This strike isn’t about the unionized workers being selfish and wanting more, more, more. It’s about keeping what we already have and what the union negotiated for us for the past 50 years.
Guarasci Land 
Well done G!
Thank you so much for your support.
Well said my friend.
Thank you!
Gary:
I am one of the 45,000 workers referecned in your article and I could have said it better my self. We have been trying to educate the rest of the country that we ae just middle class Americans trying to survive. Thank you so much for taking the time to print an accurate story.
You are right on brother!!..This is corporate greed at its finest….I stand behind you guys and gals that are fighting for the benefits that WE all worked so hard to get and WE made this company the success they are today cause WE did all the work!!…Hang in there, and hope this works out for the best….And as my profile pic says….SHAME ON VERIZON…luv ya Gary…
Thanks Eileen. Luv ya right back!
well said, Gary. THANK YOU 🙂 NO CONTRACT- NO PEACE
Finally! Our side gets out! This really says it all!
Verizon execs have had this well-planned out for a long time before our contract was due to expire. This is why they are arrogant enough to get serious about negotiating with the Unions. To take Veteran’s Day and MLK Day is just un-American! Let us get back to work with what is already bargained for. Honor our contract! Respect the workers that have made Verizon the profitable company that it is. Stop playing dirty pool in the media and HEAR US NOW! We will not go back until you do!
I meant “they are arrogant enough to NOT get serious”
Well said ! I am 1 of the many you speak of… I cant believe this is going on. Thank you for your time and telling the truth about the Fight that we are in right now .
Local 13000
Thank you for a fact, not fiction response to the Verizon strike.
your acting like children, your fowl mouthed people that scream profanities at people, If I was the Company I would do away with all your jobs.
Always start your sentence with capitalization. “Your acting” should be “You’re acting” as it is a contraction. This was used incorrectly twice. Fowl mouthed people should be foul-mouthed. It is a hyphenated word and the word fowl is indicative of a chicken, rooster, hen or any type of game bird. You state allegations of screaming profanities, but yet you do not give any evidence to support your claim. It is refuted unless you can cite your sources. (I’ll wait here while you look up the word refute) You capitalized “the Company” but did not designate the company name. There is no need for capitalization in this instance. You finally state that you will “do away with all your jobs.” When writing we should always remember to not write like we talk. The correction on this would be do away with all of your jobs.
You might want to work on your grammar, punctuation, and spelling before you act as the company and ‘do away with all our jobs.’
Grade for your comment: F –
Gary G. I absolutely loved your response to Thoams! As far as Verizon Executives, I would be ashamed to make that much money and still have the nerve to ask the rank and file for concessions! But then of course that would require they have a conscience. To ask for nothing, just to remain status quo with what you have is commendable. I applaud your diligence and will walk with you and for you anytime.
V Hardy 3640
Love Love Love this!
Thanks as well for the spelling and grammar course. That person needs to go back to school!
As one of the aforementioned “scabs”, I thank you for bolstering my bank account while the company pays me time and a half, for my hotel room, for my travel, and for my meals. Corporate greed in action, sure. I hope you guys stay on strike forever, I’m trying to buy a house next year.
I think it’s laughable that you’ve gone on strike in one of the worst economic climates ever. I think it’s disgusting how your union and its members twist the details for sensational picket slogans and chants. I think the real culprits of greed are the grossly overpaid union members and their unions, not the company.
You ask “How long can an understaffed corporation continue to operate at this capacity”, well, unfortunately for you and your constituents, I fear the answer is indefinitely. In case you or your fellow members haven’t noticed, Verizon’s spent the past several years positioning itself to be less dependent on its workforce. Inbound calls are routed all over the USA, dynamically, automatically, and skill-based. Gone are the days of one 800 number getting you to a specific office for a specific task. Consultants are required to drill into customers to use the IVRU(phone) system and Verizon.com for the majority of tasks that customers traditionally had to speak to a person to do. Lastly, and most ironically, Verizon’s “outsourced” work to contracted employees within the USA at various centers. Truth be told, going on the second week, the company is doing just fine. We are operating business as usual, and have not skipped a beat. The first day or two were a challenge, but it’s been smooth sailing since.
I think the company sent a very clear message when it simply walked away from negotiations on the 5th. I’m shocked that the union didn’t hear it. They are prepared, they are flexible, and they are ready to move on with out you.
In every bit of union propaganda I see, the company’s profits increase. Despite that, I’m shocked and amazed at how entitled your union seems to think it is to a piece of those profits. What’s more surprising, is how you all seem to believe that it all goes into a VP Holiday Fund. That money is used for marketing, research and development, acquisitions, new projects, and expanding our service. FiOS, the only service that will ensure Verizon’s future aside from Wireless, is a very costly service to deploy. It takes us quite a bit of time to turn a profit on customers after the cost of covering their area, readying and deploying, and finally installing. In addition to that, there’s the TV side of FiOS, which is just as costly. Thanks to our competitors in that market, we have to lobby and market to every municipality in order to get approval to provide television services.
I’d like to see your people get back to work. I have a lot of friends that are union members, and I’d hate to see them join the ranks of the millions in this country that have lost their jobs, lost their homes, and completely lost their benefits, because they put their trust in an unrealistic, manipulative and greedy organization.
Unfortunately, until the unions wake up and realize that they don’t have the power they once did and that the company isn’t as reliant on them as it once was, I don’t think that’ll be any time soon. If ever.
Are we seriously supposed to believe that last post was from a temporary Verizon hire? At least have the backbone to admit you’re Verizon management.