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Workers Say Hell No To Verizon s War On Union Rights & Protections
with
Pete Sikora, Strike Coordinator, CWA Region 1
Nearly 40,000 Verizon workers have hit the picket lines, in what would be one of the largest strikes in the U.S. in recent years. The workers, members of the Communication Workers of America (CWA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), are fighting aggressive attacks on their compensation, job security and more--carried out by a corporation that has made $39 billion in profits over the past three years, but won't be satisfied until it breaks the power of their unions. Verizon is attacking the workers medical, pensions, disability, overtime and is attempting to rescind Article 8 , which protects the workers right to show up to work in the same place, every day, a reasonable distance from where they live. Verizon s proposed contract would also allow for closing more call centers and for transferring the workers up to 80 miles from their current job sites, as well as opening the door to increased international outsourcing. And, while there is already a two-tier system for job security the proposed contract would eliminate job security no matter how long you ve been with the company. Verizon is seeking to transform the company to be more oriented to Wireless and modeled more on the workplace culture of Wireless,which is over-whelmingly nonunion. But, the workers say you can t break our backs and assert the power of the union to protect against the bosses voracious drive for profits and control.
Plus, a special message from Bernie Sanders from the union picket line and discussion on why CWA supports Sanders for President.
produced by Ken Nash and Mimi Rosenberg
please notify us if you plan to broadcast this program - knash@igc.org
