Verizon Workers Strike for Better Pay and Benefits

By Loveny Villalona

Rain, wind and oddly chilly temperatures for a spring season have stopped members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) from striking against Verizon Wireless. Employees of Verizon, one of the most profitable companies in the world, have accused the company of “corporate greed.” Members of the CWA are forming pickets to keep the strike going.

Since April 13, employees dressed in red have been standing in front of Verizon Wireless stores all over the United States, primarily in the Northeast, to bring attention to the cause of the strike and to educate bystanders on why they should support it. Employees hope to persuade the company that they deserve a better contract. Signs on the picket line read “Verizon the greedy,” “Verigreedy,” and “Verizon Wireless: Destroying Middle-Class Jobs.”

CWA members are striking against the company because, despite Verizon’s growth in profit to over $39 billion over the past three years, employees have yet to get a taste of the profits. Instead, Verizon plans on cutting back on health, job and retirement security benefits for employees. Workers claim that they are suffering from low pay, very few benefits and no change in pay in over the few past years.

“The same benefits that they (Verizon) promise their employees during their hiring process are the same benefits that they are trying to take away, which of course the Verizon CEO is not letting the public know,” said JC, one of the organizers at a picket line in White Plains, who did not wish to share his full name. “The pay is low, the very few benefits that we have are in jeopardy of being taken away and we are not seeing any changes. I have a family to take care of. I need to put my kids through college. How am I supposed to take care of my family with a low paying job that is trying to take away my benefits? They are greedy and do not care about their employees.”

There was a previous strike against Verizon in 2011. “The economy was so bad in 2011 that we left it alone,” said JC. “Why is it that the economy has gotten better and they (Verizon) have still to agree to renew our contracts despite all of the profit that is going their way? We are going to continue this fight for as long as we can.”

Katherine, 32, a sales associate for Verizon, was walking the picket line on Fordham Road in the Bronx, “Verizon does not want people to know how wrong they are acting towards employees because it makes customers lose respect for the company,” she said, declining to give her last name. “They do not want us wireless workers to join together and be on strike. I actually have heard rumors that they are hiring new employees to take over the jobs of people who are on strike.”

Family and friends of the members of the CWA members striking against Verizon have also joined forces with them to show that the company’s actions were not only affecting employees, but also their families.

Striking workers were open to discussing their situation with passersby, but were fearful that they might face retribution if they revealed too much personal information. When an organizer at the White Plains picket line was asked if photos of the strikers holding up signs could be taken, he said, “No pictures! Who are you with? Cops have tried to shut this down and we are asking that no one takes pictures.”

He then called over another organizer of the picket and whispered, “Do not let them (reporters) take pictures of the signs. We could get in trouble for that.”

Another striker explained it was “fear of the repercussions, of having your name featured on a newspaper.”

Sugeny Fernandez, 25, who was supporting her cousin, an employee of Verizon Wireless on the Fordham Road, also said it was a fear of being fired. “We could bring awareness and we could answer any questions that people may have, but my cousin and other employees are fighting to fix a problem, not to get fired for being involved in a protest which will result in a bigger problem,” said Fernandez.

Striking New Jersey Verizon workers could receive unemployment benefits under a bill approved by the state Senate Labor Committee. The bill is aimed towards workers who have been out of the job for over a month due to their participation in the strike, according to NJ.com. The unemployment benefits have not yet been offered to workers picketing in other states.
Still, workers say they do not plan on ending the strike anytime soon and have developed a website where anyone can sign a petition against Verizon or could search local strikes in the area to attend the event and show support.