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CWA Members Rally to Support Verizon Wireless Bargaining: Presidential Candidate Dean Joins Vermont
Washington, D.C. -- Across Verizon East territory today, members of the Communications Workers of America rallied outside Verizon Wireless stores to support wireless workers as they bargain for a new contract.
In nearly 50 locations, from New England to Virginia, workers rallied and leafleted, calling on Verizon Wireless management to drop its anti-union stance and reach a fair contract. The contract covering 51 Verizon Wireless workers in New York expired Aug. 1; contract talks are continuing with the involvement of a federal mediator.
At a lunchtime rally in Washington, CWA President Morton Bahr promised the crowd of about 100 that CWA would keep up the fight for fairness as long as it takes to reach a just settlement for the 51 Verizon Wireless workers.
"For 14 years, Verizon Wireless has tried to bust this union, but we're stronger than ever. We are in this fight until Verizon Wireless stops treating union workers like second class citizens," Bahr told the crowd. Verizon Wireless is even trying to deny workers something as basic as seniority rights, so it can use favoritism, not fairness, when it comes to layoffs and recalls, he added.
"Verizon's arrogance has elevated the issue to the presidential campaign," Bahr said, noting that several candidates have expressed their support for workers and have urged Verizon to settle a fair agreement.
While actions went on in Washington and other communities, Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean joined a rally outside a Verizon Wireless store in Burlington. Dean said he was supporting workers' efforts to secure a fair contract. "What you are standing up for is what my campaign is all about," he said.
At CWA's convention in Chicago on Aug. 25, Dean presented CWA President Morton Bahr with a carrier switch pledge as part of CWA's Fairness at Verizon campaign and said his campaign also would encourage his 329,000 supporters to do the same.
Bahr pledged that the rallies and the Fairness at Verizon Campaign (see www.FairnessatVerizon.com for more information) will continue until CWA achieves fair contracts for all workers at Verizon – the 78,000 at the core company, and workers at Verizon Wireless, Verizon Information Services and Verizon Connected Solutions.
As part of the fairness campaign, union members and supporters pledge to switch their local or long distance service from Verizon to another union carrier if negotiations fail to produce a fair contract.
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In nearly 50 locations, from New England to Virginia, workers rallied and leafleted, calling on Verizon Wireless management to drop its anti-union stance and reach a fair contract. The contract covering 51 Verizon Wireless workers in New York expired Aug. 1; contract talks are continuing with the involvement of a federal mediator.
At a lunchtime rally in Washington, CWA President Morton Bahr promised the crowd of about 100 that CWA would keep up the fight for fairness as long as it takes to reach a just settlement for the 51 Verizon Wireless workers.
"For 14 years, Verizon Wireless has tried to bust this union, but we're stronger than ever. We are in this fight until Verizon Wireless stops treating union workers like second class citizens," Bahr told the crowd. Verizon Wireless is even trying to deny workers something as basic as seniority rights, so it can use favoritism, not fairness, when it comes to layoffs and recalls, he added.
"Verizon's arrogance has elevated the issue to the presidential campaign," Bahr said, noting that several candidates have expressed their support for workers and have urged Verizon to settle a fair agreement.
While actions went on in Washington and other communities, Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean joined a rally outside a Verizon Wireless store in Burlington. Dean said he was supporting workers' efforts to secure a fair contract. "What you are standing up for is what my campaign is all about," he said.
At CWA's convention in Chicago on Aug. 25, Dean presented CWA President Morton Bahr with a carrier switch pledge as part of CWA's Fairness at Verizon campaign and said his campaign also would encourage his 329,000 supporters to do the same.
Bahr pledged that the rallies and the Fairness at Verizon Campaign (see www.FairnessatVerizon.com for more information) will continue until CWA achieves fair contracts for all workers at Verizon – the 78,000 at the core company, and workers at Verizon Wireless, Verizon Information Services and Verizon Connected Solutions.
As part of the fairness campaign, union members and supporters pledge to switch their local or long distance service from Verizon to another union carrier if negotiations fail to produce a fair contract.
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