Verizon Regional Bargaining 2011: Report # 52

The Mid-Atlantic Bargaining Team and the Company met today in subcommittees on Job Security and miscellaneous issues brought to the bargaining table.

While the Union is looking to expand Job Security provisions, the Company is looking to eliminate them. They claim they need this change in order to remain competitive in today’s environment. When we point out our concerns for what this would mean to our membership their response was, “Trust us”. Trust us to do the right thing for all concerned. They want us to trust a company that goes back on existing contractual commitments at every opportunity. They want us to trust a Company that is doing everything in its power to destroy middle class jobs here in America. They want us to trust a company that is raking in billions in profits and lining the pockets of its top executives while demanding the cost shifting of Healthcare benefits to our members.

Your bargaining team has seen too much from this Company to trust them with your future. Anything this Company proposes must include job protections for our members. Regarding the miscellaneous issues, the Union advised the Company, we have no interest in discussing any of the issues until our remaining members on suspension are cared for fairly.

In the afternoon both the Mid-Atlantic and NY/New England Joint Bargaining Committees met to share information and discuss next steps. Both committees agreed to continue subcommittee work on the major issues.

As you may be aware, the company has sent a DVD - visual message to all active employees in an effort to convince you that what they are asking for is reasonable and fair. Don’t drink the kool-aid and don’t buy what they are trying to sell. As Verizon executives continue to send messages in an attempt to brainwash you into agreeing you’re too expensive for a company that rakes in billions in profits, remember one thing, “No one ever gave us anything”. We have bargained and fought for many years for the benefits and working conditions that exist today. The joint bargaining committees have asked all locals to collect the DVD's and get them to the District Area Offices by sometime next week. We are also encouraging our members and retirees to write letters to Lowell telling him about the adverse effects of cost shifting in healthcare. We want to collect these letters as well.

With the holidays fast approaching take the necessary time and be as giving as possible with both of these items so we can make “Operation Dumbo Drop” successful in sending our message that Union members are not the dummies you must think we are!

Stay Focused! Stay United! Stay Mobilized!