Verizon Workers Show Unity During Contract Negotiations, IBEW set to rally in Boston on July 31st

At midnight on August 2^nd, the union contract uniting 70,000 telecom workers at Verizon will expire. The IBEW and CWA, representing Verizon workers throughout the northeast, have been negotiating the terms of a new contract with the company for months, yet a new agreement has yet to be reached. Both sides will continue bargaining through the deadline, and as the bargaining committee fights at the table over issues such as job security, health benefits, wages and pensions, workers are showing unity around the same issues at the workplace.

As the contract deadline draws near, Verizon telecom workers have authorized a strike if necessary by an overwhelming majority. IBEW members in Massachusetts and Rhode Island voted by a 95.3% margin to authorize a strike, as did 91% of CWA members throughout the region.

Myles Calvey, Business Manager of IBEW Local 2222 and chair of the IBEW T-6 Council,  stated, "Unless Verizon comes to its senses soon, more than 9,000 workers in New England will strike to defend the good jobs and reliable services our communities need. It appears Verizon has adopted a new business model that no longer values the contribution of its hard working employees. Our members are sick of management's disrespect for their jobs and the needs of our customers. We won't stand for it."

The IBEW and CWA are working hard to preserve the quality wages and benefits that telecom workers have achieved through 35 years of collective bargaining, but they are also keeping their eye on the future of the telecom industry. As Verizon transitions from a traditional phone company to a high tech provider of video, internet, and wireless communications, workers are also fighting for the union jobs of the future.

In New England, telecom workers are united by the IBEW T-6 Council, which joins seven different unions representing Verizon telecom workers. Throughout the past month, T-6 locals have been holding a series of "rolling rallies" to show the company that workers are united in their contract demands. On Thursday, July 17^th, over 50 workers and supporters rallied in the early hours of the morning at a Verizon garage in Brockton. To see pictures from the rally, click here. Other rallies have been held in Springfield, Woburn, Danvers, and Providence, RI, where workers have gathered prior to their shifts, some as early as 6:00 a.m., to show their solidarity.

The series of rolling rallies has built solidarity for what will be a huge show of unity on Saturday, July 26^th, when buses will bring union telecom workers from all over the northeast to Verizon's headquarters in New York City. And on July 31^st, two days before the contract is set to expire, buses will again bring workers from across the northeast to a solidarity rally, this time at Verizon's Boston headquarters. The rally will take place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at 185 Franklin St. (Post Office Sq.) in Boston. For more information, please click here.

Myles Calvey, Business Manager for IBEW Local 2222 and Chair of the IBEW Telephone Workers' Bargaining Committee, said in a message to members that within the weeks leading up to the expiration, management has finally started to pay attention to workers' concerns. Stressing the importance of the show of solidarity by workers, he said, "The main reason management has been forced to deal with our issues is because the membership has shown them that we are UNITED and determined to win yet another contract that takes us into the future."

Please show your support for the quality wages and benefits that these workers are fighting for by attending the solidarity rally on Thursday, July 31^st. For more information about the event, please click here.