Comments on: Verizon Worker Strike Continues on Long Island

By: truedat

truedat — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:39:05 +0000

There are 4 big lies that Verizon is trying to get away.

1.They want you to think that the wireless network is somehow separate from everything else
and is maintained by little elves or maybe Elvis. The union worker maintains that network.

2.They want you to think we are on strike because they want us to pay a little of our healthcare costs. The list of things they want take back includes pension,overtime,holidays,wages,etc…

3.They want you to think that cell phone calls are the only thing that makes them money.I just cant believe they lose money on all these high capacity ckts (from ds0 to OC192 level) keeping Wall Street,hospitals,banks,airports,police and firehouses etc… up and running. And how about FIOS?
If FIOS is a money loser then Ivan Seidenberg owes the company 80 million dollars in bonus money back! (I personally think it’s a GREAT product that no other company can touch)

4) When Verizon talks to Wall Street about how things are going they play up how much money their “landline” side of the business is making but now at contract time they want the public to think we are given jobs out of the goodness of the companys heart.

We need to get the truth out there by all means because the 5 second newsbite is not doing justice to what is being fought for.

By: seamus

seamus — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:25:27 +0000

this is a discrace verizon should be banned
in longisland i think all network companies should be goverment run this outrage of treating the workers like this would not happen I am sickened and will be stopping my services

By: Matt

Matt — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 00:44:10 +0000

The video could have used some balance. Like a quote from an official at the company. To air just one side – either side – isn’t journalistically sound.

By: Regular Joe

Regular Joe — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:51:07 +0000

Grievance #1 From the CWA website:

• Wages – both annual and progression increases will be tied to your yearly evaluation. If you receive a “Does Not Meet Position Requirements” you will not receive an increase.

What a freaking joke. In the real world, a performance review rating of “Does Not Meet Position Requirements” results in a reprimand or firing. These guys want a raise for that.

Get real.

By: W

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 12:45:25 +0000

It makes sense too fire all the young guys and all you are left with are the 80% of techs that have over 30 years.
In another 5 years FIOS will be completely installed and 80% of the old force will retire.
They can then lock the doors and outscorce overseas,why do you think they have been having us wire in the DTATU into every ckt for the last 3 years.
So they can test remotely and have a minimum wage guy just change ckt cards.
They think service is bad now just wait

By: W

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 12:39:32 +0000

Also keep in mind for the last 8 years my job title has been declared Suplus,even though they do not even have the bare minimum.
There are some major towns who do not have people assigned to the buildings.
I have been under the threat of Layoff for about the last 8 years.
Even if we get the contract I am still scared silly because I belive a month after I come back I will be surplus once again,you know the company will want to get rid of another 10,000 of us.

By: W

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 12:34:21 +0000

I too am a COT and you are so right they have no idea,how poorly they run the company.
Every Central Office should have the minimum of one person as to be able to help the field tech troubleshoot the problems on the line.
However they have me cover 2-3 central offices on a daily basis,it is the norm.
While I am at one building there are field techs on top of poles calling non-stop to the other two buildings that cannot fix thier troubles in a timely manner.
On any given time there are probally 3 field techs that cannot work because they have the testers streched so thin

By: truedat

truedat — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:09:19 +0000

The middle class is almost extinct in this country due to corporate bloodsuckers like Verizon.

Verizon paid no federal income taxes last year (good trick, can you teach the rest of us how to do it?)

Verizon took a billion and a half dollars in bailout money from the Govt (which is really you and me,by the way)just a short time after THe CEO publicly said that Verizon didn’t need any bailout money!

Verizon makes a ton of money and before you give me the company talking point of “but the POTS side of the business loses money” — I’m a COT and I work on FIOS, DSL on copper, and wireless traffic circuits from T1 to OC192 level every day!

The top few execs were paid over 60 Million $$ last year. I don’t see them volunteering for any kind of cuts for themselves.

The company has already gotten rid of a ton of workers over the past few years. First the workers hired after 2003 were laid off and then alot of people took a special retirement package last year. The company has also sent US jobs to India !!
This is leaving the public with the bare minimum of service. I wish the union would go public with just how bad it is and embarrass the company.You would not believe the geographic area I am expected to cover. I would need the Star Trek transporter to do an effective job.Now the company is going to jump on the current anti union sentiment and try to take back everything the union ever negotiated for. Pension/healthcare/overtime/holidays etc… A list too long to type.

I say tell the public the truth and they will be on our side.

By: becky

becky — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 23:02:48 +0000

If it was YOU, your opinion would be different! The people striking must have a pretty good reason for doing so. If they have nice cars they must have worked long enough to buy them. I cannot believe that all of those 45,000 workers own really nice cars. YOU should know what the deal is before you suggest taking a deal.

By: rdby251

rdby251 — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 22:20:50 +0000

MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD
Verizon filed a tax return for 2010 of 24 BILLION dollars. Total federal tax paid ZERO dollars.Yet claimed and RECEIVED a refund of 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS!!!!! SOMETHING STINKS IN ALL OF CORPORATE AMERICA

By: chris

chris — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 20:59:03 +0000

One day we will all be working for minimum wage and no benifits at all. It will be like working for Walmart ! Unions are a neccessary evil. Corporate greed can not be underestimated.
Try to live on Long Island and raise a family on $15 an hour.

By: realitydude

realitydude — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 20:39:05 +0000

In Medford today I drove by what looked like a custom motorcycle show. Some beautiful custom cars too. Suddenly, I realized I was driving by a Verizon picket line. Whoah-those guys have some nice rides. Must be nice. I guess “The Haves” want more?

By: dback

dback — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:09:51 +0000

This is where unions go wrong. You can not extort high pay and benefits. All you do is piss off the 95% of the people who are NON Union. Take the deal that is offered, find another job or start your own company. Forcing someone to employ and hire you under threat is killing this country

By: Verizon claims sabotage, calls cops on strikers – CNN

Verizon claims sabotage, calls cops on strikers – CNN — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:57:20 +0000

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