If you’re having trouble with your Verizon service today and looking for quick turnaround, you may be out of luck. Tens of thousands of Verizon workers are out on strike today, including at least 100 at the corporation’s Livingston compound on Rt. 10.
Following the expiration of their contract this past weekend, the red-clad workers are holding signs and cheering at the passing cars’ supportive honking. Workers told Baristanet that their primary issues relate to pension, healthcare benefits, and maintaining their standard of living.
A representative from a local business asked politely that the picketers not make it hard for customers to get into or park at Olive Garden at lunch time, and organizers amicably agreed.
When Baristanet was at the scene, at around 10 a.m., the group was distracted by news that the local police were issuing parking tickets on the side streets, where most of them had parked. Many left the line to check their cars.
More on the story, here.
They blocked my car from getting into the parking lot at work today. A few dozen people intentionally walking in front of my car as I tried to turn off Rt 10.
Their demands are insane. Add to that fact that lunch and texting are half of what I ever seen them do it makes their demands even more insane. Add that I’m a customer of Verizon whose bills are off the charts and they’ve really kicked up the hornets nest.
If those water buffalo are covered on any health care plan they should BE GRATEFUL ! Asking them to pay part of it is not unreasonable. Asking them to stop ordering fries with everything also not unreasonable. The only person with my sympathy during this is the woman who runs the cafe in the building. Her business is about to take a deep fried fiscal hit with gravy on top.
Also protesting outside of a parking lot where they park their new cars everyday – NOT NOT THE BEST WAY TO CRY POVERTY. They drive nicer rides them my management team.
Now I know my every day experiences and observation are a small group of employees and shouldn’t taint my opinion of the thousands of other workers. However, they tried to make me late for my non-union, chip in toward my healthcare and no 52 weeks of disability job where my pay increase in based on performance and not a contracted guarantee. So gloves are off now.
Looks like more Americans are refusing to remain concubines to the corporate anti-Christ!
Verizon’s Q2 net income was $3.6 billion.
https://www22.verizon.com/investor/investor-consump/groups/financial/documents/investorrelation/2011_2q_fs_pdf.pdf
If a company with that much net profit cannot afford to pay generous health and pension benefits, we’re all in trouble.
Agreed, Kay. I don’t know too many folks who don’t pay SOMETHING towards their health insurance. If you didn’t, your company would go broke.
Verizon is far from broke. The company is not Montclair or Bloomfield.
I used to work for Verizon, and what the strikers are asking for is not ridiculous. It’s actually a just. What people should look at is the amount of money that the Board, the CEO, and the company make on a whole. It’s just ludicrous. The strikers are not asking for anything that is out of reach for this company.
I actually agree with the hrhppg, because the workers do sometimes make more money than the first level management team, however, it was their decision to go into management. When you leave the union to become management, you are seriously taking your livelihood in your hands. They no longer have the backing of the union, and they can be (and are) systematically picked off and dropped. They have to pay a portion of their health benefits and they no longer have the security of the union behind them.
I do not agree with people that say that Verizon workers should have to pay for their health benefits because they have to pay. That is wrong, until you work for a company like Verizon, who is making billions a year in profit, and then I do not believe you should comment on what a Verizon worker should and should not be able to ask for in a strike.
I say let’s help these guys stand up to this big corporation.
There are lots of things I don’t like about corporate America but kicking in for part of my health benefits is not one of them. I am happy to have them at all!
With nearty 1 out of every 10 people out of work with NO health benefits (or simple in a job that has no benefits), I am surprised to see people quibbling over this.
These people formed a union so that they had some leverage when discussing things like healthcare, etc. Union workers have better benefits because they formed a union. That should be obvious, right?
That could be because you’re not in a union, Martta. Just because most workers do not have good benefits doesn’t mean those who do should be faulted. Again, Verizon is loaded, why can’t they afford to pay for benefits.
The more corporate America cuts back on covering health insurance premiums, the more Americans will demand a government plan. The irony of corporate America’s behaviour is that it’s driving us toward a more socialist system.
Also, the unemployment rate is around 9%. This is not the same as saying 1 in 10 Americans are out of work.
How do we know that they aren’t already kicking in for part of their healthcare insurance? The issue could be that they are being asked to pay more for less – a very common trend these days with big corporations. Does anyone know the facts of the issues they are striking about?
But Jenn – I’m a Verizon customer – so I’m paying that 100% healthcare. Why is a vendor I use coddling their employees at my expense ? We know they are covered 100% because that is what they are protesting to keep. They don’t want to chip in $1 toward that coverage. Also they have a 52 week a year disability plan that they don’t want lowered to 26 weeks…..that means if disabled while a Verizon employee you never have to work again. Seems just a bit off balance for the call center in my building.
If your life insurance started to cost you more to pay for my life I’m sure you’d have something to say about that.
This is a bad economy and let me tell you this building is full of scab workers happy to have a job today. No doubt if offered healthcare that they have to chip in for they will accept it. Part of a free market is if you don’t like your job someone else will love it.
They also don’t want their raises to be considered based on job performance. They want guaranteed raises without job performance being a factor.
If you read their list of demands it comes off like diva’s. Especially to this soon to be ex-verizon customer who is furious that they tried to come between me and my job today. My verizon cell contract is and has been over and they’ve been pressing me for a new one. Anyone have another carrier they recommend? One where my bill won’t be held hostage by whiny employees.
hr–do you think if Verizon gets its workers to pay more for health insurance the company will reduce their prices? I don’t.
If a company does well, I believe its employees ought to share in the success.
Do you still believe in a free market after all you’ve seen over the last couple years?
I happen to think Verizon offers good phone/Internet/TV service so no, I really am not interested in switching to another provider, whiny entitlement employees notwithstanding.
“If a company does well, I believe its employees ought to share in the success.”
Well, yeah, in a perfect world. Of course, in a perfect world, I would win the Powerball.
Do you still believe in a free market after all you’ve seen over the last couple years?
More then ever before. Out of the few friends who’ve lost their job all are unemployable (drugs, missed days, watching porn at work, boo hoo but not problems from a slow economy). The Trump 2nd chance apprentice all unemployable. The friends I have, now biting their nails as the possibility of getting laid off, – all chatting online or checking facebook as we speak. I had to turn my cell off during the day because they had so much time to yahoo or text me.
Sometime a free market trims the fat and makes companies do less with more.
“do you think if Verizon gets its workers to pay more for health insurance the company will reduce their prices?”
No but I think them not contributing anything will raise my prices.
52 weeks of disability a year….for some workers I can see that. For the call center in my building not at all.
Not wanting job performance to determine their raises ??? What should determine their raises a magic eight ball ? Ability to throw ones voice ? Please explain that to me.
If their demands and actions were close to reasonable I’d be on their side. But right now they are harassing me, my co-workers and our clients for demands I’d expect of Diva’s
I don’t see much of free market anywhere. The government clearly chose sides in who was going to pay for the mess of the financial world. They bailed out the auto industry, too. And govt did so with hardly a peep from the business world.
In a perfect world there would be no Powerball.
If union workers have it so great, I’m surprised there isn’t a bigger push for folks to leave their six-figure jobs and run cable lines for a living in 90 degree heat. Or clean the boilers and the gang-bathrooms at the local high school. Or break up the domestic violence fight at 3am on Christmas morning. Instead of tearing each other down, why don’t work together to get better conditions for everybody? It’s a poor argument that says, “Since I don’t get good benefits, nobody should. Especially not the lower classes.” If you took the gamble of an insecure higher paying private sector job, you can’t hate on the those who took the trade off for a more secure job with better benefits just because times get tough.
Wow, my grammar was horrible in the above post. Can’t seem to delete or edit it, though. In any event, you get my drift.
This is funny!
“If a company does well, I believe its employees ought to share in the success.”
I believe if a company does well it should slowly & surreptitiously lay off it’s employees and off shore to increase it’s profits even more. That’s the new American way!
Time to buy VZ stock. I’m sure they’ll win at least a little from the union. That’ll mean revenue up with no new expenses.
as an union employee i strongly feel no one should comment unless you know facts.. i chose to work for a union because of its benefits. that was my choice.. you chose to work somewhere else. i do not make 6 figures as others do, i chose benefits and a pension. not every union employee makes “tons of OT” since CWA workers are the ones making the profit for the company they deserve what the fat cats get. people do not order fios because of the CEO or board. they order fios because of the network CWA built and maintain, along with the americans who answer the phone when you call fios! does anyone know if the board gets free medical????? I do agree that no one should block anyone from going to their job, unfortunately there are some people who get caught up in the moment and frankly are childish. i also want you to ask yourself this….hrhppg.. do you not think that verizon is scared about how to keep their managers happy if the union keeps what they already had.. there is a diff side to the story here. if CWA gets what they want , their own managers may think twice about working for VZ. the employer becomes less attractive for good talent. they are not diva’s , these people are making 70 a year , six thousand for medical for a family is ridiculous. everyone is entilted to their opinion , that is mine.
So again this morning the strikers are preventing us other middle class workers from getting to our middle class jobs. All while wearing support the middle class posters.
There is a state trooper at the back entrance to prevent the rest of us who work in the building from being harassed. Don’t worry he is on overtime pay so we all get to chip in for the Verizon workers right to harass other people.
Our sales guys are now re-arranging their schedules so clients don’t have to come here and none of us are looking forward to months of morons blocking traffic.
This is going to effect my company. My small business, privately owned, commission based company full of Verizon customers. Wonder how many landlines will be dropped as they cause us to lose money and we all cut back on expenses to compensate?
If they want support for the working class they should in turn support the working class, and not as happened this morning, tell someone trying to get to work – “talk to the hand” while blocking their car.
Day 3 and me and my co-workers are still being harassed. Apparently a large number of people outside don’t work in this building so they don’t know that there are other companies here. Today they have kids and little dogs out there with them – which is a good thing when your trying to block cars …?
nice.
So again this morning the strikers are preventing us other middle class workers from getting to our middle class jobs. All while wearing support the middle class posters.
So you turned around and went home, or did you get to work.
Our sales guys are now re-arranging their schedules so clients don’t have to come here and none of us are looking forward to months of morons blocking traffic.
Oh my god, how are you still alive?
Normally, I don’t agree with HRH (on political issues) but here she is right on. Rule number 1 of striking: Don’t alienate the people you are trying to reach with your message. It’s hard too conjure up sympathy for people who are making your life hell while you are trying to earn a living.
I don’t get people who go on strike during economic downturns. Go to jobs and human resources web sites and read about people who’ve been out of work for more than a year (the average is around 42 weeks). Read about people who have had to move in with family and friends (and those are considered the lucky ones–some have nowhere to go). Read how hard it is to find a job these days if you are 1. 40 and over and 2. unemployed. Yes, some employers discriminate against hiring people who’ve been unemployed for ceertain lenghth of time. They go home and count your lucky stars.
Should read: “Yes, some employers discriminate against hiring people who’ve been unemployed for a certain length of time. Then go home and count your lucky stars.”
Normally, I don’t agree with HRH (on political issues) but here she is right on. Rule number 1 of striking: Don’t alienate the people you are trying to reach with your message. It’s hard too conjure up sympathy for people who are making your life hell while you are trying to earn a living.
Actually, the number one rule of striking is to get the company to the table. People like hrhppg aren’t their audience.
I don’t get people who go on strike during economic downturns.
Their contract is up. They’re striking to protest some of the things Verizon wants in the new contract. And yes, although we are in an economic downturn, Verizon make record profits last year. Again, these people joined a union so they would have negotiating power. I don’t see what’s so difficult.
Apparently it’s too much to ask that they comport themselves in a civilized fashion and refrain from impeding the work of others. Or, apparently, from damaging company equipment.
Holy cow! ROC found an A-hole amongst the strikers! Well, naturally that negates any issue they be trying to highlight.
Thank God there are no A-holes in management!
And the striking worker who went to the hospital with a concussion? I guess he could be accused of damaging company property too, right? In any case, not worth mentioning.
“along with the americans who answer the phone when you call fios!”
The people involved in my FIOS installation were terrific. It was an unusual install, and they did what they could (well) and then got out of my way when I finished their job. I like to think they also took the opportunity to learn something.
The engineer with whom I dealt for some FIOS work at a school I was helping – with whom I later worked doing something else as he’d been promoted within the company – was also terrific.
But when I called FIOS support for a problem once, it was a nightmare. I believe that they were mostly trying to be helpful. It was simply beyond them. That wouldn’t have been an issue had I been escalated to someone that knew something with some haste. But that didn’t happen; it was process hell. Eventually, I was conferenced with engineers working for the router vendor, and my problem was identified (not really resolved; I ended up replacing the router with something decent).
The sales people are also of negative value. My wife tried to upgrade our service and the sales people managed to make a complete hash of it, breaking completely what we already had. Then, at 5:01pm, they all disappeared. And nobody else would help because the sales order told them what to do (despite everyone acknowledging that it was wrong).
They were also telling us for many months that service wasn’t available at the school I mentioned above. The engineer started his streak of helpfulness by explaining that they were wrong.
It’s actually bizarre how different groups vary in quality at Verizon.
…Andrew