70 Union Workers Striking Against Nonunion Giant Verizon Wireless
In the ferociously anti-union wireless industry, one group of Verizon workers stands out: a unit of 70 members of Local 1101 who organized when the work was part of Bell Atlantic and Nynex. The union members service cell sites and phone-call switching stations in the New York area, and right now, they, like the 45,000 wireline workers around the East, are trying to negotiate with giant Verizon. Unsuccessfully.
Verizon Wireless is 45 percent owned by British telecom Vodafone, the world's richest mobile company. In 2010, Verizon Wireless revenue rose over 5 percent and in 2011 it doubled that, with first-half revenues of $34 billion. Nevertheless, the unionized unit has "already had pension accruals suspended, with no pensions for new hires, and its members already pay variable monthly rates towards their health-care premiums."
Verizon Wireless is 45 percent owned by British telecom Vodafone, the world's richest mobile company. In 2010, Verizon Wireless revenue rose over 5 percent and in 2011 it doubled that, with first-half revenues of $34 billion. Nevertheless, the unionized unit has "already had pension accruals suspended, with no pensions for new hires, and its members already pay variable monthly rates towards their health-care premiums."
The Local 1101 workers are asking for a cap on health care premiums and increased pay for late-night and weekend emergency work. In sporadic negotiations, Verizon is refusing to budge. Dan Gutierrez is a member of the negotiating team and he expressed his frustration with the intransigent management team across the table. "Verizon can't tell us they're losing customers," he said, "they can't tell us they're not one of the most profitable companies in America. I don't see a reason why we can't get a better contract."
At the moment, CWA and IBEW are the only hope workers have for preventing the entire telecommunications industry from sliding into one vast low-wage employer.
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