Verizon Workers Launch Radio Ads Demanding a Fair Deal for Maine

A new ad is hitting the airwaves in Maine to inform the public about a piece of legislation that would require telecom deals to be made in the best interest of the state. The ad, paid for by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), is the next chapter in the controversial proposed FairPoint and Verizon merger.

In order to stave off this deal, a bill was introduced in the Maine legislature to ensure that all telecom mergers would be "in the best interest" of the state, something which many--incuding Maine's IBEW, which represents 900 Verizon workers--do not believe the FairPoint-Verizon merger does.

The ad focuses on drumming up support for this legislation, designed to protect the people of Maine.

Listen here:

You can read the full text of the ad at the end of the post.

Also, a recent editorial in the Bangor Daily News, written by IBEW business manager Peter McLaughlin, characterizes the deal as "bad for Maine ratepayers." McLaughlin explains that while service may improve in some urban areas and in some other states, Verizon subscribers in three New England states would be getting the short end of the proverbial stick:

Verizon wants to improve things for its urban customers at the expense of residents in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, who would reap none of the benefit, yet bear much of the cost. That's because Verizon would finance this fiber optic upgrade in part by merging with a much smaller company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, called FairPoint Communications.
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It's worth noting that FairPoint's credit rating is BB-minus, a deplorable status, according to Standard & Poor's, who characterizes the company's stock as weak and "high risk."

Full text of the Maine radio ad:

Are you concerned about Maine's future? About our ability to attract business, have a great educational system and the latest technology?

Then you won't like the deal that's being cooked up by Verizon and a little North Carolina telecom firm called FairPoint. And neither should the Maine Legislature.

Verizon wants to sell its telecom business here to FairPoint, a small company without the capacity to bring the kind of high-speed broadband service we need to compete in the 21st century.

But there is hope – LD 1866 – a bill before the state Legislature requiring that any telecom deal be in the best interests of the people of Maine.

That's why consumers, small businesses, senior citizens and workers throughout Maine are joining to support LD1866. And our legislators should, too – if they care about Maine's future. Don't let Maine get left by the side of the road.

The point? It's not fair (Speed Matters)

Op-Ed: Verizon merger will hurt rate payers (Bangor Daily News)