How YOU Can Help Support Verizon Workers
August 16, 2011: Last week, we wrote to Verizon President & CEO Lloyd McAdam urging him to return to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith for a fair settlement for the 45,000 brave Verizon workers who are on strike.
Many of you have asked us what you can do to help support the Verizon workers. In consultation with the Communications Workers of America, one of the two unions representing the Verizon workers, here are a few simple ways you can help:
Sign the on-line petition: Add your name to the list of people telling Mr. McAdam that his company should play fair. Let him know that he should not demand that his workers should not be forced to give-back more than $1 billion in wages and benefits when the company earned $19 billion in profits over the past four years and the top five executives earned more than $250 million in the same period. Go to www.cwa-union.org and the petition will pop-up before the CWA home page.
Write your own letter to:
Mr. Lloyd C. McAdam
President & Chief Executive Officer
Verizon Communications, Inc.
140 West Street
New York, NY 10007
Be sure to mention if you are a Verizon customer.
Are you a Verizon customer? If so,
Call up the corporate headquarters -- 212-395-1000 - and express your dissatisfaction. Tell them you are monitoring the situation closely and want it to be settled fairly.
If you have a pending service call or installation, insist that they send union labor to fulfill your order. If they send "replacement workers," refuse to let the scabs enter your property and make sure the company knows why.
Donate to support the workers on strike: For the 45,000 Verizon workers, the decision to go on strike was a very difficult one for they knew they would be without a paycheck until their contract was settled. But they also knew that the issues were crucial, not just for them, but for working men and women across the country. You can show your support by making a contribution to the special fund set up to provide assistance to Verizon workers in need. Go to www.cwa-union.org/solidarityfund, contribute whatever you can, identify the organization as "Jewish Labor Committee" and check the box next to the statement, "This donation is on behalf of the organization listed above."
Participate in a picket-line at a local Verizon Wireless Store: Can you give an hour or two to hand out leaflets in support of the Verizon workers in front of a Verizon Wireless store? To find a store near where you live or work, contact your local CWA or International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the other union representing Verizon workers, or go to the CWA web site. If you live in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago or Los Angeles, you can also contact our regional JLC office there:
Jewish Labor Committee -- New England Region - Marya Axner (Boston)
Tel 617-227-0888 / Fax 617-482-7300 / email NewEnglandJLC@jewishlabor.org
United Hebrew Trades - New York Jewish Labor Committee - Carolyn De Paolo (NYC)
Tel 212-477-0767 email NewYorkJLC@aol.com
Jewish Labor Committee, Philadelphia - Michael Hersch
Tel 215-587-6822 / Cell: 215-668-5454 email PhiladelphiaJLC@jewishlabor.org
Jewish Labor Committee, Chicago - Eli Fishman
Tel 312-607-0260 email ChicagoJLC@yahoo.com
Jewish Labor Committee Western Region - Leslie Gersicoff (Los Angeles)
Tel 323-658-5500 Email JLCLA2@aol.com