Members of CWA and Jobs for Justice held a banner outside the Verizon store on Market street in San Francisco on Friday as part of a rally to encourage customers to boycott the company due to executive pay raises and worker pay cuts. Photo by Andy Sweet
By Sara Bloomberg and Maggie Ortins
June 22, 2012
Can you hear me now?
More than a dozen demonstrators gathered at a Verizon Wireless storefront on Market Street today as part of a national day of action protesting executive raises as worker health care costs go up and wages are cut.
The day of action’s slogan is “Verizon is Verigreedy.”
Carl Hall (right) and a fellow CWA member demonstrator held signs outside the Verizon store on Market street in San Francisco on Friday. Photo by Andy Sweet
The Communications Workers of America, which represents Verizon Communications workers, is currently in contract negotiations with Verizon Communications, a wing of the company that is separate from their wireless operation, and is demanding that Verizon continue to pay the full cost of their health care premiums, instead of giving executives raises.
“The only way to really achieve this goal is at the bargaining table,” said Ray McConville, manager of media relations for Verizon Corporate. The rally won’t impact the year-long negotiations, he said.
Demonstrators handed out informational leaflets highlighting the corporation’s recent profits, as well as a combined net salary of more than $349 million shared by five executives in 2011.
“We will never have economic recovery as long as companies like Verizon take disposable income out of the middle class,” said Libby Sayer, CWA district nine media representative.
Management at the Verizon store at 768 Market Street in San Francisco said they were unaware of the national day of action.
Fog City Journal is associated with the Pacific Media Workers Guild, a local of the CWA.
The Hunger Site
June 24, 2012 at 5:12 pm
Seems like the CWA is giving their workers some misinformation…the reason all the jobs are overseas is because of the crooks in Washington D.C (remember NAFTA?!?)…I am not saying I agree with it, but the corporations are only taking advantage the laws and treaties that the politicians they are greasing are passing in the capitol and the White House. Until the mindless drones of this country wake up and realize that the corporations are putting people in political power and not their votes, I suggest everyone start learning to speak Chinese…
June 23, 2012 at 7:03 am
Interesting that this protest is representing workers on THE EAST COAST not anywhere in San Francisco for Verizon Communications not Verizon Wireless. Verizon Communications has no business out here (such as Dsl, cable or Fios!) & you can thank older landline laws & even At&T partially for that. It seems though the CWA does have workers, though AGAIN there is no service out here, so they are protesting for someone else?? Looks like the CWA has time on their hands.