CWA Spokesperson Robert Master & Verizon Employee Pamela Galpern Discuss the Verizon Strike

DemocracyNow.org - Some 45,000 workers at Verizon have entered their fifth day on strike after negotiations between Verizon and two unions representing the workers broke down when the company attempted to cut health and pension benefits for workers and make it easier to fire workers. The workers on strike are employed in Verizon's fixed-line division covering landline phones, DSL Internet, FiOS, cable TV and Internet. Workers at Verizon Wireless are not unionized. Verizon says the benefit cuts are needed because its wireline business has been in decline for more than a decade as more people switch to using cellphones exclusively. But union officials have rejected Verizon's argument. As the nation's second-largest U.S. phone carrier, Verizon earned $6.9 billion in net income for the first six months of the year. Democracy Now! interviews Robert Master, spokesperson for Communications Workers of America, one of the unions representing Verizon employees, and Pamela Galpern, a striking Verizon worker and union activist. "Verizon [has] launched a full-scale attack," says Galpern. "Essentially, the company has said despite the fact we're hugely profitable, we're going to take advantage of the economic situation in the country right now to try to roll back the wages, benefits, and job security of our workers."

For the complete transcript, to download the podcast, or for more information about Democracy Now!, visit http://www.democracynow.org/2011/8/11/verizon_workers_strike_over_full_scale

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• verizon strike

[gerpierro]

Let's not forget that, but for unions, the American worker (yes, even the non-union folk) would be without paid leave time, a five day work week, and a safe environment to work in.

[questioningdisciple]

Attention all union haters: Labor unions are the tip of the spear in the fight for the American worker. If we lose, they will come after you next.

[EuphoricBloodLust]

@questioningdisciple Right, but if the demands of the union mean that the employer has to sack one out of every five of it's workers to accomodate those demands take a guess who'll be first to go :)

[11KnightHawk]

@niter1cbs You are a prime example of EXACTLY what Verizon DOESN'T need in it's workforce. You offer no intellectual argument, and instead resort to useless insults. I'd like to see someone more deserving of your job offered up to the millions out of work who would be happy to have it!

[niter1cbs]

@11KnightHawk What a pitiful coward statement, but typical of a spineless jellyfish who wont even stand up for his own rights! "Oh the rich people give us jobs so we have to bend over and take it up the ass for them" ...are you kidding me? Your brainwashed to defend the same people that screw you!! BTW, How much are you getting paid to troll youtube and post propaganda and spam for Verizon anyway, you can tell from your account your a fake dumbass!!

[eagleblackbelt]

@stjohnslandforme I totally agree. My father is a non-union worker and he is being harassed by union workers. Now we are hearing about verizon vans are being shot at with BB guns and one man has been shot... Plus phone and internet wires are being cut to like hospitals, ATM's, banks, and police stations. This violence is completely unecessary and the people doing this have no right to. Protest as much as you want but violence wrong.

[stjohnslandforme]

@questioningdisciple this strike has really shown how divided we are as a working class. ignorance is bliss, until she comes knocking at the door. i dont care what you do, as long as you behave like adults. Take responsibility for youre own and start showing some respect for the non-verizon, non- union workers out there.

[questioningdisciple]

The big banks and the global corporations are sitting on trillions. If people would stand up and say no like CWA we might be able to save this country.

[questioningdisciple]

@stjohnslandforme We have a good deal because we are willing to fight for it! Are you being paid by the company? Maybe the rest of you should be given the deal we have. You all have been fooled into being paid less and less every year. Welcome to the American corporate fascist slave state because no one stood up and said no.

[libertylovingyankee]

It's still hard to believe: A disgustingly wealthy corportation, whose top executives live in palaces fit for kings, demanding working stiffs give up their old age pensions and health care benefits. How stomach turning.