Working Washington stands behind good jobs at Verizon Wireless
by Nate Jackson
Profits are up, the stock holders at Verizon Wireless are happy and the management has decided that now is the time to rip away working families' security and peace of mind.
Not if we have anything to say about it.
Working people at Verizon have toiled behind the scenes to make the telecommunications giant profitable and recognizable around the world. They’ve installed cell phone towers, land line telephone poles, created software and code and made the company one of the fastest growing companies in its field.
Verizon has reaped the benefits and now they are trying to take them away from the very same people who made them a successful company in the first place.
Working families are not going to take it on the chin anymore. More than 45,000 workers have taken a stand to disallow their hard-earned security from being taken away.
There’s history behind today’s strike. Previously, a deal was hammered out for good jobs. The struggles were hard fought, but in the end both sides came to an accord that made sense.
Verizon got motivated, dedicated workers out of the deal and the workers had rewarding, honest work that they enjoyed. It was a win-win solution.
Now, in the midst of great profits, Verizon is trying to change the rules. The main points of contention at the strike, according to the NY Times, are benefits, wages, health costs and paid sick leave.
They want to strip away the mutually beneficial agreements and balance more profits on the backs of working families. Many workers are worried that if the accord is changed too much, they will slip out of the middle class.
At Working Washington, we are fighting for those good jobs to stay good jobs in downtown Seattle at the Verizon store on 6th Ave. from noon until 3 p.m this Tuesday, Aug. 15. You can stand with us at 1633 6th Ave., Seattle, WA 98101.
Working families who have earned a good job cannot afford to have their jobs downgraded. After working too hard and long for the respect, healthcare and living wages that have allowed families to claw their way into the middle class, it’s not fair to be pushed down or shoved aside, especially when profits have nearly tripled.
Come join us this week to show you support good, middle class jobs and the rights for families to earn a good living from honest work. There is strength in multiple voices. We want to make known that we want those good jobs we fought so hard for.
We don't want more than our fair share. We want a win-win.