HPAE Stands With Striking Verizon Workers

With their strike against Verizon in its 13th day, HPAE joined with hundreds of our striking brothers and sisters from the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) in a noontime rally yesterday in front of the New Jersey Statehouse.In addition to HPAE, the Verizon workers received support from the Amalgamated Transit Union, the New Jersey Education Association, and the New Jersey AFL-CIO.

Photo below: HPAE Staff at the Rally

Speaking at the rally, New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech emphasized that “the biggest issue for our members is job security. Verizon gets more than $100 million dollars in state contracts every year and has gotten more tax subsidies from New Jersey than every other state combined. But over the past 15 years, Verizon has cut the number of union call center jobs in New Jersey from 10,000 down to 1,000. And now, Verizon wants to send even more work from New Jersey to call centers overseas.”

The strikers walked off the job on April 13 after trying for months to negotiate a contract with this corporate giant on behalf of struggling middle-class families. Verizon has been earning record profits that totaled $1.8 billion per month in the first quarter of this year. Yet, it has forced hundreds of millions in health care givebacks, and now wants the ability to transfer workers at will without offering any improvements in wages, job security or working conditions.

As part of the labor movement, we must keep up the pressure on Verizon to settle this contract fairly. You can keep current on the strike by visiting http://standuptoverizon.com.
Please join a picket line, or stop by with snacks for picketing workers.