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Print 46 comment(s) - last by FITCamaro.. on Aug 23 at 12:49 PM

  (Source: businessreviewusa.com)
The union workers will go back to work starting tonight for late shifts

It has been a little over two weeks since 45,000 Verizon wireline workers went on strike, but early Saturday morning, both sides agreed to continue bargaining on certain terms and union workers will now end the strike.

On August 7, 35,000 workers represented by the Communications Workers of America and 10,000 workers represented by The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, who all work for Verizon's U.S. Northeast Wireline Unit, went on strike after Verizon decided to cut pensions, change work rules and make employees pay more for health care. Both sides were unable to reach an agreement by the time contracts expired.

Verizon was attempting to keep costs in check, since it has seen a decline in its wireline business over the past decade.

The strike has become problematic in past weeks. For instance, striking union workers turned to vandalism as a way of demonstrating their cause. According to Verizon, demonstrators have shut off the power, used crazy glue to jam fence and service truck locks and blocked entrances in Dover and Newark. In response, Verizon sued Communications Workers of America leaders in Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

Now, Verizon and union strikers have not reached an agreement regarding new contracts, but have agreed to extend the terms of the old one indefinitely while bargaining continues. The agreement came after Verizon announced that healthcare benefits would expire on August 31 for any union workers still on strike. These workers will go back to work starting tonight for late shifts.

According to Verizon, tens of thousands of Verizon managers were covering the positions of the union workers during the strike, where many were asked to work 12-hour days for six days per week. Verizon spokesman Richard Young said the management team helped the most in convincing the unions to bargain.

"The fortitude and efforts of our managers have proven to be our strongest point of leverage in bargaining," said Marc Reed, executive vice president of human resources for Verizon.

The Communications Workers of America were angered by Verizon's statements, saying that it shouldn't be claiming a victory for this bit of progress. The union even demanded a retraction.

"It is both inaccurate and insulting," said the Communications Workers of America in a statement. "We agreed with management not to claim victory in changing the process, reinstituting the contract or shaping our goals. We will be prepared to fight and fight hard whenever necessary if Verizon believes it can resume negotiations on that basis."

Verizon and the unions will now bargain on issues like employment security, pensions and healthcare contributions.

"We would say that this focus is much better than it was two weeks ago," said Larry Cohen, president of the Communications Workers of America.

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ahhh
By Dr of crap on 8/22/2011 10:08:32 AM , Rating: 4
Yet again the union workers caused damage all in the name of NOT HAVING A CONTRACT! How is that even thought of? I would nver do that, but then again I WOULD NOT WORK IN A UNION!

And victory? Why would you claim victory? It's not a war. It's your stinking job for which they walked out on.

So for now everything is smoothed over and everyone goes back to work. How you can even think the same of these workers agin I don't know!




RE: ahhh
By Sazabi19 on 8/22/2011 10:17:03 AM , Rating: 5
They are union workers, I didn't think too highly of their superiorness anyways. Self-entitled lazy bunch. Unions used to be good and here for a good reason, but have since lost their purpose and need to go away. They are driving the price of US goods up through labor cost. Specialized labor needs to be paid for and I agree it should be more expensive, but not union expensive.


RE: ahhh
By tng on 8/22/2011 10:29:40 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Unions used to be good and here for a good reason
There still are good reasons for unions, just not the CWA. At least the IBEW still has some scruples and does serve a purpose, the CWA is there for the sole purpose of making the union leadership wealthy and powerful.


RE: ahhh
By mcnabney on 8/22/2011 11:20:58 AM , Rating: 2
The management arbitrarily cut pension payments, charged significantly more out-of-pocket for benefits, and altered work rules. Of course a unionized workforce would react like this. Verizon was just using the economic downturn to their advantage. There is nothing wrong with that. The cost to both company and workers is a significant loss of public image and a few steps closer to the 'good-old-days' of the early 20th century.


RE: ahhh
By Samus on 8/22/11, Rating: -1
RE: ahhh
By StanO360 on 8/22/2011 1:04:59 PM , Rating: 5
Workers have the "right" to accept or decline a job. They have the right to not be the victim of a crime. They have the right to free speech, assembly etc. There is no right to fixed raises, vacation and there are laws against racial discrimination for which she could sue the school district.

Unions also create an environment where excellence and unique talents go unrewarded (literally). Often they destroy competitiveness by creating wages that are out of sync with the skills and education required.


RE: ahhh
By wempa on 8/22/2011 1:49:18 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
The Union makes sure everyone gets a fixed raise (2.5%/year currently)


This is the biggest problem I have with unions. Why isn't their raise/bonus performance-based ? It's absolutely silly that everybody just automatically gets a certain percentage. The better workers should get more and the poorer workers should get less, if not fired. With such a fixed system in place, it's too easy to just coast along without any effort to improve your work. I don't have a problem with collective bargaining for most of the other things.


RE: ahhh
By Reclaimer77 on 8/22/2011 5:02:27 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
There still are good reasons for unions


So people with a high school education, at best, can make $40/hour doing menial labor??

Unions engage in racketeering and gangsterism. There is no place for them in the modern workforce. They set an artificially high cost of doing business, and when you try to do something about it, hold your business and workforce hostage through protesting, picketing, and workforce intimidation (i.e labeling those who work "scabs" and threatening their families).

I'll never forget the day I was working for a pipe fitting company as a young man making deliveries, when I had to deliver some pipe to General Tire in Charlotte during a union strike. I wasn't even an employee there and was threatened and bullied and had things thrown at my truck as they tried to stop me from driving through the gate. There was even a guy, sitting in plan view, with a full length shotgun on his lap! These guys were making $30/hour with INSANE benefits for menial things, and they go on strike and try to shut down legitimate business!?

Unions are wrong. Period.


RE: ahhh
By FITCamaro on 8/22/2011 5:35:16 PM , Rating: 1
I'll put it out there that there are still some unions with a valid purpose. Trade unions that help protect the trade and ensure no unqualified people enter it(namely illegal aliens). Other than that, you are correct.


RE: ahhh
By tng on 8/23/2011 10:45:36 AM , Rating: 2
As someone who works with some of the trade unions frequently on some jobs and with non-union workers doing the same jobs on others, yes some unions are beneficial.

Electrical, pipefitters, ducting (HVAC), all seem to be much more professional and more competent than their non-union counterparts. I was more like RC77 before I started my latest career and worked with some of these guys.

Now the there are several unions that really have no benefit except for the leadership. Service workers unions for Federal and State offices are completely useless. The Teamsters who were formed to protect workers from company thugs, are now the thugs that beat people up and vandalize/destroy property.

Also like allot of people here, I think that they have damaged the country by driving up the cost of the labor market as well. There is no real reason that somebody who mops floors for a living in a public building, barely speaks English, is qualified to make anywhere above $15/hour.

On the whole I think that effectively lawyers are a good replacement for unions now. Have a problem at work? Call a lawyer... Heaven knows we have to have some job for them.


RE: ahhh
By FITCamaro on 8/23/2011 12:49:23 PM , Rating: 2
I think lawyers are too busy suing drug manufacturers.

"Ever take Tylenol? Then you deserve money for any problem you might have because it's clearly their fault."


RE: ahhh
By iwanttobehef on 8/22/2011 6:28:14 PM , Rating: 2
There is a place for people to collectively bargain ie unions its to try to make the most they can make. If a company tries to maximize profits by bargaining for better prices its expected. When people do its "holding hostage"

I like this quote from a different reclaimer 77

By Reclaimer77 on 9/9/2010 3:39:03 PM , Rating: 1

There is no such thing as someone being "overpaid". And it's certainly not up to someone on the outside looking in to make that judgment.

Oracle's Ellison Unleashes War of Words Over Mark Hurd HP Lawsuit
Jason Mick (Blog) - September 8, 2010 9:50 AM

I love hypocrites


RE: ahhh
By Reclaimer77 on 8/22/2011 6:40:22 PM , Rating: 2
Yeah umm CEO's don't get unions to dictate their wages. You took my quote completely out of context, big surprise. The free market decides their wages, NOT a union.

A union artificially sets wages above what a free market non-union employer would. That's my point.

You might want to look up the word "hypocrite" before you decide to call others one.

quote:
If a company tries to maximize profits by bargaining for better prices its expected.


Just like my quote, here again you aren't comparing apples to apples. If a company doesn't get the bargain it want's, does it close it's doors and threaten to hold out until it does even though this would be hurting it's own livelihood? I mean hello, are you even listening to your logic? Comparing this to Unions is moronic, at best.

I love how you searched and skimmed through hundreds of posts going back almost a year, and after all that effort still failed to make a point or find evidence of hypocrisy. And people say I have too much time on my hands...


RE: ahhh
By iwanttobehef on 8/22/2011 7:23:36 PM , Rating: 2
Not everyone can expect to be a CEO. For those of us without that in our future there are other ways to maximize our earnings. collectively bargaining is one way to improve wages.

A union gets the highest wage it can bargain for. How is this not the free market at work in the private sector?

companies can use leverage to their advantage why can't the employee. That was my point

Suprisingly I kept this quote having emailed it to myself just because I knew you were full of it when you said it and still are. I knew if I waited long enough you would prove me correct.


RE: ahhh
By Reclaimer77 on 8/22/2011 8:36:04 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Suprisingly I kept this quote having emailed it to myself


That's REALLY disturbing. I'm just some guy with opinions, not some public figure you should feel the need to make keepsakes of and stuff. Like..really?? Obsessed much? You keep quotes from random guys on internet sites for almost a YEAR, just to use later?

You know what, you are right. Everything I said was wrong, and you are right. Just please, like, leave me alone and forget all about this. Creep.


RE: ahhh
By Nfarce on 8/22/2011 10:00:29 PM , Rating: 2
Liberals love to stalk and generally have obsessive behavior towards those they don't agree with or those who don't share their (twisted) emotion-driven views. You only need look as far as the their petulance against the Tea Party and how Sarah Palin has been stalked.


RE: ahhh
By wempa on 8/23/2011 9:27:46 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
A union gets the highest wage it can bargain for. How is this not the free market at work in the private sector?


Shouldn't the employee be the one who bargains for their best wage ? If you are one of the best in your position, shouldn't you be earning more than somebody who just goes through the motions ? Here's a better way your "free market" works. You interview for a position. You present your skills and qualifications and then YOU negotiate for a fair salary. If you feel that the company is not offering fair compensation, look around for other positions. If they offer you a fair salary and you accept it, you are always free to negotiate or leave at any time if you feel that you are not getting a fair deal. You don't need a union for leverage. Companies spend a lot to re-train new workers. I believe it's somewhere around 150% of the cost of keeping an existing employee. So, it's in their best interest to keep you happy, unless of course you aren't performing well.


RE: ahhh
By Nfarce on 8/22/2011 9:55:57 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
I like this quote from a different reclaimer 77 By Reclaimer77 on 9/9/2010 3:39:03 PM , Rating: 1


WOW there, iwantto. Stalk much? Freakshow.


RE: ahhh
By FITCamaro on 8/22/2011 10:54:24 AM , Rating: 2
If I sabotage my building, I get fired and go to jail. Not invited back to work.

I would've fired them all and found new, more gracious workers. Not like there aren't people who would clamor to get those jobs.


RE: ahhh
By DanNeely on 8/22/2011 11:11:25 AM , Rating: 2
What you're arguing is that if one of your coworkers sabotages the building that he, you, and everyone else who works for your employer be fired. The idiots who engaged in vandalism should be fired and prosecuted; but most of them aren't criminally stupid.


RE: ahhh
By Flunk on 8/22/2011 11:16:05 AM , Rating: 2
They should spin-off their installers into a separate company and then contract their installs to that company. This allows them to switch to other providers should the demands be unreasonable.


RE: ahhh
By FITCamaro on 8/22/2011 5:25:15 PM , Rating: 3
Where do I say all of them should be fired for the vandalism of a few?

The "fire them all" statement relates to them striking because they're asked to reduce their benefits. If the same thing happens to me I get two choices, accept it or find another job. As it should be.


RE: ahhh
By FITCamaro on 8/22/2011 5:25:51 PM , Rating: 2
Sorry replied to wrong post.


RE: ahhh
By dark matter on 8/22/2011 11:41:08 AM , Rating: 1
Well your pompous and bombastic attitude clearly shows you're pissed with your current job of flipping burgers.

Because, you're fucking deluded.


RE: ahhh
By Boze on 8/22/2011 12:00:56 PM , Rating: 1
Well, first of all, I don't think FIT flips burgers.

Secondly, I also don't disagree with him.

There's nothing pompous about his statement, although it might be construed a little bombastic.

We've seen this happen before in the past by the way, when Reagan fired all the air traffic controllers and hired new ones. It worked then, it would especially work now.

There are Americans who have been out of work for over a year now, some even longer, who would have no problem taking these jobs and being trained to perform the tasks required of them.

I agree with FIT. Give these jobs to the people willing to execute them. There's nothing delusional about cost-cutting for a section of a company that's clearly going to see downturns in revenue.

How many people do you know that have or use a landline? People are switching to mobile communications, or Internet-based VOIP services to handle their telecommunications. It stands to reason we'd see cost-cutting for a sector of Verizon that deals with wired communication.

The health care issue though is just a symptom of a bigger problem we have in this country. Namely, no universal health care. Every other industrialized first-world nation has some sort of universal coverage for its citizens, and its high time America joined that club.


RE: ahhh
By FITCamaro on 8/22/2011 5:32:30 PM , Rating: 1
You were all good until the last two sentences.


RE: ahhh
By FITCamaro on 8/22/2011 5:31:10 PM , Rating: 1
Your post clearly shows you have no idea how to form a complete thought or debate.

My job sometimes involves flipping burgers. When I feel like making them for myself and coworkers on our grill for lunch. I have also done fajitas and bratwurst which have been delicious. Would you like some? Our office has an open door policy and gives tours.

Just a few weeks ago we had a giant company sponsored party involving free alcohol, steak, burgers, hot dogs, a roasted pig, and lobster tail. Did I mention the live band? Or the fireworks display afterwards done by yours truly?

This weekend, barring a hurricane, we're having a Hackathon event with more free food and alcohol, ten hours of mobile development, video games, and movies.

So fuck you very much and have a nice day.


RE: ahhh
By Dark Legion on 8/22/2011 11:07:33 PM , Rating: 2
Where can I apply? seriously.
Also was going to say, despite not agreeing with a lot of things you post, there is no way in hell you flip burgers. Looks like I was wrong =P but that does sound amazing.


What Verizon
By Sazabi19 on 8/22/2011 10:14:04 AM , Rating: 2
Should say is something to the effect of "Don't let the door hit your ass on your way out". Their contract is expired and VZW wanted to tweak a few things and these people are complaining the way they are, rioting, and causing havoc? Tell them all to go to hell. In this economy there are plenty of people who are willing to do these jobs with what VZW is offering these idiot unioners. Hell I would take that pay and benefits and then I would thank them, mind you I'm not some entitled union worker. I don't have someone protecting me from my own mistakes and piss poor work performance and still asking for more. Get these unions out, clean house and take out the trash now while it's still easy and out of contract.




RE: What Verizon
By FITCamaro on 8/22/2011 10:55:01 AM , Rating: 2
+1


RE: What Verizon
By dark matter on 8/22/2011 11:42:25 AM , Rating: 2
Yeah, that'll show em, you go...

Oh, mum called, she said tea's ready...


RE: What Verizon
By StanO360 on 8/22/2011 1:08:01 PM , Rating: 2
Half of them won't have jobs in 3-4 years anyway. The landline business has been in collapse for 10 years.


RE: What Verizon
By DanNeely on 8/22/2011 3:11:38 PM , Rating: 2
I think you're being overly pessimistic. Verizon DSL will require them keeping most of the base infrastructure (ditto for areas that transition to FIOS). While the total number of customers will be down from when everyone had a landline, people switch among broadband options on a semi-regular basis; landlines were normally only dis/connected when someone moved so the volume of house calls won't fall as fast as the number of land line voice customers.


Corporate Greed At It's Finest
By Cyber Cowboy on 8/22/2011 8:58:16 PM , Rating: 2
Some fun Facts:

Verizon claims that the landline portion of its network is in decline and not profitable, yet they fail to mention that landlines are the backbone network of their FIOS, DSL & Wireless operations. They want you to think that there is no need for a landline because they want their FIOS & DSL to be classified as “internet or data” instead of exactly what they are: landlines. Every cell tower connects to a landline network. Without Verizon’s landline business they would have no wireless business!

Despite making $19.5 billion in profits and paying out $258 million to it’s top 5 executives in the last four years, Verizon wants to take back more than 50 years of collective bargaining and destroy middle class jobs.

The President of Verizon makes $55,000 a day or $8,000 per hour, and has free, lifetime medical coverage.

Verizon has paid $0 in federal corporate income taxes over the last three years.

Verizon received nearly $1 billion in tax benefits from the federal government (your money) over the last three years, how much has the average American worker received in tax benefits?

Yet again…the Verizon strike of 2011 is about plain Corporate Greed.

The American Middle Class is under siege and its time to circle the wagons and defend the homestead.

One last thing… I am CWA member who is fighting for the future of my children and the American Dream.

Can You Hear Me Now?!?!




RE: Corporate Greed At It's Finest
By Nfarce on 8/22/2011 10:08:56 PM , Rating: 2
Verizon's money is not your money , bed wetter. Neither are those JOBS your jobs. They ALL belong to Verizon. Period end of discussion. And people like you wonder why we continue to send jobs overseas.


By Dr of crap on 8/23/2011 9:10:11 AM , Rating: 2
And your point???
This is about unions thinking they deserve things.

My employer gives it's worker the chance at helathcare, and we pay for it - over $200 PER two week check.

And we get vacation, and sick days.

But if I don't get a raise, I still go to work, and I DON"T CAUSE TROUBLE. And if I don't like NOT getting a raise I look for a new job. But here's the important part, in this economy there isn't much to pick from in a new job so I stick it out. I do not stop working, and picket. I do not vanalize my employers property. I don't cause trouble for fear of loosing my job - unlike the union workers that could start a fire and still work there!


"hope and change" for the U.S.A.....
By Chaser on 8/22/2011 11:04:59 AM , Rating: 2
....more right to work states. Especially for public employees.




RE: "hope and change" for the U.S.A.....
By iwanttobehef on 8/22/2011 6:18:19 PM , Rating: 1
Just what America needs lower wages and less healthcare. Because thats what right to work states bring.

Do you run a sweat shop?

I prefer the attitude of lifting up wages including my own not lowering everyones but mine.


By Black1969ta on 8/23/2011 4:23:16 AM , Rating: 2
You keep lifting your wages and those of your friends and then in a few years when the enticement of cheap labor and highly skilled non-self-entitled foreign workforces help your companies to reverse the losses by paying the exorbitant wages to Americans, you can stand in line at the unemployment office, looking down your nose at us workers who realized years ago that the modern world requires even a bottom of the totem laborer to think and compete globally. Seriously other than food service, (food can be cooked in remote locations), front end, or servers; is there any industry that is safe from relocation to outside the U.S.

Gone are the Utopian days of the 80s when people sang the song of "Buy American!" I believe that by insinuating that we should buy American just because it was made locally; this slogan that implied that American goods were inferior, but we should spend more to buy them anyway, its patriotic!

Now that mentally has backfired and Americans don't want to spend the extra money, in fact they want to buy the cheapest version they can, (Proof is in Walmart's growth.)

At the same time they look at the Jones's house and demand more pay to make that item so that they can 1up the Jones, and now we have the Detroit, banking, real estate mess that we have now.


"Brotherhood"?
By dark matter on 8/22/2011 11:37:36 AM , Rating: 2
It's a bit sexist ain't it.

Somebody sue em for discrimination...




RE: "Brotherhood"?
By Boze on 8/22/2011 12:13:11 PM , Rating: 1
We're getting entirely too many trolls here on DailyTech.

Pirks, TonySwash, and now you... mods need to clean house.


RE: "Brotherhood"?
By Dark Legion on 8/22/2011 11:19:15 PM , Rating: 2
Don't forget PLAYSTATION3 and all its variations, and FAT/F1Tcamaro, they were some of the best. (and wasn't it Pirks or PS3 that gave away his/her password?)

However, , in dark matter's case, that did seem more like a double post than trolling, and he/she isn't exactly known to troll either.


Tech On Strike
By Cyber Cowboy on 8/22/2011 5:43:17 PM , Rating: 1
Based on the vitriol and anti-union rhetoric that is being posted on this site it is clearly obvious that many comments are coming from low level managers, or tea-baggers that have never picked up a tool in their life but profess to have technical knowledge which is most certainly not the case.

Of course, according to Verizon and all the union-haters on this site, we are the bad guys because we dare to ask for decent health care and wages. After all, why should the workers that built the company, and help make the money, and keep the customers in service deserve to be treated like human beings! We can’t have that!

The common narrative that is most often used by the opponents of organized labor is that globalization is our new reality and decent wages and benefits have no place in the new world order. If that is indeed the case then sadly, the "American Dream" is truly over and our children will be nothing more than a low wage workforce living beyond their means and begging for table scraps.

I refuse to accept this outcome, and choose to fight for the future of my family and the American Dream!

Can You Hear Me Now!?!




RE: Tech On Strike
By Nfarce on 8/22/2011 10:07:07 PM , Rating: 2
Hey Cyber Cowboy, go put on your little cowboy hat, your cute little pink boots, and ride off on your little pixie-dusted pink pony, mmmkay?

There is a REASON union support in this nation has been in constant decline over the past two decades. Get over it. Your union henchmen are thugs, have disrupted lives and jobs, and savagely beaten and even KILLED others who don't agree with taking it up the ass with MANDATORY union dues.

And like others have said, unions were once needed. My grandfather belonged to a plumber's union for 50 years starting in the 1920s before we had OSHA and labor laws on the books. Now they are nothing but anchors around the throat of America's forward progress in international competitiveness. Just ask South Carolina who saw the Boeing jobs ripped away from them because that state was a right to work state.

Oh, and one other thing sport: if you call someone a "teabagger" that means they are on top and you've been teabagged .


"Brotherhood"?
By dark matter on 8/22/2011 11:37:36 AM , Rating: 2
It's a bit sexist ain't it.

Somebody sue em for discrimination...




Win for Verizon!
By Salisme on 8/22/2011 4:11:06 PM , Rating: 2
Let's face the facts, after week three, the CWA has to start paying the strikers as per their contract, "Strike Pay". That is money out of the union's pockets. Also, Verizon yanked the health care out from under the union members by 31 Aug if they did not return to work. This is why they are going back to work: they lost!

This is a win for Verizon, and a loss for the unions. See, laziness and greed gets you two weeks of lost pay kids!!

Congrats!!




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