WASHINGTON-The Communications Workers of America last week accused Verizon Communications Inc. of violating last summer’s labor agreement by blocking wireless and information services workers from unionizing.
“The company has been doing everything it can to mislead and intimidate workers and block their organizing efforts,” said CWA. “CWA is fighting this betrayal with a campaign that lets the public know that Verizon can’t be trusted.”
CWA, a unit of the AFL-CIO, scheduled rallies outside of Verizon offices in Baltimore and New York last Wednesday. With union membership in old economy sectors dwindling, organized labor is aggressively attempting to recruit workers in high-growth technology sectors, like wireless.
“We had very specific rules. We have followed the rules,” said Ivan Seidenberg, chief executive officer of Verizon, at a press conference last Wednesday. “We have two cases in arbitration. From our perspective, CWA refuses to go forward with the process. They want to take a time out and have a few rallies and then come back to the process.”
