VERIZON WIRELESS CAMPAIGN

TAKE ACTION: Pledge not to buy Verizon Wireless &/or to switch your cell carrier

Workers at Verizon Wireless (VZW) lack basic workplace rights and receive inadequate health and retirement benefits. When they have tried to organize to fix these problems, VZW has conducted a campaign of illegal firings, threats, intimidation, and worker surveillance and has even shut down Northeast call centers and moved them to “right to work” states.

Verizon Wireless has a 10-year history of fighting its workers’ attempts to get a voice on the job. In 1995, Verizon—then doing business as NYNEX—merged its mobile phone operations with Bell Atlantic. Using this change in ownership structure as an excuse, NYNEX-Bell Atlantic Mobile withdrew its recognition of CWA and IBEW bargaining units in New York and New England. In 2000, the NLRB issued complaint against VZW for prohibiting discussion of union, surveillance, interrogation and threats to close at a Woburn, MA facility where workers were organizing with CWA. The Woburn center was subsequently closed and work moved to Columbia, SC, and 500 workers lost their jobs.

In 2004, Three VZW workers from Orangeburg, NY, customer service center appeared in a CWA video to describe anti-union campaign and fear at work. Workers at this facility began organizing with CWA. With over 30% of workers signed up, VZW closed Orangeburg and Morristown, NJ, call centers and moved the work to the Carolinas. More than 1,500 workers lost their jobs and VZW fired all three workers who appeared in the video. The NLRB issued complaints against VZW for terminations for supporting union organization as well as for retaliatory discipline against other union activists, enforcement of an illegal rule against union solicitation, and interference with employee discussions of their pay and conditions at VZW.

Jobs with Justice coalitions in five locations are working closely with CWA and IBEW locals in Boston, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Columbus, OH to mobilize against Verizon Wireless and their anti-union tactics.

Because students are one of the main target customers of Verizon Wireless, JwJ-SLAP interns in each of these cities organized events in the fall of 2005 to educate students about the company. Over the course of the campaign, JwJ coalitions participated in and organized 40 actions at Verizon Wireless stores engaging more than 200 activists; organized more than 50 events on campuses involving more than 700 students; collected 1,600 “I’m Hanging Up on Verizon Wireless” pledge cards; and targeted Verizon wireless as part of the December 10th Workers’ Rights are Human Rights day of action. JwJ will continue to support CWA and the IBEW in their efforts to win justice with workers at Verizon Wireless.

You can help by signing the “I’m Hanging Up on Verizon Wireless” pledge card at www.jwj.org/vzw_pledge.htm.