Newswise — “The strike by 45,000 Verizon workers that began Sunday is more than a rejection of the company’s proposal to cut pensions, change work rules and increase employee health care premiums.
“This strike could be a labor-management watershed. A number of historic things converged during these negotiations and that’s why the lines are now drawn so starkly. I worry that this is going to be protracted, because there is a history of resolve on the side of the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers – and Verizon’s management can take a very tough view as well.
“Due to the technical revolution in communications and the seemingly limitless profits in wireless, Verizon's land-line workforce has shrunk and shrunk over the past 10 years. There are more than 40 percent fewer workers in the Northeast region alone.
“Workers who remain know why Verizon is shedding employees. That creates real worries and anger, and these concerns with management have been institutionalized in a deep cultural way. Many CWA members still wear red on Thursdays to commemorate a union member who died while picketing on a Thursday in the CWA/IBEW 1989 strike at NYNEX Corp., a Verizon predecessor.
“Verizon has seen huge profits, but the possibility of a double-dip recession has the private sector reeling. Verizon will want to conserve its cash. Sensing that this is the time, it will likely continue to seek significant concessions.”--Lee Adler, labor expert and professor at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.
RSS