CWA Verizon Techs Work Overtime to Repair Storm Damage

Verizon technicians, members of CWA locals across Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, have been racing to restore service to the Mid-Atlantic region after a series of fatal, power-cutting thunderstorms.

"They're working every day, 12 to 16 hours a day," said Naomi Bolden, Roanoke area vice president of CWA Local 2204.

The night after violent storms devastated the area — knocking down trees, poles and wires — crews hit the streets early the next morning to clean up the wreckage and replace electronics. And they have been pulling extended shifts since, replacing 163 poles and re-hanging about 900 downed lines across the region.

Customers have pulled their cars over to say thank you to technicians working on the sides of roads. Some have been offered them food and drink as temperatures soared into the triple digits.

"People have been really thankful," Bolden said.

Verizon has said nice things about CWA members too, praising workers for being on the job for 12 hours-plus daily in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees to bring service back for our customers. But that appreciation stops far short of the bargaining table, where Verizon continues to demand cuts in compensation of at least $10,000 per worker per year and doesn't even think workers deserve a pay raise.

You'd never know that by watching VeriGreedy's PR, however. Verizon is all too happy to boast about the tireless efforts of CWA members who are getting the job done.

"I called Verizon last night and told them the situation and the guys are here today," said Jeffrey Morrison, a Verizon customer in the company's YouTube video of crews restoring service in northern Virginia on July 4. "I was half expecting it to take two to three days, but it took 12 hours, which I think is phenomenal given the magnitude of what's happened over the last week or so."

Service is almost back to normal in the Washington metropolitan area, and crews are now venturing into areas previously unreachable because of downed power lines.

But Verizon now faces two investigations into why 2.3 million Northern Virginia residents lost emergency 911 services for up to four days after the thunderstorm. The Virginia State Corporation Commission and the Federal Communications Commission are both looking into how backup systems failed at the company's main 911 regional facility in Arlington, Va.

The malfunctioning 911 hub also took out landline and wireless phones; people relying on FiOS or cable connections couldn't make or receive calls, and text messaging was unreliable. So local officials told residents that if they had an emergency, they should walk to the nearest fire house or hail a passing police car, The Washington Post reported.

Seems like VeriGreedy has some explaining to do.