Bargaining Update

Verizon

As the strike by 39,000 CWA and IBEW members at Verizon entered week two, CWAers were mobilizing, gaining more support from the public and elected officials, and getting out their message to media.

Hundreds of CWA striking Verizon workers rallied outside the company's complex in Silver Spring, MD, on April 20, joined by U.S. Senate candidates Representatives Donna Edwards and Chris Van Hollen, other elected officials and labor allies. CWA members came from Virginia, West Virginia, D.C., Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

CWA Verizon workers rally and march outside the Chesapeake Complex
in Silver Spring, Md.

Edwards and Van Hollen called out Verizon's greed, and CWA District 2-13 Vice President Ed Mooney rallied the crowd to keep up the fight for a fair contract, "for our families, our customers and our communities."

In District 1, more than 7,500 CWA members were a sea of red in a massive march and rally in New York City on April 18.

A sea of red in New York City.

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer spoke to workers outside the Verizon central office on West 36 Street, and Senator Bernie Sanders joined the crowd at 42nd Street as the march got underway. Many elected officials joined the rally, sharing messages of support for workers' fight to save good jobs.

In Massachusetts, Senator Elizabeth Warren joined strikers on the picket line, and tweeted, "Verizon workers are fighting for their jobs & respect. Glad to join MA workers on the picket line in Cambridge." And former President Bill Clinton joined a Verizon picket line in Buffalo, N.Y.

CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor, with NY elected officials, leads
the march in Midtown Manhattan.

CWA Verizon members are getting our message out in the media every day.

Isaac Collazo, a technician and member of Local 1101, talked about why workers
are on strike with MSNBC host Chris Hayes. You can watch that video here.

Dan Hylton, a tech and member of Local 2204, wrote an open letter to CEO Lowell McAdam that's heading Medium's splash page.

Make sure you keep up with the latest at www.standuptoverizon.com and facebook.com/standuptoverizon.

AT&T East

About 200 AT&T members at CWA Local 1298 in Hamden, CT, have been working without a contract since April 9. AT&T is demanding cuts in health care, job security and pensions and also wants to slash job security.

Local 1298 is fighting for good jobs, health care and retirement security and to improve workers' overall standard of living.

AT&T West

While negotiations with AT&T West continue, CWA members in California and Nevada, working without a contract, are stepping mobilization to make sure that AT&T gets the word: we want a fair contract.

Clockwise from top left: Members of CWA Locals 9423, 9003, 9504 and 9417
tell AT&T West that, "We want respect and a fair contract."