CWA, Allies Turn up the Heat on Verizon Board Members

During the evening rush hour in Chicago, CWAers and supporters are ready to march and rally outside a Darden-owned restaurant and a Banco Popular branch.

Members of Local 2108 in Maryland hold a "funeral" for fair bargaining at Verizon.

In Puerto Rico, members of UPAGRA, TNG-CWA Local 33225, organize actions at a Darden-owned restaurant.

In Berkeley, Calif., UAW members show their solidarity and leaflet a Verizon Wireless store.

On June 22, the campaign by Verizon members against Verigreedy took on members of Verizon's Board of Directors, a new tactic to get board members involved in the fight for a fair contract.

In more than 400 actions across the country, activists leafleted outside restaurants owned by Director Clarence Otis and at Banco Popular branches owned by Director Richard Carrion to get the attention of board members who share responsibility with management for stalled negotiations at Verizon.

"Members of Verizon's board are paid $230,000 per year to direct Verizon's business," said CWA Chief of Staff Ron Collins. "It's time for them to step up and make Verizon management recognize the contributions of front line workers who have helped the company become so successful."

Also this week, CWA members began a postcard campaign with that same message to Director Mark Neubauer.

CWA and IBEW members were joined by students, activists from Jobs with Justice, the UAW, the UFCW, the AFL-CIO and many other allies in the Day of Action events. They held rallies, engaged in street theater and leafleted customers and managers of Darden restaurants, Banco Popular branches and Verizon Wireless stores across the U.S. (Darden restaurants include Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse and The Capital Grille.)

In Chicago, more than a hundred activists rallied and marched outside a Capital Grille restaurant and a Banco Popular branch. In San Franciso, activists marched by a Verizon Wireless store and took a stand against Verigreedy.

Check out all the great photos by clicking here.

CWAers from California to Texas to Puerto Rico who don't work at Verizon definitely get the idea behind building our movement of resistance, and that's why they turned out in huge numbers to stand up against the Verigreedy 1 percent and support the 45,000 CWA and IBEW members who have been bargaining for a year.