In The News: When the Employer’s a Turkey…

CWA Local 2205 members at the Verizon FiOS Fiber Solutions Center in Hampton Va., probably figured Thanksgiving Day would be just another long shift in two years of weeks packed with forced overtime.

But when they showed up for work, Local President Jerry Rogers and Vice Presidents Vera Mikell and Roni Simmonds were there with a full Thanksgiving buffet — including six deep-fried turkeys — that they made from scratch.

Rogers said he's been fighting the company on the forced 48-hour weeks for two years and is optimistic that the union will prevail in an arbitration process.

The local officers not only fed the 169 members on shift, they fed security guards, cleaning crew and the lone manager on duty — all others had the day off. But management must have been a little chagrined: Rogers said they have agreed to shut down the center on Christmas Day.