Majority of Verizon Business Techs In N.Y., New England Seek Union

A prominent group of lawmakers and religious and civic leaders from Massachusetts and New York counted the cards last month and certified that a clear majority of more than 360 former MCI technicians at Verizon Business want union representation.

They'd have a union if the Employee Free Choice Act were law today.

While the organizing and bargaining bill works its way through the U.S. Senate, lawmakers who support it are doing their part for the New England technicians. In March, Sen. John Kerry, Reps. Stephen Lynch and John Tierney of Massachusetts, Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Anthony Weiner of New York and a number of other political leaders met with workers and urged Verizon to grant recognition and begin contract talks.

Another group of lawmakers, including New York Sens. Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts wrote to Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg to ask him to recognize the fair choice workers had made.

The business techs are seeking representation by CWA in New York and Connecticut and by IBEW in the rest of New England. Local leaders and members from both unions are working to "Tear Down the Wall" between the union and non-union business units at Verizon.  Verizon Business techs in other states also are organizing.

Technician John Elia of Boston said, "When we are MCI, we hoped for what could be but never got it.  When we became Verizon Business, we saw how it was and rejected it.  And now, we'll fight for what should be — and because of the support from our union co-workers I'm confident we can get a union and a voice."

So far, Verizon not only has refused to grant the techs union recognition, it has mounted a classic anti-union campaign, holding mandatory meetings and supervisory one-on-ones and sending them e-mails trashing CWA and IBEW.

One 10-page e-mail document referred workers to the anti-worker corporate website UnionFacts.com for "information" about unions and contained what President Larry Cohen termed "every vile aspect of the right-wing political attack you might hear on some talk radio shows."

Check out YouTube for videos showing support for Verizon Business techs and the Employee Free Choice Act. Search under "CWA Union."