Search News
For the Media
For media inquiries, call CWA Communications at 202-434-1168 or email comms@cwa-union.org. To read about CWA Members, Leadership or Industries, visit our About page.
Public, Lawmakers Show Support for VIS Strikers
About 300 Verizon Information Services workers - members of Locals 1105, 1118 and 1122 - went on strike Monday, Oct. 31, over unfair labor practices committed by management in bargaining.
The VIS workers are sales and non-sales employees who provide print and online directory services and other information. The current contract expired Oct. 8.
Despite CWA's intensive effort to reach a fair contract, and the union's cooperation with a federal mediator to resolve outstanding issues, VIS negotiators engaged in "bait and switch" bargaining tactics, putting forward positive proposals informally that were pulled back in formal negotiations, CWA District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton reported.
CWA filed unfair labor practice charges citing VIS for bad faith bargaining on Oct. 28. No new talks are scheduled at this time.
"It appears the VIS management's goal is to force us to go backward in critical areas like compensation or health care, or to break the union. We are not going to let that happen," Shelton said.
Key issues for VIS workers remain health care, and countering management's demands to shift excessive costs to members, and compensation for sales workers, among other issues.
VIS members have strong support on their picket lines throughout New York State, reported CWA Representative Pat Telesco. In Albany and Buffalo, local unions, businesses and residents showed their support for workers on the picket line, dropping off doughnuts and food platters.
At a VIS location near Binghamton, picketers were joined on the lines by two State Assembly members, Richard Brodsky of Westchester County, who chairs the corporations committee, and Donna Lupardo of Broome County, both Democrats.
Local 1118 had huge rallies all week and got local politicians involved, Telesco said. "Local 1105 has been passing out leaflets at job fairs that VIS management held, and Local 1122 has been following managers to the customer premises with "flying squads."
A Verizon member on a picket line in Albany was struck by the car driven by an employee of the property management company at one VIS location. The police promptly tracked down and cited the offender; the Verizon worker was treated for his injuries. VIS members in New York City are planning a rally for Nov. 7, with support from Local 1101.
The VIS workers are sales and non-sales employees who provide print and online directory services and other information. The current contract expired Oct. 8.
Despite CWA's intensive effort to reach a fair contract, and the union's cooperation with a federal mediator to resolve outstanding issues, VIS negotiators engaged in "bait and switch" bargaining tactics, putting forward positive proposals informally that were pulled back in formal negotiations, CWA District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton reported.
CWA filed unfair labor practice charges citing VIS for bad faith bargaining on Oct. 28. No new talks are scheduled at this time.
"It appears the VIS management's goal is to force us to go backward in critical areas like compensation or health care, or to break the union. We are not going to let that happen," Shelton said.
Key issues for VIS workers remain health care, and countering management's demands to shift excessive costs to members, and compensation for sales workers, among other issues.
VIS members have strong support on their picket lines throughout New York State, reported CWA Representative Pat Telesco. In Albany and Buffalo, local unions, businesses and residents showed their support for workers on the picket line, dropping off doughnuts and food platters.
At a VIS location near Binghamton, picketers were joined on the lines by two State Assembly members, Richard Brodsky of Westchester County, who chairs the corporations committee, and Donna Lupardo of Broome County, both Democrats.
Local 1118 had huge rallies all week and got local politicians involved, Telesco said. "Local 1105 has been passing out leaflets at job fairs that VIS management held, and Local 1122 has been following managers to the customer premises with "flying squads."
A Verizon member on a picket line in Albany was struck by the car driven by an employee of the property management company at one VIS location. The police promptly tracked down and cited the offender; the Verizon worker was treated for his injuries. VIS members in New York City are planning a rally for Nov. 7, with support from Local 1101.