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.
VIS Workers Standing Strong
With their unfair labor practice strike heading into its seventh week, Verizon Information Services workers, with support from Verizon workers and other CWAers, expanded their mobilization actions to turn up the heat on the company.
In Boston, about 100 telephone workers rallied at Verizon's New England headquarters in a show of support for the 300 striking VIS workers. Joe Pasquali, a striking VIS telephone account executive and member of CWA Local 1118, told the group that Verizon has refused to bargain fairly over "our sales commission formulas, health care benefits and other critical issues."
Joining the rally were members of CWA Locals 1302 and 1400, IBEW Local 2222, Jobs with Justice and the state and local AFL-CIOs.
Verizon workers also put up informational picket lines at Verizon facilities in the Boston area.
Many other actions are planned for the next two weeks, to convince the company to return to the bargaining table ready to work to reach a fair agreement on the sales compensation plan and other issues, said CWA Representative Pat Telesco. At the most recent session, the company continued to insist that it needed "more flexibility" in the sales comp plan but it made no further proposal to the union team, she said.
An "e-activist" campaign is now underway, with CWAers writing to Verizon chief executive officer Ivan Seidenberg and VIS President Kathy Harless and pledging their support for the VIS strikers.
"We will provide whatever support they need until Verizon returns to the bargaining table and settles this dispute," the message reads.
The VIS workers, members of CWA Locals 1105, 1118 and 1122 are sales and non-sales employees who provide print and online directory services and other information.
In Boston, about 100 telephone workers rallied at Verizon's New England headquarters in a show of support for the 300 striking VIS workers. Joe Pasquali, a striking VIS telephone account executive and member of CWA Local 1118, told the group that Verizon has refused to bargain fairly over "our sales commission formulas, health care benefits and other critical issues."
Joining the rally were members of CWA Locals 1302 and 1400, IBEW Local 2222, Jobs with Justice and the state and local AFL-CIOs.
Verizon workers also put up informational picket lines at Verizon facilities in the Boston area.
Many other actions are planned for the next two weeks, to convince the company to return to the bargaining table ready to work to reach a fair agreement on the sales compensation plan and other issues, said CWA Representative Pat Telesco. At the most recent session, the company continued to insist that it needed "more flexibility" in the sales comp plan but it made no further proposal to the union team, she said.
An "e-activist" campaign is now underway, with CWAers writing to Verizon chief executive officer Ivan Seidenberg and VIS President Kathy Harless and pledging their support for the VIS strikers.
"We will provide whatever support they need until Verizon returns to the bargaining table and settles this dispute," the message reads.
The VIS workers, members of CWA Locals 1105, 1118 and 1122 are sales and non-sales employees who provide print and online directory services and other information.