LTB 277/16 - Support the Verizon Workers on strike in the USA

[TrueBlueTerrier]

No. 277/2016

5th May 2016





Dear Colleagues,

SUPPORT THE VERIZON WORKERS ON STRIKE IN THE USA

You will recall at CWU Annual Conference last week delegates unanimously agreed Emergency Motion 4 which offered our support to striking workers in a dispute with Verizon.

EM4 Conference notes the spreading strike of Verizon workers in the USA now covering 80,000 workers as of 24th April 2016. Telecom workers are threatened with a pay freeze and cut in pension and medical benefits.

Conference instructs the NEC to send a message of support to the Unions, and to offer publicity and material help.

We can confirm that a letter of support has been sent to Chris Shelton, President of the Communication Workers of America who has 40,000 members involved in industrial action against Verizon.

This is the biggest strike in the United States for five years. The strike follows 10 months of negotiations. CWA Workers across the United States have been taking action for three weeks against the following:

Outsourcing of Contact Centre jobs to the Philippines and Mexico.
Outsourcing of certain US based jobs to low-wage contractors.
Provisions that would allow the company at a moment’s notice to transfer workers up to 1,000kms away from their homes and families for up to two months at a time.
Today, 5th May 2016 – CWA are holding a “National Day of Action”. We would therefore ask branches to ensure that they do everything possible to circulate information on this dispute and ask all officers, committee members and workplace reps to sign and distribute the following petition in support of the striking workers: http://standuptoverizon.com/petition/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We are also asked to take photos and put messages of support on social media with the hashtag #StandUpToVerizon

The Stand up to Verizon Facebook page can be accessed through: http://www.facebook.com/standuptoverizon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Our International Federation UNI Global Union is also supporting CWA in their worldwide coverage of this dispute and you can view further information via the following link: "Strike of 40,000 Verizon workers in US into third week": http://www.uniglobalunion.org/news/stri ... third-week" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would be grateful if you could send your messages of support and solidarity through the signing of the petition. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Yours sincerely



DAVE WARD
General Secretary