Posted on 08/16/2011 4:42:16 AM PDT by markomalley
Since the union strike against Verizon began a little more than a week ago, incidents of sabotage and property damage have been reported, homes of company executives swarmed upon by union protesters, and injunctions issued.
While the unions, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) are trying to insist their strike against the telecommunications giant is a “fight for middle class jobs,” an e-mail purportedly sent by a CWA boss in Pennsylvania sheds some insight into the tactics the unions are deploying.
Within days after the strike began, an e-mail surfaced allegedly sent by Jon Remington, Unit 44 President of CWA Local 13000 (which covers much of Pennsylvania). In the e-mail, Remington shares the union strategy of bending the interpretation of an injunction, picketing Verizon Wireless stores to keep customers out and decrease company profits, as well as jamming Verizon’s repair lines.
While recipients’ names and Verizon numbers have been removed, here is the e-mail (with emphasis added):
Sent: Monday, August 08, 2011 10:48 PM
Subject: updates for mon. 8-8
Another day and no good news. The company filed its initial injunction against us in Burkes county and asked that it be applied across the state. We won an initial appeal against that request so the company would have to get additional injunctions everywhere else. Apparently our appeal was overturned because I got word tonight that the initial injunction now applies everywhere. While I haven’t seen or read the document yet, I know it limits us to 6 on a line. I am trying to learn if that means 6 at an entrance or 6 at an address. I am also of the opinion that we aren’t going to tell the company any of this. Let those bastards figure it out for themselves. If we have more than 6 at a site and the company calls us on it then make them show us their copy of this injunction. As soon as I have a copy and have reviewed it I will get it into your hands as well. If we have to we will put any extra bodies in cars across the street and they will be our flight squad to chase the first truck out.
The company is using out of state cars/vehicles that are unmarked except for verizon door magnets. There is a possibility that other Unions may be accessing our facilities whether building or manhole. If they are you may first beat them repeatedly with a tire iron then advise them that we are on strike.
District 2-13 President Ed Mooney went to new York to meet with other Union Leaders as well as McAdams and came away convinced that this could develop into a very, very long fight. There was absolutely no positive that came from his meeting with McAdams.
Keep pushing the pickets at verizon wireless. The number of stores visited daily is a part of the call now. If you are out of fliers let me know. There is a new flier and I’ll get 100′s of copies made for us to hand out. If we can generate the support of the employees (look how hard we fight for employee rights, etc.) as well as the general public it bolsters our image and public support grows. Believe it or not the public is more with us than against us right now and we need to take steps to keep it that way. If we can keep people out of the stores it will also be a benefit to us because that is money that will be spent on a competitor and not verizon. Any lost profits in wireless only emphasize our value.
The company line is that WE are greedy. The truth is they don’t want to pay our health care. Keep in mind we are already footing 7% of the cost.
So far there is very little service interruption being reported from across the state but that could certainly change. There is no telling what the untrained scab ass contractors that this company is using are capable of. A non-Union contractor could do all kinds of damage and not even know it.
A new mobilization is to get everyone in the habit of calling repair several specific times a day. For example, some at 10am others at 11am etc. to keep a steady and disruptive volume of calls slowing the companies ability to take real ones. Have everyone dial *67 first if they are nervous about their number being tracked. A direct number to repair is xxx-xxx-xxxx in case the 800 # is busy. A direct fios number is xxx-xxx-xxxx. We can start our own time table to do this. I think the biggest part is to get EVERY member doing it at different times through out the day.
Last bit of gloom for today, there has been absolutely zero progress made in talks since we struck verizon. Mooney’s feelings were described as not days, not weeks but months. The company is surprised that we went on strike!
We cannot sit back and wait. You folks are kicking serious ass! It was requested that whenever possible get pictures of families walking our lines together. Spouses and children who stop by or come for a full shift need to be highlighted and photographed. Matt B. Thanks for the picture of the kids in Bethel. It is exactly what that is about.
Mr. Sosak, excellent use of the bullhorn today!!! I think you may be getting invitations to take your show to other rallies!!
Put the word out that we have a lot of work to do. Prepare everyone that their picket assignment is not their only responsibility and we have plenty for them to do.
Get some rest. We are just getting started.
Jon Remington
Unit 44 President
CWA Local 13000
412 480 6817
jremington44pres@msn.com
For ongoing coverage on the unions’ strike at Verizon, go here.
To me, the most interesting thing is that these emails are leaking out.
That tells me that there is some dissent within the ranks.
This Jon Remington is an absolute idiot. After he drives away all their customers, Verizon won’t need any employees. Real smart there fella. Oh, and the poor union slobs have to pay 7% of their health care. Oh, the horror. I hate unions.
“Beat them with a tire iron” is what caught my attention.
They are upset because the company is asking them to pay more then the 7% portion towards health care they contribute now( the workers).
Really? I went from no contribution for many years to currently 330.00 a month...Evidently they think they above every other American worker who has seen they portion to pay raise over the past few years....
Mr. Remington needs to meet Messers Smith and Wesson.
I see the picketers in front of the Verizon Wireless store when I head to lunch. Most of ‘em are too lazy to even carry a sign. And they’re gone in a few hours because no one is there 4 hours later when I drive home.
It does appear, however, that the parking lot is as full as it normally is so I don’t think business has been interrupted much.
Oooooo, 7 whole percent. I pay 50%.
A new mobilization is to get everyone in the habit of calling repair several specific times a day. For example, some at 10am others at 11am etc. to keep a steady and disruptive volume of calls slowing the companies ability to take real ones. Have everyone dial *67 first if they are nervous about their number being tracked.
*67 tells the phone company to not forward caller ID information to the person called. But the phone company still knows who made the call. Now I might make some allowances for the usual stupid union goon not knowing this, but these are phone company union goons. If you make that call to the phone company, they know who you are.
Scumbags, bite the hand that feeds them, especially in tough times!
Poor union thugs, they are soooo starving, mostly fat from being lazy.
Notice how fat and tattooed are the “poor” protesters?
RICO anyone?
I know labor unions have some “special rights” but I think it is long passed the time for this to change.
I see the picketers in front of the Verizon Wireless store
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While I am not a Verizon subscriber, directly, (Straight Talk and Verizon have some ‘arrangements’) I think the counter to the thugs is visit a Verizon store whenever practical, especially when they are ‘picketing’.
Of course, since I am in Virginia, they will not be the ONLY people in the area armed, be it with pipes, guns, flashlights etc.
In a right to carry state, the goons have no idea whether or not you are armed so will probably (more or less) keep their distance...
Sounds like conspiracy to me. We would do jail time for sending such an email.
“If they are you may first beat them repeatedly with a tire iron then advise them that we are on strike.” This will of course, improve our image with the public....... Oh, yeah.
Typical union thinking...absolutely clueless about public sentiment.
As a former Verizon employee who was a member of CWA 2204, 2222 and 2201 in Virginia until I left in 2006, I can say categorically that there's always dissent within the ranks. The vast majority of the time, those who make the biggest fuss and draw the most attention are those who work the desk jobs. By and large, most outside plant personnel don't pull this kind of stunt because they just have to go back out and fix it later.
Now, that's not to say that there aren't some serious jerks within the outside plant forces but by and large the real trouble makers are desk jockeys. For example, the vast majority of the Union leadership comes from the Directory Assistance and Call Center forces while the outside plant forces usually only have a representative or two. Want to wager a guess as too who usually starts most of the picket line trouble, gets up in the contractors' face and causes most of the damage to the plant in the field? It ain't the field forces...
Slight adjustment here. Yes, these are "phone company goons" but they're not technicians so they wouldn't know about the #67 trick not working. As I've stated before, most of the true Union thugs are from the Call Center offices and other internal work pools. They don't know how to do anything more than what their screen tells them. There are ways around the #67 limitations which all techs know, but this idiot obviously isn't a tech.
The places to watch out for are those where there's a local call center or Directory Assistance building. Those people are the trouble makers, the rest of the crews aren't that bad to deal with as long as you're straight up about things. I will say this though, if you go looking for trouble, you will find it no matter where you go. Be cool about things and keep your calm and you won't have a problem but go in there with an attitude and you're liable to come away bloody.
I am in Northern Va and yes, I agree, the ‘trouble’ area would be the remote switching centers, then call centers.
I was referring to crossing at the Verizon Stores, where the ‘protestors’ don’t feel threatened either.
Yes, I agree, do not go ‘looking’ for trouble, but I have absolutely no problem walking into a store, through and past the ‘picket line’ just to ‘look around’ and show solidarity for the NON UNION types that are working.
If ‘they’ want to approach me in a threatening way, they can be my guest, and like a true CCW carrier, I will not be intimidated or back down, but then again, not ‘looking’ for confrontation ... I know, I am being ‘contradictory’ by being there with no ‘real’ business, but, I am exercising my rights as a citizen to go unimpeded to a public establishment.
Wow. Criminal admissions there
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