Verizon Workers Protest in Millburn and the Region

Joining the regional movement, Verizon wireline employees picketed in downtown and on Willow Street in Millburn and alongside Eisenhower Parkway in Livingston on Monday after their unions, the Communication Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), broke off talks of a new contract with the company for 45,000 employees early Sunday.

Despite, the high temperatures, the turnout was large in Livingston, with many of the employees having been protesting since the early morning hours. Throughout the day, passing motorists frequently sounded their horns to show their support for the workers.

Smaller groups picketed in Millburn, with just a few downtown and about 10 on Willow Street, and their union sent different numbers of workers to picket different locations, said Dave Gallagher, who picketed in downtown Millburn.

When asked about the key issue behind the strike, many employees could not pinpoint a single source of their discontent.

One worker, who asked not to be named, said that she felt there was an overemphasis in the news media about health care being the sticking point in the negotiations and that there were many more issues at play as well.

Similarly, Renita Bogan, a 14-year company employee explained there are a multitude of issues at hand.

"It's about everything," she said. "They don't want us to have anything: benefits, pension, pay, job security, sick days, vacation.... everything that we have fought for in the past they want to take away," she said.

During the contract talks the company has called for workers to make an increased contribution to their health care, cuts to benefits and the elimination of pensions for future hires — none of which has sat well with its employees.

"They're trying to take the middle class and rip us to shreds," chimed in another 18-year veteran of the company. "They're greedy pigs and we're not standing for it and that's why we're out," added Bogan. 

Employees also expressed frustration about the company's contingency plan to use managers to do work on the poles. Many felt upon the dispute being settled they’d have to 'clean up the mess' left by these individuals who normally do not do this particular kind of work."

"He [Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg] doesn't even care about his management team that had never been on the poles," said Bogan.

"We are confident that we have the talent and resources in place to meet the needs and demands of our customers," said Marc C. Reed, Verizon executive vice-president of human resources in a statement released on Sunday.

Bogan disagreed. "They're not trained properly," she said and noted she felt having managers on the poles was a dangerous proposition.

There wasn't much optimism among those at the rally that a deal between the company and the union would be made soon.

One worker, who did not want to be named, explained she had never seen such a wide gap between the union and the company throughout her tenure with the company. As one employee summed it up, "Verizon sucks."

David Gallagher in Millburn said the company is making huge profits on the backs of its workers and that he and other workers will continue to picket until something changes.

"We're in for the fight," he said.

Meanwhile, Verizon officials issued a press release Monday announcing recent incidents of what they believe to be sabotage to their network, which has resulted in a disruption of service for some of the company's customers.

According to Verizon, at least 12 such incidents have occurred since Saturday spanning four states, all of which are strike areas, including New Jersey.

One particular incident happened in Cedar Grove, in which someone stole electronic equipment that resulted in a power failure, which affected numerous residences and businesses, as well as the local police department.

Among other things, the company also reported incidents of picketers illegally keeping managers, whom are not a part of the strike, from entering their place of work.

In several states across the Eastern region there were even reports of sliced fiber optics cable lines, which are used to transmit data for the FiOS television, Internet and phone service.

Verizon's Chief Security Officer Mike Mason condemned such actions, calling them "reprehensible". "In addition to inconveniencing our customers, these deliberate disruptions of our network have affected hospitals, paramedics, fire fighters, law enforcement and other first responders," he said in a statement.

Mason also noted that employees involved in such actions would be terminated from the company and face prosecution for their unlawful behavior.