Verizon Communications, Inc. has retained the services of the New Jersey State Police to assist them in fighting against the striking unions, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Communication Workers of America. Verizon is paying the State Police for their 24/7 services to guard their truck lots and to escort management and scab workers through the picket lines.
The State Police also arrested IEBW Business Agent Richard Spieler without warning on Monday for simply walking the picket line in front of Verizon’s Millville Work Center. Members of the management team in Millville also threatened to “run over and kill” union picketers right in front of State Police Officers, who did nothing.
The IBEW also stated that a union member was hit in the head by a side mirror of a Verizon Truck coming out of the Howell Work Center. The worker was sent to the hospital and treated with a concussion. Police officers stood by and watched, but refused to file any charges or hold the management driver responsible.
New Jersey State Police belong to their own union and were extremely upset over Governor Chris Christie’s changes to their own health care, pension, and retirement rules. The New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association is suing the state over these forced changes that stem from the Pension and Health Care Reform Act. According to the NJ PBA, “The lawsuit will challenge the constitutionality of the law and its implications to collective bargaining.”
Verizon is now trying to strip away some of the same benefits to its workers that the Governor did to state workers, including police officers. Now, instead of standing up for workers’ rights by turning down the extra hours paid for by Verizon, some New Jersey State Troopers are backing Verizon’s interests by agreeing to work overtime hours as a security force for the telecommunications giant.
I set up a picture slide show of my trip to the Millville Work Center today. You can find them HERE.
The Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical workers walked off the job after Verizon refused to negotiate with union leaders about new demands Verizon is seeking on their contract. Verizon wants union workers to pay money towards their medical and prescription, freeze pensions, cut holidays and sick days, and change their health care provider, just to name a few. Overall, the IBEW says there are over 70 demands being made by Verizon. Verizon won’t budge on these demands, while the union insists they would be willing to go back to work under the terms of the existing contract.
In my last article, I reported that Verizon is sitting on $100 billion in revenue. Verizon also showed net profits of $6 billion last year. Verizon’s Chairman Ivan Seidenberg is paid 300 times what an average worker earns, and was the 13th highest paid CEO in America in 2010. He is also ranked 10th in executive pay for 2011 according to Forbes Magazine as he is set to receive $36.75 million dollars this year in total compensation that doesn’t include the rise in his stock, which has an estimated value of $76.5 million. Everyday Mr. Seidenberg rolls out of bed in 2011, he will make more than $100,000 while the union workers have to struggle to keep what they have. From 2010 to this year, Seidenberg increased his own salary by $5.82 million.