Verizon workers rally as strike hits third week
Photo by Ben Allen/witf
David Gash, president of the Harrisburg Region Central Labor Council, speaking at a rally on the state Capitol steps, says the Verizon strike is a “fight to the finish”.
(Harrisburg) — A strike against Verizon has stretched into the third week, and union workers are showing no signs of backing down.
A rally on the state Capitol steps featured many calls to stick together.
About 150 union workers and leaders stood at the Capitol, wearing the familiar Verizon red color.
Except on some shirts, instead of Verizon, it read Verigreed.
The strike, which includes some 37,000 Communication Workers of America members nationwide, is over job protection, pay raises and health care costs.
“Make no mistake about it, this is a fight to the finish. And you keep standing up, not only for the working people, but for your union brothers and sisters, and the middle class across this country,” says David Gash, president of the Harrisburg Region Central Labor Council.
“You’re standing up for every union member in this country and you’re standing up against the corporate greed.”
Verizon says it’s made the last best offer to the workers: a seven-and-a-half percent raise over for the contract’s length, more health care contributions and layoff protections.
The union has said it’s considering the deal.
The CWA workers primarily handle the company’s landline and FIOS service, not its wireless network.
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