WASHINGTON — On day eight of the strike by Verizon workers, hundreds of union members in red T-shirts picketed outside the company’s Silver Spring campus.
They listened as Rep. Chris VanHollen, D-Md., and Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md., opponents in the race for Senate, led them in cheers and reassured the workers that their concerns were being heard. The hundreds of striking workers roared their approval when a fellow union member took the microphone on a small platform set up for the outdoor rally and asked them if they knew the “shut it down” cheer. When he called out, “If we don’t get it …” they responded, “Shut it down!”
Up to 38,000 unionized Verizon workers took to the picket line after talks that lasted 10 months failed to produce a contract.
Trevor Thomas, communications manager for Verizon said he believes the company has put forward a “strong and fair offer — fair to our employees and fair to our customers.”
“Remember, our workers that are currently unionized make an average salary of $135,000 with benefits,” Thomas said.
Edward Mooney, with the Communications Workers of America said the $135,000-a-year figure is misleading.
“That figure includes trucks, tools, equipment, management costs as well as overtime,” he said, adding that overtime is a point of contention as well.
Mooney says the amount of overtime workers are often putting in is “abusive” and is “ruining our families.”
Thomas says the contract being offered by Verizon includes a 6.5 percent pay hike, but Mooney responded by saying “6 percent of a job you don’t have is nothing.” He was referring to moves by Verizon to shift some jobs to offshore locations.
Hundreds of picketing workers lined Maryland Route 29 in the Fairland area of Silver Spring Wednesday, their parked cars lining neighborhood roads. At points during the rally, workers were reminded not to block driveways or walk in the yards of area homes. As one large group walked up and down Route 29, many drivers passing by honked their horns in support.
In 2011, Verizon workers walked out for two weeks.