Verizon Communications Reports a Dozen Cases of Sabotage as Workers Continue Strike

[82DMC12]

Some people need to travel around the world a bit and see how corporations treat the vast majority of their non-union employees. For every example of a workplace operating safely and in good order without a Union there are many more who operate elsewhere in absolutely SCARY conditions without Unions and with no recourse..

Luckily in the USA we have OSHA, the EPA, Dept of Labor, Workforce Safety Insurance, and a myraid of local entities that protect workers both union and non-union. I understand this is an international board, and some posters might live in countries that don't have these things. In the USA we do, and we don't need unions to have a safe workplace (anymore).

 

[Dusty]

You kind of make my point. A company obviously realized that it had better take care of its workers or else a Union would establish a foothold. What do you think that company would be like without the threat of workers forming a Union?

Proper Unions serve a purpose but they HAVE to be proper Unions. There are some craptastic Unions, just like you've described, in action out there. But a wholesale write off of all Unions would roll back the clock to "the good old days" on workers.

My Dad lost everything after being cast aside by the company he worked for in the 70s and was protected by his trucker's Union throughout the 80s at his next job after that.

I've been able to travel a bit and have seen some absolutely eye-poppingly (pardon the pun) dangerous workplaces. Places where people had to do it or hit the employment office downtown, and the shops elsewhere had the same conditions in effect.

I guess you're saying that all of the Unions you've ever encountered SUCKED. Fair enough.

 

[82DMC12]

I guess you're saying that all of the Unions you've ever encountered SUCKED. Fair enough.

Well here's what I had to say about this strike in the other thread...

Stupid unions. Hopefully they learn a lesson from the idiot union that worked at American Crystal Sugar just a few miles from me. 1300 union employees were negotiating a new 5-yr contract with ACS. Times are tough and ACS asked for basically two things:

1. The right to hire contract workers when the union doesn't have the skills, equipment, or manpower to get a project done.

2. Ask the union to join the group health insurance program that the management has. It would have cost a little more per month than the golden union plan and had a higher deductible.

ACS was even offering a 17% raise phased in over the next 5 years.

What does the union do? Refuse the contract. ACS offers a FINAL OFFER contract - the union takes their 'plight' to the media and holds demonstations around town. They refuse the offer (97% voted no) and the next day ACS starts trucking in replacement workers from Minneapolis.

Dumbasses. They had a GREAT job (ACS said an average of $70,000 including bennies for the union workers) to do FACTORY WORK. But no, they got too greedy, ACS called their bluff, and now temp workers are learning the union's job while they sit outside, picket, and play guitar.

It made me EXTREMELY happy to see these guys get a beat-down, and maybe I can employ one of them to mow my lawn this fall. The best part is in the newspapers and talk radio shows, basically everyone is calling the union out for being so stupid. So I'm not just being a dick, these guys had it GREAT and still wanted MORE!

Moral of the story is.... take a look at what you've got, and if it's half decent, don't make a federal case out of a tiny concession here or there!!!

Verizon union - WAKE UP!!!! Or you will end up just like the ACS morons!!

So yes, after seeing how unions have done some very selfish, brain-less things lately, I guess you could say I'm anti-union. I will never join a union on principle alone.

 

[RETG]

These union guys should just go chill with their Chrysler UAW counterparts and enjoy being on strike. Beats vandalizing Verizon property.

 

[cobjones]

These union guys should just go chill with their Chrysler UAW counterparts and enjoy being on strike. Beats vandalizing Verizon property.

This,

And for the prounion guy... if you or your dad had any skills you could have found a job. Maybe you lived it up a little much and bought more than you could afford.

I know there might not have been a job where you were, but you dang sure could have moved and found something.

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[Immolate]

Unions observe the following priorities:
1) Enrichment of union officials.
2) Election of Democrats.
3) Enrichment of families of union officials.
4) Enrichment of union members.
5) Inflicting violence on non-union members.
6) Everything else.
7) Welfare of workers in general.
-8) Financial welfare of the companies their workers work for.

I may have inadvertently rated #7 too high.

 

[bL33d]

Goes both ways i work for a company that takes advantage of there working class employees they have while babying the guys that do next to nothen for the company.

And its a large company with the most recognized name in the world. I wish we had a union. Some areas do have unions and those guys get taken way better care of.

 

[guidot]

And it could also be wonderful drunk guido union workers upset that Beatrice, their underaged mistress, dumped them for their baby's daddy.

Let's try keeping the derogatory terms to a minimum.

It's my middle name.

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[saintlikesniper]

Let's all hope one of these strikers releases a sbf for all Our phones I can dream can't I?

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[creaky]

The truth of the matter is that we are experiencing an income disparity that is growing at an alarming rate. Are some unions corrupt? Sure. But almost all corporations have the sole responsibility to enrich their shareholders, often with no regard for the human capital that powers them. As the middle class in the United States disappears, the few that hold the power and riches benefit. Unions are one way of maintaining some semblance of balance between workers and management.

 

[cobjones]

The truth of the matter is that we are experiencing an income disparity that is growing at an alarming rate. Are some unions corrupt? Sure. But almost all corporations have the sole responsibility to enrich their shareholders, often with no regard for the human capital that powers them. As the middle class in the United States disappears, the few that hold the power and riches benefit. Unions are one way of maintaining some semblance of balance between workers and management.

If by making a balance you mean getting money to union bosses... then yes...

Most people that complain and are pro-union are low level workers that do not have an education, and think that they are entitled.

Get a good degree and you don't have to worry about it.

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[Immolate]

The truth of the matter is that we are experiencing an income disparity that is growing at an alarming rate. Are some unions corrupt? Sure. But almost all corporations have the sole responsibility to enrich their shareholders, often with no regard for the human capital that powers them. As the middle class in the United States disappears, the few that hold the power and riches benefit. Unions are one way of maintaining some semblance of balance between workers and management.

The United States has the richest poor people the world has ever known. But for many, it isn't enough to be historically well off, with refrigerators and stoves, dishwashers and clothes washers, hot water heaters and air conditioners, multiple televisions, game systems and computers. And mobile phones.

It doesn't matter if you have more than rich people a hundred year ago had. What matters is that there is someone who has more than you. A lot more. You who admire professional athletes and forgive them their wealth because you know you can't do what they do, yet you see a rich CEO of a major corporation and you seethe. What gives him the right to be rich? But you fail to appreciate that you can no more do what he does than you could match Micheal Jordan. Simply put, if you could do it, you'd be doing it. They've been vetted every step of the way for decades. Perhaps you have as well. Only you weren't cut out to be a corporate super star. Don't feel bad. Neither was I. But I don't resent those who were. I've met a few of them over the years and, generally speaking, they are very, very good at what they do.

This is about envy. People wanting what they don't deserve and haven't earned. Resenting those who worker harder, plan better and avoid doing stupid things. You know what I resent? I resent people who make good money for performing a relatively simple job and complain bitterly while demanding more, or else. Every day that goes by, the eager-to-work replacements are learning more and getting better at their jobs. Every day that goes by, the union gets weaker. How long before they are no longer needed at all?

Regardless of your dispute with your employer, sabotage is a criminal act. I hope those who are screwing regular folks to try to hurt Verizon get the justice they deserve, and Sasquatch for a cellmate.

 

[SquireSCA]

The truth of the matter is that we are experiencing an income disparity that is growing at an alarming rate. Are some unions corrupt? Sure. But almost all corporations have the sole responsibility to enrich their shareholders, often with no regard for the human capital that powers them. As the middle class in the United States disappears, the few that hold the power and riches benefit. Unions are one way of maintaining some semblance of balance between workers and management.

The United States has the richest poor people the world has ever known. But for many, it isn't enough to be historically well off, with refrigerators and stoves, dishwashers and clothes washers, hot water heaters and air conditioners, multiple televisions, game systems and computers. And mobile phones.

It doesn't matter if you have more than rich people a hundred year ago had. What matters is that there is someone who has more than you. A lot more. You who admire professional athletes and forgive them their wealth because you know you can't do what they do, yet you see a rich CEO of a major corporation and you seethe. What gives him the right to be rich? But you fail to appreciate that you can no more do what he does than you could match Micheal Jordan. Simply put, if you could do it, you'd be doing it. They've been vetted every step of the way for decades. Perhaps you have as well. Only you weren't cut out to be a corporate super star. Don't feel bad. Neither was I. But I don't resent those who were. I've met a few of them over the years and, generally speaking, they are very, very good at what they do.

This is about envy. People wanting what they don't deserve and haven't earned. Resenting those who worker harder, plan better and avoid doing stupid things. You know what I resent? I resent people who make good money for performing a relatively simple job and complain bitterly while demanding more, or else. Every day that goes by, the eager-to-work replacements are learning more and getting better at their jobs. Every day that goes by, the union gets weaker. How long before they are no longer needed at all?

Regardless of your dispute with your employer, sabotage is a criminal act. I hope those who are screwing regular folks to try to hurt Verizon get the justice they deserve, and Sasquatch for a cellmate.

You rule. Couldn't agree more.

What we consider poverty is middle class in most of the world and upper class in some parts.

See the news article this week about how in the State of PA, having a cell phone is now an entitlement and part of welfare and subsidized by the taxpayers and other cell phone customers who pay an additional tax on their line to pay for all the people that are given "free" service?

I don't care if the CEO makes 1000x more than me.

 

[Ma_USMC]

The truth of the matter is that we are experiencing an income disparity that is growing at an alarming rate. Are some unions corrupt? Sure. But almost all corporations have the sole responsibility to enrich their shareholders, often with no regard for the human capital that powers them. As the middle class in the United States disappears, the few that hold the power and riches benefit. Unions are one way of maintaining some semblance of balance between workers and management.

The United States has the richest poor people the world has ever known. But for many, it isn't enough to be historically well off, with refrigerators and stoves, dishwashers and clothes washers, hot water heaters and air conditioners, multiple televisions, game systems and computers. And mobile phones.

It doesn't matter if you have more than rich people a hundred year ago had. What matters is that there is someone who has more than you. A lot more. You who admire professional athletes and forgive them their wealth because you know you can't do what they do, yet you see a rich CEO of a major corporation and you seethe. What gives him the right to be rich? But you fail to appreciate that you can no more do what he does than you could match Micheal Jordan. Simply put, if you could do it, you'd be doing it. They've been vetted every step of the way for decades. Perhaps you have as well. Only you weren't cut out to be a corporate super star. Don't feel bad. Neither was I. But I don't resent those who were. I've met a few of them over the years and, generally speaking, they are very, very good at what they do.

This is about envy. People wanting what they don't deserve and haven't earned. Resenting those who worker harder, plan better and avoid doing stupid things. You know what I resent? I resent people who make good money for performing a relatively simple job and complain bitterly while demanding more, or else. Every day that goes by, the eager-to-work replacements are learning more and getting better at their jobs. Every day that goes by, the union gets weaker. How long before they are no longer needed at all?

Regardless of your dispute with your employer, sabotage is a criminal act. I hope those who are screwing regular folks to try to hurt Verizon get the justice they deserve, and Sasquatch for a cellmate.

Damn straight.

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[sdny8]

Nothing to do with envy. All about a fair contract for a highly profitable company thanks to my fellow union workers sweat. The new CEO gives himself a $1.3 million raise but tells the workers that times are tough. Sorry I'm going to have to cut your benefits. Enough is enough. Real workers need to stand up for their rights and demand to be given what their worth. And if big business attempts to outsource their jobs they should be taxed accordingly instead of being allowed to reap ridiculous profits from workers treated little better than slaves.

PS. No union would ever encourage sabotage. No one can be sure who did it. I've seen a lot of damaged facilities due to various reasons. With the price of copper what it is, its possible the person was looking to sell the scrap. Sabotage is also less likey because putting together about a 600 PR pic cable is actually a relatively easy fix


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