Members of the local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 2222, along with some of their family members, were out in force, advocating for their common good. - Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Andrew Firestone

Amidst the vitriolic protests taking place nationwide for the last two weeks, a few members of the local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 2222 found themselves picketing a Somerville Verizon office. There, they fought for their rights as workers.

While these employees have now gone back to work, pending a renegotiation of their contract, the situation still remains volatile. Verizon workers claimed that their job security was put at risk, and defended their right to peacefully protest.

“They want to get rid of us,” said one worker. “They want to contract the work out. They want to take our pension away.”

Verizon, who made billions of dollars in profit last fiscal year, also achieved tax exemption through a “Reverse Morris Trust.” The practices of the communications giant rankled Somerville Congressman Michael Capuano, who joined the Verizon strikers in their protest.

“I understand not giving out pay raises when times are tough, but when you’re making a profit, to then come at regular working people and ask them to give up hard-fought hard-won benefits that they have earned by making this company very successful that makes no sense,” said Capuano. “To me, that is nothing but greed and that is an unacceptable approach.”

“The worst part of this is that the CEOs of this corporation are making millions upon millions upon millions and the cuts that are happening are on our backs, not their backs,” said one of the striking workers.

Much of the problems involved in Verizon’s negotiation stance involved their altering of the overtime clause, which would force workers in some situations to work overtime without notice. “It’s life-changing when it happens,” said one worker, who said that duties to their families would be disrupted under the new guidelines.

“It’s not about Verizon, it’s not even about this particular union,” said Capuano. “To me, this is an attack upon the middle class, and it’s the kind of thing that, if America allows to happen, I guarantee it will be another middle-class person next. It will never stop.”

“The middle class wasn’t around when we founded the country,” he said noting the influence of public policy supporting unions and safety net programs like Social Security. “There was no significant middle class until after the Great Depression.”

The strike caused a disruption in service, which was felt in numerous sectors. The Gulf station in nearby Arlington lost service to their lottery ticket distribution, losing revenue from lack of service.

The 45,000 workers of the IBEW and Communications Workers of America will continue their acrimonious negotiations with Verizon while operating under their old contract, which expire August 7.

“In the long term, it is not just one battle here and there. It is a way of life,” said Capuano.