Verizon workers on strike in Saranac Lake. Photo: Adirondack Daily Enterprise.
(08/10/11) The Associated Press reports state police are investigating damage to Verizon equipment that disrupted 911 emergency calls in parts of Herkimer and Onieda counties yesterday. An Oneida County dispatcher says service is up and running this morning.
Damage to a Verizon optic circuit box also knocked out landline and cell service to northern Oneida County. Lewis County Sheriff Mike Talbot told the AP some calls to his office were disrupted, but the 911 system was OK.
Verizon Communications workers were still on the picket lines across the North Country Tuesday. Local members of Communications Workers of America Local 1118 in Saranac Lake, Potsdam, Malone, Ogdesnsburg and Plattsburgh joined 45,000 other Verizon workers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic who've been on strike since contract talks stalled on Sunday.
Chris Knight talked with a small group of Verizon field technicians who were picketing outside the company's Church Street office in Saranac Lake.
Clad in red shirts, the workers held up signs
that read, "CWA on Strike Against Verizon’s Corporate Greed," and
cheered as honking cars passed by.
Matt Gates is one of the striking Verizon
employees.
"Being out here - they didn't
leave us a choice. They didn't want to bargain. We want to make sure everyone’s
aware that corporate greed has to stop."
The small picket in Saranac Lake was relatively
tame in comparison to some of the louder and larger demonstrations that have
been taking place around the Northeast. But the issues for these workers are
the same.
Verizon is asking for employee concessions
because its land-line business has been declining as more customers switch to
cell phones. Verizon wants its workers to pay more for their health care, tie
pay increases to job performance, cut pensions and make it easier to fire
employees.
Gates says that's unacceptable.
"The corporation wants to take away the
benefits that we worked for over 50 years," Gates said. "They want to
take it all back off the table. We’re fighting for our rights as workers and
for all the middle class."
Talks resumed on Monday, but it’s unclear when
the strike will be called off. Gates said he and his coworkers are united.
"As of right now, we'll do it as long as it
takes, we'll be out here."
In a Monday press release, Verizon said its
customers will notice only minimal impact from the strike. They may encounter
slightly longer hold times when calling sales and service centers, and slightly
longer waits for repair service.
For NCPR, I'm Chris Knight in Saranac Lake.
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