Verizon has come out swinging after a union charged that the company with failing to build out its high-speed broadband system.
The Communications Workers of America has authorized a strike against the company, if necessary. A contract with the company expires on Aug. 1. The union is also buying radio advertising related to its claims.
Verizon issued the following statement from spokesman Richard Young:
“These ads are once again a shallow, half-baked attempt by union leaders to distract attention from the real issues that need to be resolved. Since June 22, Verizon has made serious and consistent efforts to try and reach an agreement that fair to all sides and will help keep the company’s landline unit on a path towards success. Unfortunately, union leaders seems to have a different agenda – one that does not seem to be in the best interest of our employees and we certainly hope that changes.
The statement continued, “As for FiOS rollout, union leaders are flat-out wrong. Their assertions are baloney. Ten years ago, when we first started rolling out FiOS, we pledged to pass 18 million households and invest $23 billion dollars in the project. The reality is, since then, we’ve passed more than 20 million homes and businesses, clearly exceeding our original target. Over the past 5 weeks, we’ve seen lots of empty rhetoric come out of the union PR machine. This is just one more example.”
“Verizon isn’t doing right by their customers or their workers. The company made $9.6 billion in profits in 2014, and reported $4.4 billion in profits just in the 2015 second quarter alone, yet refuses to build its high-speed FiOS network in numerous areas across Verizon’s footprint, especially in lower-income cities like Baltimore, Buffalo and Bethlehem, PA. At the bargaining table, management has refused to budge off harsh contract demands that unfairly penalize the hard-working men and women who make Verizon work,” said Bob Master, legislative and political director for CWA District One. “We reject these demands, and we’re fighting to ensure that Verizon’s workers and customers get the good jobs and good service they deserve.”
The union statement also pointed to criticism from New York utility regulators on the condition of the legacy copper wire system for phones and lower-speed Internet service. Verizon has also been criticized for pulling copper wire when FiOs is installed in homes and businesses.
Verizon has not added FiOS in some cities, citing what it said were unreasonable demands from officials. That was the case in Wilmington, which does not have the high-speed service. There have also been scattered complaints that areas near the city cannot get service.
Verizon, meanwhile, faces a largely nonunion rival in Comcast in the Delaware Valley and other markets.
Verizon has also responded with advertising of its own, citing rankings that show the company to be a good place to work.
Company advertising also touts higher customer service rankings than Comcast, which has vowed to deal with its long-running reputation for poor customer service. Comcast also operates a business Internet service that according to some customers offers better customer service than the consumer side.
The CWA represents 39,000 Verizon workers.
