Striking Verizon Workers Rally In Silver Spring

Hundreds of Verizon workers participated in a boisterous rally outside of one of the company's facilities in Silver Spring, Md., today.

The employees temporarily blocked vehicles from entering a Verizon office building while rally speakers urged union employees to jam the phones at company call centers and picket wireless stores.

Greg Harley, a service technician for Verizon's landline operations for almost 15 years, said he’s willing to accept changes to his contract only if the people at the top of the company share the hardship.

"I mean, we can do something else, but we can't just put it all on us while they're reaping all the benefits with major bonuses," he said. "It doesn't seem fair."

Union leaders said the company has demanded more than 100 changes to their contract, including sections dealing with health care and pension plans.

The president of the local Communications Workers of America chapter, Les Evans, said the company is carrying out an anti-union agenda.

"They didn't come to this bargaining table to negotiate a contract," he said. "They came to this bargaining table to break the union and to do away with the middle class jobs that we have."

Demonstrations were planned at more than a dozen locations in the District and Maryland.

Listen to the complete story at wamu.org

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