In contract talks with workers, Verizon Communications is demanding that 34,600 retirees on fixed incomes pay $60 million more for health benefits. And that just happens to be about the value of stock options given to one executive: Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg got $58.4 million worth in 2002. In fact, Verizon executives received $501 million in options last year — enough to cover retiree health care until 2008.

Click here to listen to CWA's radio ad.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Verizon's demands that employees and retirees pay more for health care are unfair to these families - especially in light of the hundreds of millions of dollars in bonuses and stock options that you and other Verizon executives have been paying yourselves.

Powerful and profitable corporations such as Verizon should be taking a leadership role in pressing our elected officials to address the national health care crisis in a meaningful way. Merely standing on the sidelines and passing along the rising costs to your employees does nothing to solve this problem and just hurts the people who provide the services that earn your revenues.

I urge you to drop these harsh demands and bargain a fair settlement with your employees.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
July 17, 2003