March 11, 2005

Denny Strigl Exposed as Union-Buster to His Alma Mater

CWA Locals 1122, 1115, and 1117 and IBEW Local 2213 let Canisius College know that Board member Denny Strigl is a union-buster.
Activists from CWA Locals 1122, 1115, and 1117 and IBEW Local 2213 paid a visit to Verizon Wireless CEO Denny Strigl's alma mater to let current students and administrators know about his union-busting actions. Strigl serves on the Board of Trustees at Canisius College, a Catholic school in Buffalo.
 
Activists picketed and distributed flyers pointing out that the Catholic Church strongly endorses workers' rights, recognizing that, "Among the basic rights of the human person must be counted the right of freely founding labor unions."
 
John Carosa of CWA Local 1122 reported on the event:

"The informational picket and flyer handout on March 3rd was a huge success.  Campus security was rampant and we had 3 'watchers' the entire time we were there. Buffalo police, sheriffs, and state troopers drove by the entire 2 hours we picketed.

"We had 2 teams, one at the main entrance and one by the student union entrance. Almost 200 flyers/letters were handed by 15 CWA and IBEW members to faculty, students, and community members. We faxed the info we were handing out to the president of Canisius, Reverend Cooke, the day before. The members did a GREAT job explaining why we were there. The people were very receptive and many people driving by honked their horns in support. Thanks to all who helped put together the flyer/letter, the faxes to the politicians, and to the members on the line."  
 
Below is a copy of the letter they sent to Cansius College president Rev. Vincent Cooke and distributed on campus:
 

An Open Letter to President Cooke and the Canisius College Community

Why Is Canisius College Trustee Denny Strigl Ignoring Catholic Teachings On Workers Rights?

March 1, 2005

Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J.
Canisius College
2001 Main St.
Buffalo, N.Y.  14208

Dear President Cooke:

We are writing to you about a matter that we believe should be of concern to all members of the Canisius College community.

As you know, the Catholic Church has long been one of the leading defenders of workers' rights—to organize and join unions and engage in collective bargaining.

As the Second Vatican Council's Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World declared in 1965:

"Among the basic rights of the human person must be counted the right of freely founding labor unions. These unions should be truly able to represent the workers and to contribute to the proper arrangement of economic life. Another such right is that of taking part freely in the activity of these unions without fear of reprisal."

Unfortunately, the Board of Trustees of the college currently includes a corporate CEO, Mr. Dennis Strigl, whose company, Verizon Wireless (VZW), has repeatedly interfered with union organizing by its employees.

The ten-year history of this anti-union activity—by VZW and its predecessors—is summarized in the accompanying fact sheet, which includes all the relevant National Labor Relations Board case citations.

At the present time, two Verizon Wireless employees who supported unionization in New York and Pennsylvania are still unemployed as a result of retaliatory dismissals by Mr. Strigl's company.

When representatives of the business community serve as Catholic college trustees, they should be men and women dedicated, in their own lives, to upholding the values and teachings of the Church.

Mr. Strigl's role in overseeing and maintaining labor relations policies, which have led to workplace harassment, intimidation, and discrimination, is hardly consistent with such standards of behavior.

We believe that his conduct and that of Verizon Wireless should be the subject of an immediate inquiry by the college administration, his fellow trustees, faculty, and students.

We stand ready to assist you in that effort by providing whatever documentation you might require—including the personal testimony of fired union activists at Verizon Wireless, who are willing to come to Buffalo and meet with you and others at Canisius at your earliest convenience.

We will be contacting your office in the next few days to see what can be arranged. Thank you, in advance, for your assistance with this matter.

Members of Congress Denounce VZ's "Corporate-Sponsored Policy of Union Avoidance"

Legislative Activists Gather More Signatures

Hundreds of CWAers who gathered in Washington, D.C., for the annual legislative conference got a chance to hear directly from ex-Verizon Wireless worker LaVerne Conley.

After describing oppressive monitoring, unfair scheduling, and anti-union captive audience meetings, LaVerne told the conference, "It wasn't a matter of courage; it was a matter of survival to organize a union at Verizon Wireless."

(Nonetheless, we think she showed plenty of courage. LaVerne's illegal firing is currently under investigation.)

 LaVerne Conley

Organizing was "a matter of survival" at Verizon Wireless

Conference participants then went to Capitol Hill to lobby their representatives on various issues, including Verizon Wireless. Reps who have already endorsed the the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA)* were asked to sign onto a letter to Ivan Seidenberg decrying the "corporate-sponsored policy of union avoidance at Verizon Wireless."

The letter also points out that Cingular, the #1 wireless company in the U.S., "has been able to operate very successfully while employing a positive labor relations policy" that is a "model for the respect of  workers' rights."

Districts are following up to collect additional signatures of Congressional representatives and other elected officials.

*The Employee
Free Choice Act

The EFCA, which has garnered 207 House and 36 Senate co-sponsors, would:

  • Allow employees to freely choose whether to form unions by signing cards authorizing union representation.

  • Provide mediation and arbitration for first contract disputes.

  • Establish stronger penalties for violation of employee rights when workers seek to form a union and during first contract negotiations.

    • Contract Reached at the Union Wireless Company

    CWA reached a tentative agreement with Cingular Wireless covering 5,300 workers under the "Orange Contract" in Districts 1, 2, 4, 7, 9 and 13.

    Highlights include:

    • Wage increase of 11% over the four-year contract term.
    • Improves base compensation for retail sales members by more than 25%.
    • Strengthens employment security, a big issue in the wake of the merger with AT&T Wireless.
    • Addresses call center and retail matters such as quota relief and job duties, among other gains.

    Buy from the Only Union Wireless Company

    CWA members and retirees and their families get a 15% discount off Cingular service! 

    Visit CWA's website for more information or call 877-751-7257.

    (The discount is not available at Cingular stores or through Cingular's regular website or 800 number.  Current Cingular customers can also receive the discount.)

    Discounts for other unions are available through Union Plus or 800-356-9752.

    Keep an Eye Out for Your Proxy

    Verizon's annual shareholder meeting will be on May 5th in Houston, TX. Proxies should be arriving in the mail shortly.

    To have the union deliver your proxy to Verizon:

    1. Vote your proxy by placing an "X" in the For, Against, or Abstain box for each proposal. (We'll offer recommendations once the proxy is released.)

    2. Sign and date the card where indicated.

    3. Return the proxy card and the return envelope to your Local Union.

    FiOS' Success Lies in Union Hands

    Telephony, a well-known telecom industry publication, highlighted the critical role of union techs in making Verizon's fiber-to-the-prem initiative a success. The article, "Broadband Front Lines: Fios’ Success Lies in Their Hands," focused on CWA Local 2222 member John Petrosino and steward Steve Duran, who work in Northern Virginia.

    "Petrosino and Duran represent the front line of Verizon’s attack on its broadband competition. Like hundreds of technicians in 13 states around the country, they now spend their days running fiber optic cable a few hundred feet from where it has been installed in neighborhoods to the home of customers."

    "Verizon’s ability to expand its FTTP footprint quickly and cost effectively hinges to no small extent on the ability of its workforce to tackle the new challenges of not only handling fiber optic cable but also configuring computers, running inside wiring and setting up battery backups."

    The article also highlighted the techs' skill and creativity in solving problems:

    "Duran uses . . . a large Stanley multiple section carrying case that features 'every connector we could possibly need,' he says. 'No two houses are the same, so it’s good to carry everything with you that you could possibly need,' he says. The cases were the idea of some technicians in Keller, Texas, says Petrosino and he brought the idea back with him after visiting that installation, Verizon’s first. 'I bought my own for $10 at Home Depot, and then my supervisor liked it so much, he got them for everyone and reimbursed me for mine,' he said. 'It makes you more efficient--you are not running back and forth to the truck.'"

    John and Steve's manager described the range of installations techs are encountering:

    "'Given the particulars of any given house, the jobs can be small, easy and straightforward, and take a couple of hours, or it can take all day,'" he says. 'The average is a little less than four hours, but if the home's layout requires extensive inside wiring and if that wiring is complicated--say there’s no attic and the basement is finished--it’s a much more difficult proposition.'"

    Read the full article, "Broadband Front Lines: Fios’ success lies in their hands," Telephony Online, 3/7/05

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