1101 Members on their first day of picket duty at W.36th St. Sunday, August 7th.

Transcript: Executive VP Angel Feliciano

We are on strike against VERIZON & VERIZON WIRELESS.

These greedy pigs caused this strike.

While Ivan makes $24million and McAdams just got a multi-million dollar raise, they want to tie our raises to productivity appraisals.

While Seidenberg, who can afford to pay, is guaranteed FREE MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR LIFE, they want US AND OUR RETIREES to pay thousands of dollars in premiums.

Our retirees, who have not seen a raise in 25 years, WILL BE DEVASTATED!

Our members, who have 20 years on the job, will get 5 sick days, while those who have less time would get less days till they get to 0 days if you have less than 5 years.

THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!

They want to MOVE OUR WORK ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY WHENEVER THEY WANT!  WE WOULD HAVE NO JOBS! 

This list goes on and on and on WITH OVER 100 TOTAL DEMANDS.

THIS IS BULLSHIT!

We have shown time and again that we are READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO TAKE THEM ON. THIS TIME IS NO DIFFERENT! 

THE BASTARDS ARE GOING TO LEARN THAT THIS IS NOT WISCONSIN OR OHIO, THIS IS NEW YORK – AND WE ARE A UNION TOWN!

THE LINE GETS DRAWN HERE!

Transcript: Executive VP Angel Feliciano
August 6, 11:59 PM

The current round of negotiations with Verizon has been unprecedented, both in terms of the scope of Verizon’s attacks on the middle-class jobs of our members, and in terms of the company’s absolute refusal to engage in serious collective bargaining towards a new contract.  

There has been absolutely no movement by the company at the table since talks began on June 22nd. Over 100 concessionary company proposals remain on the table. We have never seen anything like this in 50 years of bargaining with Verizon and its corporate predecessors.  

As a result, CWA and IBEW have decided to take the unprecedented step of striking to force management to stop its Wisconsin-style tactics, and to start bargaining in good faith.  

45,000 CWA and IBEW members walked off the job at midnight to demand that a company which made $19.5 billion and paid its top executives $258 million over the last four years start bargaining in good faith and stop its attack on middle class jobs.  

If and when the company agrees to bargain, then we will return to work and bargain until a fair agreement is reached.    

The following is a message from Chris Shelton:    

WE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO NEGOTIATE A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH VERIZON SINCE JUNE 22, 2011.  

I SAY ATTEMPTING BECAUSE SINCE VERIZON PUT THEIR DEMANDS ON THE TABLE ON JULY 1, 2011 THEY HAVE NOT MOVED ONE INCH.  

THEY PUT DOZENS OF DEMANDS ON THE TABLE ON JULY 1^ST WHICH COVER CONCESSIONS ON WAGES, PENSIONS, MEDICAL BENEFITS, WORK RULES, JOB SECURITY, DOUBLE TIME, DIFFERENTIALS, SICK PAY, DISABILITY PAYMENTS, REDUCING VACATIONS, TUITION REIMBURSEMENT, INCREASING RETIREE COSTS FOR BENEFITS…AND ON…AND ON….AND ON.  

THE COMPANY’S DEMANDS COVER EVERYTHING WE’VE NEGOTIATED OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS AND THEY WANT CONCESSIONS ON ALL OF IT.  

AS OF TODAY, THE COMPANY HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED THEIR NUMBER OF DEMANDS.   

THE COMPANY IS NOT BARGAINING. THEY ARE NOT TRYING TO NARROW THE ISSUES. AS THE DAYS WORE ON WE HAVE GOTTEN FURTHER AND FURTHER APART.     

IN SHORT, THEY ARE NOT BARGAINING TO TRY TO REACH AGREEMENT, THEY ARE, AT BEST, SURFACE BARGAINING.        

WE CAN NO LONGER PARTICIPATE IN THIS EFFORT IN FUTILITY.  

I MUST INFORM YOU THAT AT 11:59PM WE ARE ON STRIKE UNTIL VERIZON DECIDES TO ACTUALLY NEGOTIATE WITH US IN GOOD FAITH.  

PICKET LINES AND ALL OTHER MOBILIZATION ACTIVITIES WILL BEGIN ON SUNDAY MORNING.                    

A personal message:

The Bastards caused this one; remember that and fight like your life depends on it.

CWA bargaining Committee and Local 1101 Exec. VP Angel Feliciano (front left)

Transcript: Executive VP Angel Feliciano
August 6, 3:45 PM

There has been NO progress at the bargaining table. A strike appears imminent at this time.

At this rate, it may be Christmas before this is done.

This tape will be updated as frequently as possible over the next 8 hours.

Thank you for calling and please stay in touch with this tape.

Tape Transcript : Executive Vice President Angel Feliciano

With three days left in our contract, the Company still does not get it!

They want a contract, but it’s only on THEIR terms.
They want to bargain, but only on THEIR issues.

This fight will not be easy, but it will be THE FIGHT OF OUR LIVES!

When this fight is over, every Member of this Local, young or old, first timer or repeat offender, will have earned their stripes and will be well-remembered.

Their demands are BULLSHIT and they’ll have to eat it!

With just 4 days before contract expiration, your bargaining committee is still waiting for Verizon to get serious at the bargaining table. The Company spends more time sending messages to our members giving them “bargaining facts” than they spend at the table. The Company’s “bargaining facts” e-mailed today to our members stated that key issues are being explored at the bargaining table, yet the issues listed were only briefly mentioned at a June meeting and never raised again. Your bargaining committee needs you to let your managers know that you are demanding that the Company come to the table and bargain with your Union. The Company was not ready to meet until 5:30 p.m. today.  They need to get serious. The clock is ticking and time is running out.

“With the crowd estimated to be between 12-15,000, we sent a message with one voice, Bull Shit! 

Bull shit to freezing pensions!
Bull shit to no raises!
Bull shit to no medical!
Bull shit to no security!  

Bull shit to Siedenburg and McAdams – you didn’t build this Company, WE DID!
You didn’t make it work, WE DID!
Your Corporation didn’t pay taxes to America, WE DID!  

Every Member of this Local has more seniority then our new CEO, but he wants to dismantle the Union!  BULL SHIT!  

THIS CONTRACT WON’T BE WON AT THE BARGAINING TABLE!

THIS CONTRACT WILL BE WON IN THE STREETS, ON THE SHOP FLOOR, IN THE GARAGES!

WE WILL SEND ONE LARGE MESSAGE…BULL SHIT!

Transcript: Executive Vice President Angel Feliciano Speaking;

“Your Bargaining Teams met with the Company today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY.  The Regional Committee made a comprehensive presentation on Contracting which included examples of all types of work– from all bargaining units.  The Unions demanded that this work, being performed by several thousand contractors in the U.S. and off shore, be returned to our members.  They emphasized to Verizon that the return of contracted jobs is a major issue for the Unions.  

The Local Teams met throughout the day and into the evening on issues relating to their work rules and working conditions.  The Local Teams are scheduled to resume discussions tomorrow and the Regional Team will resume their discussions on Monday”.

Transcript: Executive Vice President Angel Feliciano Speaking;

“The Local and Regional bargaining teams resumed negotiations with Verizon at the Rye Town Hilton. The committees presented additional union proposals. The committees also pressed the company for answers on questions from previous sessions. The company will be providing some of those answers tomorrow. The company has not responded to any of our proposals at the regional table. Discussions will resume tomorrow.

Locals should continue conducting their strike votes and preparing for the July 30, 2011 rally at Verizon Headquarters at 140 West St. in NY City. The Rally will begin at 11:00am. Members from all areas of the Verizon footprint will be joining us in the fight to protect our wages, benefits and working conditions. Every member from every Local should be at this Rally to send a message to Verizon.

Thank you for calling and please stay in touch with these tapes”.

Transcript: Executive Vice President Angel Feliciano Speaking;

“We have scheduled an informational meeting on Verizon’s Dependent Verification Process for Thursday, July 7^th, at 5:30 p.m., at the Fashion Institute of Technology, on 27^th Street, between 7^th and 8^th Avenues, in the Haft Auditorium.

If you have concerns or questions about your dependents, please attend this meeting.

Thank you and please stay in touch with this tape.”