Have you heard about the scheme hatched by Verizon and the big cable companies that could eliminate good telecom jobs and cost consumers millions or even billions in cable and phone bill increases?

Instead of competing against each other for TV, phone and high-speed internet customers, Verizon and cable giants like Comcast and Time-Warner are trying to convince the Federal Communications Commission to change the rules and allow them to team up, to sell each other’s services.

If their plan is approved, millions of New Yorkers would only be able get high-speed internet access and TV from one big monopoly. And Verizon would have no incentive to invest in its high-speed FiOS network. That means prices go up and jobs building and supporting FiOS disappear.

There’s still time to stop the deal. But only if our elected leaders step in and call on the FCC and the Department of Justice to stand up for consumers, not CEOs. Join us in calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senators Schumer and Gillibrand to help to save New York customers:

http://action.cwa-union.org/c/26/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4760

If the telecom giants get their way, here’s what it would mean: Instead of competing to provide the best, cheapest deals for high-speed internet, cable TV and home phone service, cable companies and Verizon Wireless would band together to market phone service, cable, internet and mobile phone service all packaged together. It’s a monopolistic merger by any other name. This monopoly power grab hits our rural areas and upstate cities the hardest, reducing consumer choice and deepening the digital divide as Verizon refuses to build next-generation FiOS networks for what Verizon deems to be less lucrative customers.

The Department of Justice and FCC will decide the fate of this plan in the next few weeks. So far, our elected leaders have not spoken out against this deal that will hurt millions of New York consumers.

Federal regulators must put the needs of workers and consumers above the demands of profit-hungry corporations. Please join us in calling on Governor Cuomo, Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand to stand up for New York consumers and help stop the Verizon-Big Cable monopoly deal:

http://action.cwa-union.org/c/26/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4760