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TODAY, House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and 86 Members of Congress issued the following joint statement regarding the Verizon strike and ongoing labor negotiations:
“We applaud Verizon’s success and its ability to be profitable throughout the changes that have taken place in the telecommunications industry, but are deeply concerned about the ongoing Verizon strike.”
“Verizon workers build, install and maintain the state-of-the-art FiOS broadband system, and ensure that the millions of customers still reliant on the copper network continue to receive high quality service. In addition, Verizon Wireless retail store workers and technicians work in one of the most profitable sectors of the economy. We are troubled that the lack of a negotiated labor agreement could increase the likelihood that good jobs will be offshored to the Philippines, Mexico and other locations overseas or outsourced to low-wage, non-union domestic contractors. And we are concerned that Verizon wireless retail workers, who joined the union back in 2014, still have not been able to negotiate improvements in their wages, benefits and working conditions.”
“It has been reported that Verizon’s highly skilled union workforce has declined by nearly 40 percent over the last decade. We are concerned that proposed changes in the new contract could continue that downward spiral. While we are heartened by Verizon’s announced intention to offer FiOS broadband service in additional cities, such as Boston, many communities across the country are still waiting. We hope that Verizon will be committed to hiring and retaining the skilled staff necessary to complete the buildout of its FiOS broadband service in a timely manner in all markets.”
“We urge the parties to negotiate in good faith and agree to a fair contract. We firmly believe it is in the public interest to protect middle class jobs, reduce outsourcing and offshoring, and ensure high quality telecommunications services to the public.”
The 88 Members who are signed onto this statement are:
Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott
Rep. Jerrold Nadler
Rep. Alma S. Adams
Rep. Joyce Beatty
Rep. Donald S. Beyer, Jr.
Rep. Brendan F. Boyle
Rep. Robert A. Brady
Rep. Julia Brownley
Rep. Michael E. Capuano
Rep. Matt Cartwright
Rep. Judy Chu
Rep. David N. Cicilline
Rep. Katherine M. Clark
Rep. Yvette D. Clarke
Rep. Gerald E. Connolly
Rep. John Conyers, Jr.
Rep. Joe Courtney
Rep. Joseph Crowley
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings
Rep. Susan A. Davis
Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro
Rep. Suzan DelBene
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier
Rep. Debbie Dingell
Rep. Michael F. Doyle
Rep. Donna F. Edwards
Rep. Keith Ellison
Rep. Eliot L. Engel
Rep. Elizabeth Esty
Rep. Marcia L. Fudge
Rep. Ruben Gallego
Rep. Alan Grayson
Rep. Gene Green
Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva
Rep. Brian Higgins
Rep. Michael M. Honda
Rep. Jared Huffman
Rep. Steve Israel
Rep. Hakeem S. Jeffries
Rep. Marcy Kaptur
Rep. William R. Keating
Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy, III
Rep. Dan Kildee
Rep. Anne McLane Kuster
Rep. James R. Langevin
Rep. John B. Larson
Rep. Barbara Lee
Rep. Sander M. Levin
Rep. Alan S. Lowenthal
Rep. Nita M. Lowey
Rep. Stephen F. Lynch
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney
Rep. Carolyn Maloney
Rep. Betty McCollum
Rep. Jim McDermott
Rep. James P. McGovern
Rep. Grace Meng
Rep. Seth Moulton
Rep. Grace F. Napolitano
Rep. Richard E. Neal
Rep. Richard M. Nolan
Rep. Donald Norcross
Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.
Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr.
Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr.
Rep. Chellie Pingree
Rep. Mark Pocan
Rep. Charles B. Rangel
Rep. Lucille Royball-Allard
Rep. Tim Ryan
Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan
Rep. Linda T. Sánchez
Rep. John P. Sarbanes
Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky
Rep. Adam B. Schiff
Rep. José E. Serrano
Rep. Albio Sires
Rep. Louise McIntosh Slaughter
Rep. Mark Takano
Rep. Dina Titus
Rep. Paul Tonko
Rep. Niki Tsongas
Rep. Chris Van Hollen
Rep. Filemon Vela
Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman
Rep. Frederica S. Wilson
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