CWA Claims Verizon SWAT Team Attacked Union Reps Observing in Philippines
Verizon rejected union claims that the company does “massive” offshoring in the Philippines. The Communications Workers of America said Friday it sent four representatives on a four-day visit to the Philippines after call center workers there contacted the union about…
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Verizon facilities there. The CWA reps found “numerous call centers” that pay workers $1.78 an hour and force workers to do overtime without compensation, CWA alleged. “When our members uncovered how Verizon is padding its incredible profit margins by replacing good paying American jobs with poverty-wage jobs abroad, Verizon sent armed guards and a SWAT team after them,” CWA President Chris Shelton said. The police allowed union representatives to leave because they did nothing illegal, CWA said. A Verizon spokesman disputed the union claims. “Yet again, this is another page straight out of the CWA’s fictional playbook. The real question is why would CWA president Chris Shelton spend tens of thousands of dollars in union dues on a vacation to the Philippines at a time when 36,000 of our employees are lucky to get $200 a week from a union strike fund?” But Shelton said it has been no holiday for union workers. “Let’s be clear: being on strike, exposing Verizon’s lies about off-shoring and being harassed by Verizon armed security guards is no vacation.” Earlier this month, police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, arrested for obstructing traffic 15 union workers protesting outside Verizon’s annual shareholder meeting (see 1605050047). The East Coast strike started April 13.