IBEW Local Union 824 Statement – Frontier Communications Fails Essential Workers
This story begins on April 1st of 2016. That is the day that Frontier Communications took over the Florida Region from Verizon and since that day, we the employees in the Florida Region have been under siege. Through no fault of our own, we have encountered many challenges that we thought we would never have to face.
From day one, as a result of Frontier Communication’s poor business decisions and faulty processes we have lost customers at an alarming rate. Despite these challenges, the members of IBEW Local Union 824 have stood by the company. We have done everything in our power to keep our family, our friends, our neighbors, and our communities on the Frontier network. We thought our loyalty would be recognized by our Frontier Management team. We were wrong!
When the COVID 19 pandemic hit and the virus raged, once again the members of IBEW Local Union 824 stood by the company. Our technicians continue to risk their lives everyday going into homes and businesses. Our customer service representatives working from home or going into the office continue to keep the network running. We know our customers need us so they can work from home and their children can learn from home. We thought our loyalty would be recognized by our Frontier Management team. We were wrong!
When Frontier Communications entered bankruptcy, the members of IBEW Local Union 824 stood by the company. We did not complain. We went to work and did our best to keep our customers and add new ones. When Frontier executives were rewarded with over $60 million in bonuses during bankruptcy we did not complain. When Frontier continued to receive millions each year in Government subsidies we did not complain. When the bankruptcy courts forgave billions and billions of Frontier’s debt, we did not complain. We thought our loyalty would be repaid once Frontier emerged from bankruptcy. We were wrong!
Our loyalty has been repaid with broken promises, the elimination of our 401K, the gutting of our healthcare during a pandemic, and the elimination of retiree healthcare after a lifetime of service. Our dedicated, long time employees are being left behind. Our stance is simple. If Frontier Communications can make their executives whole with over $60 million in bonuses, they can make their dedicated employees whole. A lifetime of climbing ladders, digging holes, going in attics, working in inclement weather, wearing our bodies out, providing unequal customer service to take care of the network and our customers does not seem to matter to Frontier. We thought it did. We thought if we gave the best years of our lives to Frontier Communications we would be rewarded with the promise of a secure and dignified retirement. We thought Frontier would keep that promise and reward our loyalty. Once again, we were wrong!
We demand a FAIR CONTRACT NOW and we demand Frontier Communications keep the promises made to us so many years ago.
Respectfully,
The Officers, Staff and Members of IBEW Local Union 824