Thread regarding Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs

Throw-away account because I am directly impacted here, and don't want this to be traced back to me. For those who aren't aware, there is a big Verizon strike looming (~40k workers in the north east). In preparation, Verizon has given Emergency Work Assignments (EWAs) to ~15k management (i.e., non-union) employees. Many of these people are being sent across the country to do stuff like climb utility poles, do home installs of FiOS, etc, etc. In probably 99% of the cases the EWAs have nothing whatsoever to do with what the person was actually hired to do. I have friends who are Java programmers that are being sent to Harlem to do in-home repairs, for example. I know that at least one person died in pole-climbing training. I've also heard of several people who were fired for refusing to go, but I don't know any directly. So my question is pretty simple - is it legal for Verizon to force people that were hired for different jobs to leave their families and go be scabs for an unspecified amount of time? I know that their employment is generally "at will", but it still doesn't seem right that a company can basically force people to be scabs. In fact, my one friend who is being sent to Queens to climb poles was basically told to expect trouble, and that should he be chased, the best course of action would be to get on a toll road, since presumably the harassers won't want to pay tolls. He's also being given an unmarked van and was told not to wear anything that indicates that he works for Verizon.