Thread regarding Verizon Communications Inc. layoffs

I had a English literature teacher in my senior year in high school in 1974. Mr. Kerrigan was nothing short of a genius. In our last class of the year he sat on the edge of his desk and lite up a cigarette, yes the teachers were allowed to smoke in those days. He proceeded to tell us about the computer revolution that was going to take hold of the world and the fiber optically connected global network that would allow information to spread throughout the world at the speed of light. He also went on to tell us that due to this fact it would bring the end to the United States as we knew it. He said that the US would be gone in 50 years. That brings us to 2024. So all this dismantling of the middle class is just a symptom of the impending doom that awaits us. In my 60 years on this planet, I have only seen this country spiral downward culturally and morally. Yes we have more "things" but we have lost common sense, common courtesy and the true American culture that made us great. So be prepared for the next 8 years to be more of the same with the final result being the loss of our way of life. Very very sad state of affairs in this once great nation and it looks like Mr. Kerrigan was spot on. He is since gone but was truly a visionary.

Truth is this strike is about the declining union membership 78

xqq: you make the point exactly; the union isn't asking Verizon for more, because Verizon has more; they are asking Verizon to "honor the agreed upon service at the agreed upon price". Verizon is the one who is reneging on what was previously fought for and negotiated for, and agreed upon.

@rbp - too expensive to start a biz, also wall sreet and the government don't support small businesses, to them, competition is a sin and they do whatever they can to stamp them out by passing more rules and regulations that favor giant corporations over small mom and pop business owners. It's all done by design.

If the multi millionaire allows me to renegotiate every three years and offers me raise every time because he like my work and I add more skills because adds more responsibilities then what is your issue? Please stop the be happy you have job talk...i started this job at $7.31 per hour. 19 years and many contracts later I'm on a picket line never asking for more money. Just extend our agreement and I'm fine.

This article is not about real wages, rightwages, haves havenots, etc. .. it's about personal behavior and unity despite the circumstances. .. fyi, Verizon and wall street are not stopping you from being rich... take business risks and believe in yourself and then wall st will come to you. You can't get rich working for someone else

More like serfs and lords eventually. I think we will see feudalism in the future, imo.

It's the we versus neirs

The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer or stay stagnant. We used to be a prosperous country with a strong middle class, no longer. Now be prepared to compete against workers overseas that get paid 2 bucks an hour. That is the trent. The US is systematically and slowly being morphed into a 3rd world country.

@xqq - check this link out...it tells you all you need to know and why i dont agree:

https://thecurrentmoment.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/productivity-and-real-wages.jpg

Is all about Their priorities, "them" not " us"

If you were employed by a multi-millionaire to provide a specific service and at an agreed upon price and any associated benefits, would you blame that person for having more money that they could possibly spend in a lifetime? Would you demand more from him just because he has it to give or would you honor the agreed upon service at the agreed upon price? Just throwing it out there for what it's worth

Its the Haves vs The Have nots, care to say who "the haves" are in relation to VZ? Here is a hint, it isn't level one or level two managers or supervisors regardless if They think They are or not. They are the CWA and EWA's mutual enemy.