The WSWS Verizon Strike Newsletter spoke with striking workers in New York and Pennsylvania.
Bob, a field technician with 20 years of experience at Verizon in New York City, said, “For the past half of a year Verizon has been run like a prison. People were getting suspended for anything. One guy was 15 minutes late during lunch and was suspended for 30 days; another one got a 20-day suspension for picking up a cup of coffee.
“The union files grievances, but it takes forever and sometimes management doesn’t even look at them. One guy worked here for 35 years and was basically terminated. They told him to go on disability since he would be fired if he came to work. Forty people have gone on disability just because of the constant stress of working here.