Layoff Notification at Verizon Business
Earlier this year, after it was reported that Verizon agreed to sell its data-centers business to Equinix for $3.6 billion dollars, I spoke at multiple general membership meetings about how this was important because the deal impacted our 1103 members in Verizon Business. Around the time of the sale announcement I met with VP Julie Slattery in New Jersey, and then set up a subsequent executive board meeting with District Manager Scott Wyatt to speak about the sale and to stake out expectations that our members would not be laid off as a result of the sale. The sale of 24 data centers closed in the middle of this year, and included Elmsford. Verizon and Equinix entered into what was called a Transition Service Agreement. The Transition Service Agreement provided Equinix with Verizon employees at the data centers in order to maximize their expertise and skill for a minimum of six additional months from the sale closing date. Equinix also had the option of picking up six additional months beyond the original six under the TSA. They did not.
Today the national union was notified that the company is declaring a surplus and that to the extent there are insufficient volunteers to relieve the surplus, the company will lay off in the job title in the article 8 unit by inverse order of seniority. This is horrible news.
We have an emergency conference call set up for this evening for all CWA 1103 executive board members, and a board meeting scheduled for this Thursday to strategize and do all we can to prevent the announced lay off. I also plan on meeting with CWA Staff Representative John Dempsey and CWA Downstate Area Director William Gallagher to discuss options. We will be meeting with our Verizon Business Members as soon as possible after we get some additional information from the national union.
Kevin Sheil
President Local 1103 CWA