Verizon CEO Protest March and Rally in Ithaca Saturday CANCELLED: Unions and Verizon Reach Agreement

Saturday’s march and rally organized by the Tompkins County Workers’ Center (TCWC) and the CWA (Communication Workers of America) in support of striking union members at Verizon has been called off as the unions and Verizon have come to “an agreement in principle” on a new contract.

The CWA is pleased with the agreement. According to the Union: “Striking CWA members have achieved our major goals of improving working families’ standard of living, creating good union jobs in our communities and achieving a first contract for wireless retail store workers.”  For the full statement see http://www.cwa-union.org/news/releases/striking-verizon-workers-win-big-gains

Jake Lake, President of CWA Local 1111 that represents a good portion of the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes, had this to say: “Thanks to all the members, families, other labor unions, coalition partners, and the general public for the outstanding support in our fight for a fair contract against Verizon. When we stand together and fight, we win!”

The agreement settles the six week strike by close to 40,000 workers. “Hats off to the courageous union members who struck Verizon for six weeks and to their families who endured hardship,” said TCWC Board Member, Joe Lawrence.

“We are pleased that the Workers’ Center was able to organize our members and many community supporters to stand with the strikers on the picket lines,” said Pete Meyers, TCWC Coordinator. “One of the largest strikes in the last decade, we hope this reinforces the resurgence of worker militance we have seen across the country in the last few years.”

Below is an excerpt of a statement released by U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez:

“Today, I am pleased to announce that the parties have reached an agreement in principle on a four-year contract, resolving the open issues in the ongoing labor dispute between Verizon’s workers, unions, and management. The parties are now working to reduce the agreement to writing, after which the proposal will be submitted to CWA and IBEW union members for ratification.”