Verizon Workers Support Occupy Binghamton

Verizon union members from Communication Workers of America 11-11
were showing their support for the Occupy Binghamton movement
late Thursday.

After finishing work for the day, a group of CWA members walked
from Verizon’s building on Henry Street to the corner of Court
and State streets where Occupy tents are set up. CWA’s Sean
McAvoy says he understand the struggle protesters are in. Over
the summer Verizon workers had been on strike because of a labor
dispute.

Sean McAvoy says, “We’re trying to get involved right now because
we feel Verizon, like a lot of the other corporations in the
country today, are trying to destroy the middle class. You have a
lot of wealth with the people in the one percent, the people at
the top and you’ve got others who are trying to hang on. You have
a lot of out sourcing of work. There are benefits that they want
to strip.”

McAvoy was also at Occupy Wall Street last week and participated
in a march and demonstration at Verizon headquarters in the city.
During the strike, Verizon said that its average technician
salary is about $75,000.