The Communication Workers of America (CWA) has unleashed new TV attack ads criticizing Verizon, adding fuel to the fire in an ongoing contract battle between the union and carrier.
The new 30-second spot takes Verizon to task for failing to keep its promise to bring FiOS to any customer in New York City who wanted it. The allegations are based on an audit from June of this year that found Verizon has not met its 2008 promise to deliver the high-speed network to all New Yorkers by 2014. Verizon has disputed the findings.
“Verizon made a lot of promises to New Yorkers, but did it keep them,” the ad asks. “New Yorkers have been asking for FiOS…and getting the runaround.”
The union has also put renewed pressure on Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam with a similarly-themed letter signed by the mayors of cities in three states, including New York City, Pittsburgh, Newark, Jersey City, Buffalo, Worcester, Paterson, Syracuse, Lowell, Albany, Brockton, Trenton and Revere, as well as the Democratic candidate for Mayor in Philadelphia.
After a similar letter was sent by New York mayors in July, Verizon spokesperson Rich Young blasted the CWA’s inclusion of elected officials in the negotiating process.
“The CWA owes these mayors an apology,” Young said at the time. “Unfortunately, the mayors were seemingly misled to think FiOS deployment is an issue that’s being negotiated. It’s not. Sadly, it seems the mayors were just a ploy as part of this bargaining publicity gimmick.”
The moves come amid a negotiation battle between the CWA and Verizon that has left nearly 40,000 union workers on the job without a contract since August 1.
The CWA is also representing nearly 30,000 workers in the Southeast in another contract dispute with AT&T and is organizing a “Day of Solidarity” for those workers on Oct. 16 during which workers will wear black and stand together for a “fair contract.” The collective bargaining agreement for those workers also expired in early August.
The CWA has previously said that the contract negotiations with AT&T are focused on “respect, a better quality of family life and keeping good jobs in our communities.”
