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The Communications Workers of America created a parody video as a response to a propaganda piece Verizon sent out to 45,000 unionized employees in an attempt to get workers to stop fighting proposed cuts to worker benefits. In the Verizon video, company executives try to make the case that union workers should cave to demands from Verizon:
The video details company demands such as concessions on health care and the expectation that workers learn to do multiple jobs, with sales reps handling some tech functions and tech support workers handling some sales.
As we previously reported, there is no need for Verizon to demand the cuts:
There is no need for Verizon to pursue the level of cuts to compensation for their workers that they are after. Verizon had a $6 billion profit last year (on revenues of $108 billion) and just paid a $10 billion dividend. Over the last four years, the company has a total of more than $19 billion in profits. Verizon's profits not only make them one of the richest and most successful companies in the country, they are outperforming the overall communications industry. The company's chair, Ivan Seidenberg makes more than 300 times what the average Verizon worker makes. The top five executives have been paid more than $250 million in the past four years.
These demands are being presented during a time when Verizon has paid a -2.9 percent tax rate in recent years.
The video from Verizon:
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