Verizon may be the best wireless carrier, but are they the best employer? On the back of the recent CWA strike against Verizon, for attempting to take away the workers retirement and most of the health care, the company has had mandatory 12-hour days 7 days a week for almost a month. I know this because me stepfather works for Verizon and has not had a day of rest since they went back to work. This man in New York had been doing the very same thing and on September 14th it caught up with him. Though no one knows exactly how the line got loose, if the man had been fully alert he would have noticed the problem and very likely not died that day due to electrocution. On the back of this tragedy Verizon has now let their workers take weekends off, but it is still 12-hour days for the other 5 days of the week. This is an astronomical change compared to their usual hours, which were from 7am-3pm. It is causing many people health problems, but for fear for their jobs they will not take any days off. Verizon still refuses to comment in any capacity about these occurrences.
Many would ask what human right this violates, because it does not seem like there are any. But there are. Work under favorable conditions is the first. No one should be subject to an amount of work that could be dangerous to their health or well-being. Another is the right to rest and leisure. This is something that in developed countries often keeps us going. To have no time to get adequate rest and time away from work can be very dangerous to someone in a very physically demanding field.
Personally, I feel like Verizon is trying to punish the workers for not just lying down and accepting their terms during the strike and now. Unfortunately, big CEO types do not understand the full affect of their decisions on those below them. This man died. My stepfather's back problems are getting worse. Someone else is likely very sick, but to scared to go to the doctor. Verizon needs to be stopped. 12-hour days have not been the norm since the industrial period and there is a reason for that. Health workers are productive workers and for some reason Verizon is not registering that at the moment. There is a point when corporate gain over worker safety sentiments gets to be too much and I think for Verizon, that they have reached it.
Do you think that what Verizon is doing is okay? Should they be called out for it? Why are MNCs so unconcerned with their workers health and lives?
This is a very well written Blog; but unfortunatly you might not like my reply. Working for Verizon is a very well paid job that still has some limited benefits. Try throwing this story to a blue-collar worker that has completly no benefits and works sun up to sundown in the blazing heat of summer and the freezing cold of winter and I feel that you will not have much sympathy. These workers do not have any benefits at all. In addition, they suffer through more healthcare problems than most workers.In an age when unemployement is high, wages are lower and prices are high people should be lucky to have a job at all. Workers at Verizon should be happy about their secure jobs and the overtime work. Most people are seeing a reduction in work hours and in a time of economic troubles overtime work is a welcome relief to most American workers. The problem should be solved from the top by reducing unemployment, lowering prices and balancing wages.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that it is ridiculous that verizon is making their workers work 12 hour days and are not allowed to take time off. However, I am sure there are people that would love to trade lives with a Verizon worker. During these economic times many people would love to work 12 hours a day 5 days a week. In many jobs now people are looking for more hours because their hours are likely reduced. So yes it may not be "fair" to the Verizon worker, but if someone else had this opportunity they would not be complaining to have a job.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of the comments above. Verizon workers should be grateful they even have jobs, however, I do not think that it is okay they are treated in such a way. People should have better working conditions and employees should rally together to make this happen. There is a union already in existence called Unity@Verizon. This group consists of Verizon employees who are working towards gaining better benefits, better hours, higher wages, etc. Maybe your stepfather should join this! I think a union is a great way for disgruntled employees to gain more control over large corporations that do not always have their workers' interests in mind at the expense of making a profit. The economy is going through a hard time as previously stated and consequently, so are the majority of those who are employed- as well as unemployed- in this country.
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