Labor Board charges Verizon Business illegally interfered with employees' freedom to form a union by Rand Wilson

Management tactics included making illegal threats, intimidation and surveillance of union supporters

In two separate cases, the National Labor Relations Board issued formal complaints against Verizon Business (VZB) for violating federal labor laws by spying on workers, suppressing free speech in the workplace and issuing illegal warnings to union supporters.

The complaints were issued by the Region 2 (NY) and Region 6 (PA) offices of the NLRB on August 30. The complaints were made after an investigation of charges filed by workers in Verizon Business' Monsey, NY and Pittsburgh, PA facilities earlier this year.The Board's complaints allege that Verizon management:
· "...selectively and disparately prohibited union solicitations and distributions, while permitting nonunion solicitations and distributions."· "...engaged in surveillance of employees to discourage their union activities. [And] created an impression amongst its employees that their union activities were under surveillance."· illegally warned two VZB techs for supporting the union.· illegally "informed the employees that they were not to discuss the union at work."· illegally "threatened employees with layoff for supporting the union"· illegally gave two oral warnings and one written warning to three pro-union VZB techs.

"Verizon technicians want to have the same job protections and rights that so-called "core" Verizon employees have. Instead management has subjected us to its propaganda machine and interfering with our rights on the job. Top management should recognize our union and begin bargaining for the good jobs and respect we all deserve," said Dave Rogol, a Senior Technician at Verizon Business who works at its Charlton, MA facility.

"It's about time this company got slapped for intimidating VZB techs from making a free and fair choice," said Chris Shelton, Vice President of CWA District One, which includes more than 26,000 Verizon members throughout the Northeast. "Now Verizon should honor the neutrality and union recognition procedure that so many other Verizon employees have benefited from."

The National Labor Relations Act forbids employers from interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees in the exercise of rights relating to organizing, forming, joining or assisting a labor organization for collective bargaining purposes, or engaging in protected concerted activities to improve wages and working conditions.

NLRB hearings by an Administrative Law Judge on the Pittsburgh complaint are planned for October 31. Separate hearings on the Monsey, NY case are set for November 5 in New York City. For copies of the NLRB complaints, contact Rand Wilson by email at rwilson@aflcio.org. For more info about the technicians organizing campaign, visit www.freechoiceatverizon.com.