Verizon Strike

The Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers are fighting Verizon's call for a pension freeze and for contributions to health insurance premiums, among other things. About 45,000 Verizon workers from Massachusetts to Virginia walked off the job Aug. 7.

Bob and I have Verizon Wireless. I read more about the protests outside the home of Verizon's CEO. These workers do not work for Verizon Wireless. They work for Verizon Phone, land line division.

More and more, especially those 30 and under, are forgoing land lines for cell phone usage only. It's been the trend for years.

This is a matter of economics. Less demand, reduce overhead. Less workers needed to service fewer land lines.

The request for changes in pensions and requesting employee contribution toward health care are very common among many companies. Bob started paying toward our health coverage in the late 1980s. He was hired under a pension that was removed for new hires in the mid-1980s. As the 401(k) was introduced in the late 1970s, more and more companies have contributed toward a "match" of 401(k) contributions and less toward established pension plans. This is especially true for non-union employees.

So, here we are 30 years later and unions are refusing what management had no choice about. Times have changed. Less pension plans and less land lines.

'til later