Several hundred people represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers demonstrated outside the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington DC urging the agency to just say ‘NO!’ to a proposed deal between Verizon and Frontier Communications.
Verizon Communications wants to sell landlines inWest Virginiaand 13 other states to Frontier so it can take advantage of a tax loophole. As a spokesperson for the AFL-CIO noted, “Similar deals by Verizon in other states have ended in bankruptcy, lost jobs, the loss of high speed broadband access and overall reduced service quality.”
Following the rally, CWA President Larry Cohen, a group of CWA members and local officials fromWest Virginiamet with FCC Commissioner Michael Copps and other FCC officials to express their opposition.
The union presented Copps with letters from 71West Virginialegislators and 18 county commissioners who oppose the deal, as well as petitions from more than 5,000West Virginiacitizens.
“This deal will pad the pockets of Wall Street executives while only deepening the digital divide,” said CWA District 2 Vice President Ron Collins.