Verizon Declares Post-Hurricane Irene Emergency In New York After All

The union says it's because of public pressure. The phone giant says it's a "fairly standard" move done because the "timing was right." Whatever the reason, on Thursday Verizon officially declared a state of emergency in New York, four days after Tropical Storm Irene made landfall in the state, and two days after the company said it was "actually in pretty good shape."

The emergency declaration will require employees -- who a union rep said were more than willing to put in extra hours -- to work overtime making storm damage repairs. Thousands on Long Island and in upstate New York are still without landline phone service nearly a week after Irene left a path of downed lines and toppled trees.

A spokesman for Verizon said it was "ridiculous to even suggest" that the emergency was declared in response to the Communications Workers of America's public claims on Tuesday that they were being denied overtime as punishment for a recently abandoned strike.

"Union comments or theatrics don't have an impact on our decision-making process," regional director of media relations John Bonomo said.

"Why did they wait until almost a week after the hurricane to declare emergencies?" CWA District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton shot back.

The outages on Long Island and elsewhere also mean, in some cases, that customers have lost internet and television service provided through Verizon's FiOS plan.

"People who don't have internet or TV service are kind of annoyed that they don't have it, and landline service is important, because as we've seen, when major emergencies occur, cellphones go out," Shelton said.

Comments

[mzsumthing]

09:13 AM on 09/07/2011

The union was just surprised when the workers returned and there was NO BACK LOG! Traditionally, union strikers counted on returning to work after striking to unlimited over time. However, Verizon was not having any of it.... reason why the unions were surprised when Verizon told them to walk-out.

The union execs sold-out its members...by returning to work without a contract. Verizon continues to state its major concessions are STILL ON THE TABLE. What part of that does the union not understand? The union was not about to dig into its coffers to pay members medical insurance and other expenses which would have be implemented within 30 day marker.

Now, the union is crying 'fail' because there was no OT for its returning workers.... again, traditionally, this is how union members recoup there financial lost while out on strike. Yes, I have many family members in Detroit who retired from auto companies.... die hard union members. Yes, the union is responsible for many worker benefits/conditions in place today..... THANK YOU! But, Verizon is not about to give-in... will be interesting to see what happens in the next 3 weeks.

[pszaffuto]

01:03 PM on 09/03/2011

All this proves is that people can be so self centered as to think the world evolves around them. In bad times, all should try to cooperate and pull together. This is not the time for pettiness. I never was or will ever be a part of the union. And...You know something I never actually took a job because of what it paid but because it was I wanted to do.
If you sweep floors and that is all you can do--should you keep getting pay rasises because you have done it for 20 years. I am not so sure. Maybe if you learned some other skills along the way--like how to repair and improve the floors that is a different story.
I was brought up to learn as much as possible not just to get more money. Money comes and goes. But what you learn is with you forever.

[mtrav]

11:58 AM on 09/06/2011

I'm sure you're still sweeping floors because it's what you like to do. You should move on.

[filo]

08:37 AM on 09/03/2011

In the past Verizon. NY Tel, NYNEX, Bell Atlantic, would have declared an emergency Sunday evening.

[mtrav]

11:58 AM on 09/06/2011

immediately, they were playing games with both their customers and the employees, not very good public relations.

[visualbasicide]

06:35 AM on 09/03/2011

Of course it is if people have usage based plans are aren't using the service, chaos I tell you, utter madness.

[Shorty Kellems]

05:54 AM on 09/03/2011

Now that is rich!! LOL.
Union strategy thugs feigning shock at timing! These are the same goons provide strategy for all the unions. Timing is everything.:
1.,Postal or Fed-ex, UPS, etc unions timed to strike right before Christmas, thereby inflicting maximum damage and badwill towards employer.
2.) Transit/Airline oriented unions are trained to always strike around the biggest travel holidays, thereby causing the most suffering and heartbreak for passengers.
3.)Sanitation crews always strike right after Christmas, when the maximum amount of garbage needs removal.
No, the fact is, these union "brothers", are not YOUR friend at all. They time their shenanigans to inflict maximum pain to you, whenever they can.

[Kate McCloud]

08:10 PM on 09/02/2011

Living in a Right-to-work state, I am too ignorant to understand this story. (not joking)

Never having interacted with a Union or a Union Rep. or fellow members or "collective bargaining" WTF? I think my letter carrier is in a Union and my sister is in a teacher's union (no idea which)and I guess our NFL Players are in theirs. That's all I know in my world.
It is a very foreign concept and that does not mean un-American. Look up "foreign" in a dictionary, Ayn Runt T-bagrs.
Hey Wisconsin, Mich, Ohio, NY, CA talking to you . Do you appreciate the difference Unions have made?

[Beer 1]

06:49 AM on 09/03/2011

Difference? Unions have done a lot of good no doubt. Oddly, the states you use as an example of the difference are all in severe fiscal trouble. To be blamed on unions? Not all of the problem of course but some to be fair.

[Kate McCloud]

03:00 PM on 09/03/2011

Unions have no connection to fiscal trouble.
List of Right-to-work states with high debts & deficits:
Arizona, Louisiana, Florida, Nevada, NC, SC, Kansas
Looks like the mortgage securities, less than 20% of which were Freddie/Fannie, the rest with the TOO-Big to fail crowd, are still our #1 culprit in recession debacle

[mtrav]

12:01 PM on 09/06/2011

they're not in severe fiscal trouble because of Unions, they're just being made the straw man for everything that the greedy capitalists have done to destroy our economy.

[pszaffuto]

01:08 PM on 09/03/2011

Been there--and the difference they made was to destroy an economy. Ohio has been in a recession for about 35 years and just now beginning to admit it. I believe if a union provides a service and does good work, one should be free to choose it. If you choose not to that should be your privilege. After all, the last time I looked we were still the USA--a land of freedom.

[mtrav]

12:03 PM on 09/06/2011

no one has to belong to a Union, if they don't like being represented by one, you can always work in a right to work for less slave mill like walmart.

[nofriendofrepublicans]

07:27 PM on 09/02/2011

Big corporation liars, they don't care about their employees or customers, just their bonuses.

[mtrav]

12:03 PM on 09/06/2011

F&F!

[David Schlessinger]

05:47 PM on 09/02/2011

Anything which can make this company lose profits, and be exposed for being corrupt cheaters can only be a good thing.

[Shorty Kellems]

05:34 AM on 09/03/2011

And when they're gone, you will work where?

[mtrav]

12:04 PM on 09/06/2011

sweeping floors with you.