Members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation joined Occupy Syracuse and over 40 members of the Communication Workers of America for a rally in front of Verizon Wireless on Nov. 3 in Syracuse, N.Y. The mobilization was part of a coordinated day of actions against Verizon greed.
CWA members are continuing their months-long struggle against corporate giant Verizon. Workers are demanding fair contracts as the company continues to make record profits while attempting to slash benefits for its workers. CWA, along with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, was forced into a two-week strike in August after management refused to negotiate on $1 billion in concessions from workers. The strike forced management back to the negotiating table, but there are still several issues unresolved.
In a show of solidarity, the group rallied in front of Verizon headquarters before marching to join Occupy Syracuse, where they were met with applause and cheers. Occupy Syracuse has been occupying downtown Perseverance Park for over a month, hosting rallies, marches and teach-ins on a weekly basis. The park is located on public property directly in front of a Chase bank office building and one block away from the Federal Building.
The workers carried signs reading, “Verizon Workers are the 99%” and “Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Verizon, Occupy Everything.” Workers eagerly read the latest edition of Liberation, which helps contextualize the Occupy movement within the ongoing global struggle for workers’ rights. The special Occupy edition boldly proclaims “Seize the Banks!” on the front page, and includes important contributions to the Occupy discourse, including articles about the role of the police and the war machine in defending the 1 percent and why only socialism can solve the current economic crises.
