Might be a good time to sign up for FIOS, I bet Verizon is giving some good deals. As for the worker demands, with 14 million people unemployed in the country I have to think that these strikers could be replaced.

Its about time the unions realized that healthcare isn't free, among other things.

"although not near the Basking Ridge Verizon Center," Actually, they absolutely WERE protesting there with "STRIKE" signs this afternoon, as I drove past them on my way home from work.

We can do without cable TV, but I'd hate to see that many people laid-off. It upsets me more that all local towns have considerably fewer police officers than they did even a year ago. Now that's a problem.

Everyone comments on the people who go on strike in a negative light... These people are just like you and I. Why shouldnt they be able to have health benefits and a retirement package? Verizon isn't hurting, the CEO's are still getting there bonus's at the end of the year. Verizon can afford it and still make a profit. This is another way of how the wealthy/rich become more powerful and the middle class thins out...

i got verizon, and im a union ironworker out of work. thinking services suck, but workers who came to install were great, def ibew, not sure what local. but i will drop tommorow for my union brothers! union stand strong, all of us,

Let us not start another attack on people who dont make 200k a year. Maybe some demands are absurd but the more you make the LESS they take. These are just people trying to make a decent living and yes verizon is not broke. I refuse to continue attacks on blue collar workers. Congress gets all the goodies on our dime lets attack them.

Please folks do not think I am protecting state workers. They needed and adjustment because we pay with taxes. Verizon is private.

If non-union workers at Verizon have to pay into their health benefits why shouldn't the union workers have to pay the same?

Verizon is reporting record profits,in the billions of dollars. on the backs of these union workers........this is nothing more than attack on the middle class period.

Management non union workers at verizon pay a very small premium for insurance compared to other private sector workers. And I know because my brother in law and his eight brothers work at verizon some are union some are not. They are doing way better than other private sector with insurance affordability. But once again verizon is a billion dollar company and they are not hurting at all.

The fact is that so many people don't join Unions or organize because they see some long term benefit for themselves in either promotion or compensation and Management has figured out how to use that feeling to keep wages and benefits lower. It works to the disavantage of working people most of whom will never achieve anything more than a working career. There will only ever be 10 percent in the top 10 percent. Why the 90 percent continue to believe the myth of being a part of that 10 per cent is beyond me. Unions have driven improvements in the middleclass since the beginning of the Labor movement. Don't be mad at the Labor movement be thankfull for it.

Verizon has been raking in record profits of late. I'm sure they can ease up on some of their 100 demands of concessions. I've also noticed some more brilliant assumptions about all Union workers being lazy and doing the bare minimum. Unions built this country and helped it become #1 (no longer). For many the American dream is being in a Union and working hard in a skilled craft while receiving a fair salary and benefits in order to provide for their families.

Folks might also want to investigate which parts of Verizon are actually profitable. Everyone keeps spouting off the "record profits" rhetoric - while the wireless segment was extremely profitable, the landline segment LOST money AGAIN this year.

want to see what unions do to companies? Just look at GM. The UAW sucked the life out of that company and they went bankrupt. Shareholders own Verizon, not the unions, the profits that Verizon generates belong to the company's owners, not the unions. The argument that just because Verizon is profitable they should give away more to the unions is complete BS. The Board of Verizon and management have a duty to maximize the company's profits to benefit their owners and that doesn't include the unions.

Bust the unions and install replacements ASAP, with 14 million unemployed I am sure Verizon will find plenty of qualified people to take those jobs. If the unions don't like the deal they have been offered, too bad.

Sure Bust the Unions. Let's have more people that can't afford to buy things and grow our ecconomy. It is all about demand and without that you are kidding yourselves. BTW Shareholders are not workers and if not for the real workers the shareholders wouldn't have anything. Henry Ford understood that by paying a decent wage he could grow his customer base. He was a capitalist who understood capitalism. GM went down the tubes because of lousy designs and bean counters not because their workers didn't work. Now repeat after me.

There once was a Union maid
who said she wasn't afraid
Of the goons and the ginks
and the company finks and
the deputy Sheriffs who made the raids.
She would show her card
to the National Guard
and this is what she'd say
Oh you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the Union

Clarke, GM is an entirely different story. It went bankrupt due to their cars being complete garbage under the watch of horrible leadership. Only now is the US auto industry gaining some confidence in buyers again.

Verizon is demanding over 100 give backs from the Union, so I'm not sure where you getting your information from. Also training these type of workers can take upwards of a year, which would cost Verizon millions of dollars. In the end they will probably meet in the middle somewhere.

I see Maxie is up to his or her old tricks again..... Personal attacks along with degrading remarks. Keep up the good work Maxie!! Now lets all watch and laugh as Maxie goes completely ballistic.

MadInNJ, at least stick to your guns after making a statement. You said all Unions tell their people to due the bare minimum, therefore implying that all Unions have a poor work ethic. Your comment is incredibly uninformed and borderline fictional. At least do us the favor of really saying what you mean or STFU!!