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Long Beach telephone workers protest job losses
Members of the Communication Workers of America union demonstrate outside of the Verizon building in Long Beach.
(
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/KPCC
)
Members of the Communications Workers of America staged a protest rally outside a Verizon call center in Long Beach.
(
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez
)
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Long Beach telephone workers protest job losses
Long Beach telephone workers protest job losses
Some Southland telephone workers who answer and help maintain emergency and information call services will join the ranks of the unemployed this month. The labor union that represents them staged a large protest rally today outside their building in Long Beach.
Labor leaders say Verizon informed dozens of Long Beach workers a couple of months ago that they’d be laid off, and others that their jobs would be moving to Midwestern and Eastern states.
Sally Weger was one of those employees. She’s worked three decades for Verizon. Next Friday will be her last day on the job.
"For 2½ weeks I was in a state of shock and depression. And I’m getting better now with the support of my fellow union people. And the women in my office we all are kind of leaning on each other to help each other out because none of us have looked for a job for 30-31 years."
Labor leaders and Long Beach elected officials say there’s little they can do, other than exert pressure through state and federal lawmakers.
A Verizon spokesman said the company adjusts its workforce to adapt in a competitive industry. The company reported a nearly one-third drop in profit per share for the third quarter of this year because of higher operating costs on its wireless operations.
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