To Lowell McAdam, Verizon

Dear Mr. McAdam,

I stand in solidarity with the 45,000 workers who are on strike.

I am a long time customer. I give you quite a bit of money each month for a 3-phone VZW unlimited family plan, and a nearly-loaded FiOS triple play. For each of these services, you have competitors and I have no problem switching my service to a company that behaves as a good citizen.

I grew up in a time when my father could work as a CWA member for Ma Bell to feed, clothe, house and educate a family of four, while providing for a secure retirement for him and my mother. Corporate behavior such as yours now is designed to destroy that way of life. I want a road back, and you can help.

Over the past four years alone, Verizon has made $19 billion in profits while paying its top five executives $250 million in compensation and bonuses. It’s outrageous that you are demanding huge givebacks from workers at the same time.

With middle-class families already struggling, it’s time for Verizon to share its success with the hardworking Americans who made it possible. This is not a time for corporate greed. It is time to do the right thing.

Verizon kicked off bargaining with dramatic concessionary demands and has not budged. And you continue to refuse to bargain seriously with the CWA and the IBEW.

That’s why 45,000 of your employees aren’t at work but will return once you agree to bargain fairly.

Please drop your unfair demands and return to the bargaining table to negotiate a new contract in good faith.