This post courtesy of the Communications Workers of America

First, a full disclosure: I own Verizon stock. Its dividends are part of my income. That said, I'll be damned if I'll passively put up with a few greedy SOBs at the top taking multi-million dollar salaries, bonuses and stock options while their (and my) employees get shafted.

If you, like me, own Verizon stock, I encourage you to vote no on every stock holder ballot that asks for approval of a compensation plan, a bonus plan, approval of new Board of Directors members nominated by the company, or so much as putting a dried turd in the CEO's pocket until the Communications Workers of America have an agreement they feel they can sign. Want to know why? Over to you, CWA:

August 20, 2012 News for supporters and allies Every Verizon Job, A Union Job! This month—more than a year after Verizon workers’ contracts expired—representatives of CWA and IBEW and the company are in round the clock mediation sessions in Washington, DC, in a process being overseen by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. If that process breaks down, workers could be locked out or on strike within 7 days. We need your support now more than ever. With livelihoods and futures on the line, workers and supporters across the country have launched a massive mobilization to demand that the company bargain fair contracts that support good union jobs Thirteen Months On, Verizon Still Demands Deep Cuts After a year of stalled negotiations with workers in Verizon East, it is clear that the company’s strategy is to destroy middle-class jobs and roll back benefits earned over decades of hard work by CWA and IBEW members at the bargaining table and on the streets. The cuts to wages and benefits that Verizon is asking for are shocking and represent an all-out war on the middle class. For example: Wages that don’t keep up with the cost of living Higher health care costs and fewer benefits for current workers and retirees Pensions gutted for those currently covered and no pensions at all for new hires Job security becomes a thing of the past More outsourcing of good union jobs And the fight for fairness is not restricted to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. CWA members in the Southwest began bargaining in July and are facing the same demands by the company. Workers in the West are preparing to bargain in early 2013 and are expecting the same attacks by the company they now call Verigreedy. "It's flat out bullying and it's disgusting." Nearly five thousand workers and supporters rallied at the Verizon offices in downtown Philadelphia on Saturday, August 11, to demand a fair contract. One of the heroes among the sea of red CWA shirts at the Workers Stand for America rally was a woman fired by Verizon after she stood up for fairness. Jennifer Travis, a CWA member who helped run a repair call center in Pittsburgh, was fired last fall after 15 years of service to Verizon. She told her story to thousands of brothers and sisters in Philadelphia. Her situation, sadly, is not uncommon. Verizon fired or disciplined dozens of union activists after last year’s strike in what many believe was an effort to intimidate workers who would stand up for fairness and exercise their union rights. During the Verizon strike, Travis took her husband and two of her three kids to the picket line. She wanted to pass on the pride of being in a union to her children. We were loud and boisterous, but peaceful. The company says that I assaulted a manager as he escorted a scab across our picket line. Those are outrageous and false allegations. And, together with my union, we are fighting back. But mine was not an isolated incident. Several of my brothers and sisters were fired or disciplined last August for similarly trumped up charges. What many of us have in common is our highly visible status as union leaders and activists. It makes me wonder if the company retaliated against us in an effort to intimidate other members who would consider standing up for their union in the future. If that’s true, it’s flat out bullying, and it’s disgusting. Workers have the right to exercise their union rights without fear of intimidation and harassment by the boss. We know: Workers’ rights are human rights! Watch this emotional video of Jen Travis talking about Verizon's intimidation tactics, then share it with everyone you know who cares about fairness. Corporate bullies like Verizon rely on our silence. Stand up to Verizon and show your support for Jen's bravery--watch and share today: Thank You to Our Allies! Jobs with Justice activists helped the cause on Tuesday, August 7, by delivering thousands of postcards to Verizon board member Joseph Neubauer demanding that he step up and help remove the roadblocks the company has put in the way of fairness. Justin Harrison, a splicing technician for Verizon in Philadelphia and Unit 1 President of CWA Local 13000 explained: Mr. Neubauer and all the members of the board share responsibility for the way Verizon treats its workers. . . . It's time that people like Neubauer stand up and take responsibility. My co-workers and I are going to be standing up to Verizon and those who support its job-killing policies today and every day until we win a fair deal. Religious Leaders Decry Verizon's Lack of Good Faith The Clergy Community for Social and Economic Justice, an organization representing more than 2,000 faith communities in New York state took a public stand with Verizon employees by sending a letter to CEO Lowell McAdam on August 1. The group declared that Verizon’s “failure to negotiate with workers in good faith” and its overall business plan “represent a fantastic race to the bottom,” that is “extremely detrimental” to the community. In another bold move, almost 100 religious leaders from many faiths signed a letter to McAdam on August 2, asking for a meeting to discuss the plight of workers at the company. “Working people deserve fair wages and adequate health coverage, safe and nonthreatening work environments, and time off to care for themselves and their families,” the letter declared. These leaders called on McAdam to bring the negotiations to a just resolution—honoring the dignity of workers. Let's Stand Up to Verizon Together Thursday Rallies Verizon is a $100 billion company that made $10 billion in profits last year and rewarded top executives with millions in raises and bonuses. Verizon’s limitless greed embodies the 1%. We must STAND UP TO VERIZON together. Our future, and the future of our families and communities, is on the line. Workers are inviting union brothers and sisters and other allies to join them at selected sites for Solidarity Rallies every Thursday until they get a contract. To find out about an action near you, go to StandUpToVerizon.com and click on “Find an Action Near You”. Workers and allies also continue to organize weekly actions at Verizon Wireless stores, Darden Restaurants, and Popular Community Bank branches nationwide. For updates on the campaign for good jobs at Verizon, text STANDUPNOW to 69866 right now.