Verizon hiring Blackwater XE to bust the union.

[readmoreoften]

So Pinkerton thugs and local police aren't bad enough. The bosses are now replacing their union busting force with high-tech robocop mercenaries best known for gang rape and mayhem?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/17/1008089/-Meet-Verizons-Newest-Security-Force:-Blackwater

[defendandprotect]

1. Wow -- I need to find a new cable carrier -- !!! They're all perverted!!!

[readmoreoften]

2. Write them and tell them you're tired of their union busting.

[defendandprotect]

3. We need some e-mail addresses -- names -- links --

[bluesmail]

37. I've got CREDO, formerly known as Working Assets. They are an anti union busting company.

You can opt to 'round up' and choose from a variety of causes you want your extra pennies to go, Love Them.

[rucognizant]

48. Credo/Working Assets

Didn't own the lines and Ihad to have Verizon for basic service Credo for long distance carrier only. Thankfully Fairpoint bought out Verizon and they are a fair company to deal with.
Does Credo still give a pint of Ben & Jerries a month for the first year?

[Dystopian]

4. KandR

This is getting ugly!
I was with Verizon strikers tonight...
Three very nice police officers...

But it's a small city....

This is unreal....
America as we now know it.


peace~

[democrat2thecore]

58. NO! It's false information. Please see this post.

Later in this thread, it's confirmed this is a false story. Even the union is denying this.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1762205&mesg_id=1767736

[Waiting For Everyman]

5. K&R I hope the strikers make sure to have video phones with them.

[eilen]

6. How surreal

We always conjectured the PTB would use Xe (new Pinkertons) against citizens when we rose up to fight for our rights. I wonder if they will use them in DC this Oct.

[McCamy Taylor]

7. Eeks! Is this even legal? Hiring paramilitaries to bust a union? Surely there is a law against it.

[madrchsod]

9. pinkerton`s with far better firepower.....

there`s no law against this.

[Brickbat]

25. Nope, not at all. In fact, sometimes they use the National Guard to do so.

[goforit]

8. Here we go, corporations hiring their own militia.

[Ilsa]

10. Yes, that the part of the story that I'm afraid the rest of the

corporations will take note of. And not just for union-busting.

[Ikonoklast]

23. They have always done so in this country.

Not one thing new about this.

[Auggie]

43. Okay, false story... but it's coming

[Blue_Tires]

11. Bilgewater doesn't exactly work for cheap

The cost to hire their services is probably more than what it would take to settle with the workers...

[Starry Messenger]

12. k&r

[Fearless]

13. See what happens when you swat the corporate beehive...

The bees get mad...

Now lets drown the whole damn hive before it gets started.

[H2O Man]

14. Recommended.

Very important OP. Thank you.

[War Horse]

15. Wow. My initial response when seeing this

was exactly like the first para. from your link:

Wait. What? Blackwater? That private, for-profit, trigger-happy army that killed 17 civilians in Nisour Square in Baghdad in 2007? Yeah. THAT BLACKWATER.

[Eyerish]

16. K&R

[roody]

17. Boycott!

[PatrynXX]

53. to who?

AT&T went along with wiretaps and now Verizon is anti american. Sprint cuts off soldiers for ROAMING too much and t mobile is joining them.

[Javaman]

18. Ahhh, the new pinkerton goons...

only these guys have automatic weapons.

Just another challenge, that will be overcome.

The history is of union busting is rooted in crimes against humanity.

They will beat, kick, punch, shoot and kill, but in the end, with unshakable resolve, the unions shall prevail.

Just a fact.

They should just sit down and negotiate now and spare the bloodshed and save us all a lot of grief and them a lot of bad publicity.

[readmoreoften]

21. Pinkerton on steroids. A lot of steroids.

[Luminous Animal]

19. Kick.

[lumberjack_jeff]

20. Pinkerton cops redux.

Maybe it's time for new Molly McGuires.

[MilesColtrane]

22. Link doesn't work for me.

"Error You do not have permission to view this diary."

[Remember Me]

35. me too nt

[MilesColtrane]

24. I can't find any confirmation of this.

All I find is locked threads, and nothing on the CWA Local 1104 web site about it.

I wouldn't put it past Verizon, but this looks like a rumor to me.

[TBF]

26. This is what I've been able to find -

and I want to add that this completely sucks. I just switched to Verizon a few months ago and have been very happy with their service.

Wait. What? Blackwater? That private, for-profit, trigger-happy army that killed 17 civilians in Nisour Square in Baghdad in 2007? Yeah. THAT BLACKWATER.

I have just confirmed with Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1104 that Blackwater is indeed being contracted by Verizon for security purposes. At this moment, CWA Local 1104 was not able to say how many security contractors have been hired or where they will be working. I’m sure more information will follow.

more here: http://www.unions.org/home/union-blog/2011/08/17/blackwater-mercenary-security-for-verizon/

[MilesColtrane]

27. Thanks.

It seems important enough that CWA Local 1104 would have this info up on their web site if it's true, but I couldn't find any reference to it there.

[TheMrLiberal]

39. The story is false.

It was written by a guy who could not name a single source. Upon seeing that same post on FB last night I took the time to check into it. I called both the CWA office in D.C. and Verizon, both denied the story was real. For more info, check out my direct response to the main thread.

[fascisthunter]

28. this could end badly... and Verizon should be held responsible...hired mercenaries on US soil

with the authority to bust unions??? Boy, talk about class warfare. Welcome to our fascist police state where now corporations have the authority to buy authority and use it against tax paying citizens... you sick, stupid greedy rich mothafuckas...

I will NEVER ask for their service again...!

[pam4water]

29. I can't see the page. "The error was: You do not have permission to view this diary." :(

[nahant]

30. Posting

I have posted this on my Facebook Wall... Have you yet?

[Tunkamerica]

31. removed from dailykos

http://itsmrliberal.blogspot.com/2011/08/did-verizon-hire-blackwaterxe-for.html

[DirtyDawg]

32. At least the CWA...

...at Verizon still has the guts to stand up to 'em. At AT&T the CWA has all but surrendered. Of note when AT&T started it's conversion to U-verse, not only were the sales and customer service people 'not' represented, but the installation/repair as well. Meanwhile, long-term, CWA-represented Network installers and repair people are being 'surplussed' left and right while they hire people from 'off the street'.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[SoapBox]

34. wow...I missed this.

[TheMrLiberal]

57. No, you didn't

There's nothing to miss. The story is a fake. Call CWAs office in D.C. if you don't believe me.

[EC]

36. The Corps have been hiring mercenaries in other

countries for years...why did we not think it could happen here? Look at Dole Corp in South America. Everywhere that reports rebellions etc. through the years have been employment disputes...of course the MSM doesn't report that, they make up other reasons. Even the Pirates in Africa started out as employees who weren't paid by the oil companies taking over the tankers as ransom until they got their pay.

So of course it was going to happen here again. Just like with the coal miners when Pinkerton killed so many. I thought there were laws against mercenaries in the USA?

[TheMrLiberal]

38. That is false information

I spent all morning researching the info found on that now broken link. I called and spoke with officials at both Verizon and CWA, both said the story was false. The author of that post has spread that lie all over the web. For more info please visit my blog @ itsmrliberal.blogspot.com.

We are not Faux viewers, we need to not act like it when we see a story that makes our blood boil. We need to remain level headed and look into it and find the facts.

[SalviaBlue]

40. Thank you for looking into this.

I'm glad i didn't see this until late in the day. It would be too outrageous... if true.

I wiill ck out your blog.

[Jim_Shorts]

44. How do we know that you are Mr Liberal and not Mr Verizon ? LOL

Is this part of the misinformation? Who wrote the story?

http://www.unions.org/home/union-blog/2011/08/17/blackwater-mercenary-security-for-verizon/

[0rganism]

47. i'm getting a 404 on content for your link

seems plausible that corpos might try something like this, but the possibility for bad pr and lawsuits resulting from some asshole merc going over the top would be enough to dissuade... it'd last until the first blowup.

bad as things are here, it's not quite colombia yet.

[TheMrLiberal]

50. try the link again

itsmrliberal.blogspot.com or go to facebook.com/misterliberal

[Jim_Shorts]

52. Ya, they erased the page

There weren't any sources listed for the story anyway. If it turns out to be a real story, I'm sure someone will leak the goods.

With the way repugs are trying to put the last nail in the coffin of unions right now, it does seem plausible.

[TheMrLiberal]

49. Santone

Mr. Santone wrote the story and has been passing it around the web like a hooker at a frat party.

[annabanana]

46. What you mean "we" Kimosabe? . . . . . n/t

[TheMrLiberal]

51. "We" as in me and my blogging assistant/media contact

I have a staff of one besides myself who connects me to the companies/government agencies I try to gather info from.

[nadinbrzezinski]

41. Since I don't have permission to view such a diary

anyhow this does not shock me or surprise me

The US has a history of this crap

On edit, so does Colombia where paramilitaries have disappeared a few labor leaders.

[TygrBright]

42. The link is broken and the story is inflammatory and unsubstantiated.

It appears to have been posted for the sole purpose of eliciting outrage and overreaction and over-the-type hyperbole from DUers.

I don't wanna play.

disgustedly,
Bright

[TheMrLiberal]

At least you get it

I've been all over the web trying to tell people the story was false. Hell, I called both the Unions office in D.C. and Verizon. Both denied the story.

[TheMrLiberal]

56. At least you get it

I've been all over the web trying to tell people the story was false. Hell, I called both the Unions office in D.C. and Verizon. Both denied the story.

[gateley]

45. I hope everybody who has Verizon can cancel their contract - and

is willing to.

This is like the stories from the "old days" -- the thugs beating up the organizers. I'm getting ahead of myself, but why else would you hire a smarmy, whatever-you-want-for-hire contractor like Xe?

[Canuckistanian]

54. This story needs to be verified first

It's not looking as if Verizon actually hired Xe. The whole story has been from one unsourced writer.

Even DKOS has pulled the article.

[gateley]

55. Thanks for talking me down. It was nice outrage while it lasted!

[IamK]

59. people here post before even reading the story....

[valerief]

60. ASSHOLES. nt

[blkmusclmachine]

61. Brownshirts.

n/t

[avaistheone1]

62. Yes.

I think so.