Dear Brothers and Sisters:

The CWA Local 1103 Executive Board would like to say thank you to all of our Verizon Members that we have spoken to or visited during the contract ratification process.  We especially want to thank you for the courtesy, respect, and patience that you have shown us.

During our visits, we tried very hard to meet our goals of answering all of your contractual and benefit questions, clearing up some major misconceptions and misinformation, and conveying to you in very clear terms what the consequences could have been if the contract was not ratified.   

We explained that during the last year and half, it was our strong opinion that Verizon was looking to provoke and push the union leadership into calling a strike.  The strategy, clearly, was to force us off the job, and to keep us out. 

We know that some of our members were disinclined to support the contract due to concessions, because initially we shared the same, reflexive opposition.

However, when this Board was faced with taking a position on ratification, we asked ourselves, “Do we plunge into an irresponsible decision just because a fanatical fringe of our membership puts pride above reason?”  And, “Do we put you and your family in jeopardy by asking you to concede your job security and thereby subject you to the cruel realities of impasse and/or a strike?”

The answer was No. 

This Executive Board could not carry on its conscience; the elimination of your jobs that we believed would have come with a rejection of the contract.       

We know the events of the last two years have brought us all closer together, and we are thankful to have members like you who trusted the leadership of this Local to make the right recommendations on your behalf. 

In solidarity,

CWA Local 1103's Executive Board