On Tuesday December 11, 2007 VZB tech John Linder of New York, and VZB tech David Rogol of MA went down to DC to offer testimony to members of Congress and the Press on Verizon's Union Busting. John Linder spoke eloquently at the hearing about how Verizon is not respecting the majority of its techs who want to join a union.

The Congressional Forum on Collective Bargaining was the first of its kind. It was  led by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Rep. George Miller (D-CA).  Other members of Congress who attended included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH and Jack Reed (D-RI) and Reps. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Phillip Hare (D-IL) and John Sarbanes (D-MD).

John said it best at the forum: "I have served several tours of duty in both Afghanistan and Iraq. My country called me to serve, telling me I had to fight to protect freedom here in the United States. Imagine the irony of returning home and finding that my freedom to join a union is being denied."

The IBEW and CWA will continue to support our Brothers and Sisters at VZB, and we will prevail.