PROTEST SBC/PacBell

PROTEST SBC/PACIFIC BELL CORPORATE GREED THURSDAY 11/7 Join Union Telephone Workers as we fight for our jobs and Communities. SBC has proposed layoffs and plans to disinvest in California's telephone network. These layoffs and threats to degrade service for customers in California are not only unnecessary, but fit into a pattern of corporate greed and abuse nationally. SBC says their profits aren't big enough. We say let the people decide. Open the Books; All the Books. Join with us as we connect the dots and Resist Corporate Greed. We need your support like you need our support. SBC/Pacific Bell relies on the division between worker and customer, union and community to get away with corporate robbery. All of our bills will get higher and all of our service will get worse unless we unite and fight back. SBC is making zillions $$$ off of wireless. Who should benefit from this technology that can solve many of our problems? Unemployment should be a thing of the past, but the corporate world seems to think they should just pocket the difference resulting from the new technologies - to hell with the needs of the people - greed redefined and achieving a whole new level. Arrogance. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH - JOIN US - SAVE OUR JOBS - STOP CORPORATE ABUSE 5PM - THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2002 2150 WEBSTER ST DOWNTOWN OAKLAND This is the big Pacific Bell building near the 19th St BART station. We encourage you to come and join us in making some noise. It's too late to talk of developing a festival of resistance, but that would be the desired option. Bring noise-makers, puppets, etc. Let's let this Corporate Texas Bully know that the people of California are tired. Tired of Corporate rip-off artists that come dressed in sheep's clothing, promising to help to meet our needs - only to be threatened, stabbed in the back, thrown out of work, and then asked "What - you don't like the new Ball Park?" Join Telephone Workers Protesting Corporate Greed Since Pacific Bell's new owner, Texas corporate bully SBC, purchased Pacific Bell it has been seeking to undercut the rights and degrade the conditions of the workers. This has gotten to the point of removing safe drinking water, and turning off the hot water for union workers! Resistance has been brewing as would be expected as the company has instituted a maze of speed-up/work intensification type scenarios, while openly setting up the best state-of-the-art spy equipment, to spy on us!, monitoring our every move and listening to our every word whenever they find it desireable. Pacific Bell is a thing of the past. We're now ruled by naked greed emanating from Texas. Customer complaints are on the rise; no surprise as we're expected to 'move a little faster' while they watch the network deteriorate without making the necessary investments/repairs. This all happens in a climate where the most experienced technicians have all been recently offered retirement packages, leaving the network in the hands of fewer and less experienced workers as we head into the rainy season. As if this wasn't enough, a statement was issued recently by SBC big-wig Ed Whitacre that leaves one breathless. He announced the elimination of another 11,000 jobs (on top of 10,000 earlier this year) with more job eliminations in the works. This action will hurl thousands of our co-workers into a virtual Sea of Unemployment and increased insecurity for ourselves, our families and our communities. These union jobs will disappear permanently from our communities and they got us thinking it's a good thing, "…need to be competitive…" At a time when technological advances should have long ago eliminated unemployment, we face the specter of increasing misery among working people - in the midst of increasing wealth among the corporate elite. Whitacre further threatened the telephone service for California's customers announcing that SBC will lower investment in the California network (moving their profits where?) indicating that this will certainly affect customer service, but blaming regulations. We feel that there's no good excuse for greed, and greed is what it's really all about. Tough times call for tough unions and for working people to unite and fight for a better future. We need to come together like never before. It's long past time to draw the line and take a stand. We're asking you to join with us. Worker and Customer United, we will draw a line that will be unmistakable. An Injury to One Is an Injury to All!