If you are a Verizon employee or have a family / friend that is a Verizon employee, please ensure that that see the following message, it is very important!
First I would like to say congratulations on getting another contract to all the Verizon employees. Security for your family in number one priority! But now it’s time to take the next step and protect your employment and your family beyond what you can imagine.
In one year’s time I have had the opportunity to witness so many troubling issues within Verizon at a much higher level than I had ever thought existed. This was because I became the funnel to all their stories. Why because I decided to expose Verizon for the mistreatment, retaliation, discrimination, and harassment to me and my family one year ago.
Through this, many issues surfaced and I became engulfed in many of them. These stories I have heard were heartbreaking and so many families torn apart. I knew at one point I could not turn my back on them, so I decided to lend a hand. So I took much of this last year maintaining documents, receiving many Verizon court cases, keeping a track record, received numerous depositions, read news articles and answered to thousands of emails, calls and letters from employees at Verizon in both management, union and their family members.
In this investigative process, I found several incidents all across the country that many Verizon employees fall directly into. You are all saying relatively the same thing, but from a variety of locals, regions and states but your messages are very clear. You are suffering from bad leadership, poor management, abusive behavior and unethical abuse from Verizon.
Your National Union both CWA/IBEW does not have a tracking record in place to document these occurrences that have happened to past, present or future employees, so they will never know the extent of this to what I now know.
So what I did over these past months was I worked on developing legal support and services for you. Below are some very specific categories that you as a present or past employee (management or union) fall into.
- Find one or many categories that you will fall into.
- Write a brief outline on your situation.
- Use bullet points to show the issues.
- Provide your name and full contact information for the Attorney Carol Ryder she is out of New York and will get back to you.
- Please use her email and do not call her, as she already overwhelmed working on building these class action cases against Verizon already with other National Law Firms Contacts for these cases.
- Carol.ryder@ymail.com
- http://carolryderlaw.com/
I do want to express three important things.
- This class action in no way benefits me or my case. I get absolutely nothing out it as I was asked already. My case is ready for trial, and all the evidence is in. It was just my calling that I was given this opportunity to help you and so many other employees out all across this country because of what I had suffered through Verizon’s abusive tactics.
- Understand this! Verizon employees 235,000 employees and their EEO officer in Boston Massachusetts Mr. Paul McGovern stated under oath in Federal Depositions that Verizon receives over 104,000 EEO complaints a year. It is not hard math, this is almost 50 % of the Verizon Employees that had the guts to make a stand which comprise of these numbers. But as you know being an employee of Verizon, they do not care its business as usual.
- Third, a few weeks ago, I ran into someone that I had never met in my life. I was at my son’s soccer game and I saw a gentleman in a Verizon shirt. I spoke to him for a bit and he told me a few years ago when he was a manager he received a letter by mistake from the former CEO of Verizon. It stated that they were offering a bonus any manager that would terminate an employee that had 30 years or over of service to Verizon. This would help to get the employee off the books and Verizon no longer would have to provide them with any retirement benefits. He said it was malicious and deceitful. He said he gave this letter to a certain union office for them to have. I have spoken to them already about this letter, and I am in process of recovering it. If anyone else has this letter, just in case we cannot recover it as time has passed– we will pay a good sum to obtain it. Please contact me or Attorney Carol Ryder, if indeed you also have this email/letter. If this indeed is true, and I have no reason to have doubted this man, as I never met him, and he shared this with me just out of the blue, this evidence will support many cases across this country proving some very malicious acts from the top down!
Over this past year I have made some very high contacts within Verizon that are willing to come forward to help in exposing Verizon in their abusive treatment when the time is needed. So let’s keep this momentum of seeking justice – forward.
LIST OF JUST SOME OF THE VIOLATIONS
Please look at the attached list and see where you fit in. These are complaints people have been making, are violations of various laws, not just the CBA and other agreements, and in many cases , mirrors what other people have stated and proof can be shared between cases*. In most cases, multiple categories apply, and we have a way for you to write down what happened in your case, which makes it actually easier for you and for us to organize and get a number of similarly-situated victims together to get a firm to take on the perpetrators.
As you will see, although your situation does not neatly fit into one category, or many apply to you, you are not alone.
Do any (or many) of these describe your situation:
I. You accidentally or purposely received something from upper management, offering you bonuses for getting rid of certain employees
-This may include, let’s say, e-mails accidentally sent out to all managers directly from the top, offering $10K bonuses for getting rid of workers with over 30 years.
-This may include similar offers and/or commands that you were to get rid of certain classes of employees, usually “pricier” ones, such as those who were forced by their medical conditions or workplace injuries to use FMLA and/or STD, suffered disabilities, a great deal and it appeared they would be filing for a disability pension
-This may include being instructed to do what you have to in order to prevent employees from filing for disability or regular pensions. This may include complaining about bridged time, even if it was bridged years ago and the employee was receiving the benefits of increased NCSD, including vacation time, overtime list listing, time slots on the tour rotations, better access to equipment, etc.
II. You are a manager (or shop steward) and were victimized by workplace bulling, perhaps by being the direct victim and/or being told to victimize others or else become a victim
-This includes, but is not limited to, managers who were harassed, yelled at, had adverse items placed in their personnel files and more for refusing to “set up” or otherwise “crack down” on certain workers.
-This may include higher level managers being relocated to your area, perhaps from Boston or another area, for such purposes (also see I. above-probably both these will apply).
-Similarly, you were a shop steward who stood up for people and were ultimately subjected to adverse consequences, ranging from disciplinary actions, such as suspension, Steps and/or termination
-They might even come right out and state such, such as the NY case in federal court in NY right now where a certain first-level told some workers about a second level: “John CXXX is here to crack down on workers using FMLA leave…costing $80 mil a year in this building alone” . Subsequently, workers using FMLA were singled out for various adverse employment actions, laws were broken, etc. In that case, another first-level there became so physically ill from it, and from trying to help victims without getting fired himself (had young kids and a medical condition of his own) he had to take leave and when he returned, was RIFed. In other cases, managers became so ill they even passed away or were so ill they could not return. Strokes, heart attacks, massive damage to the body and the family as well.
III. Victimized by the zero-tolerance policy from absences even though your absences were approved.
-VZ “unlawfully denied reasonable accommodations to…employees and or disciplined and/or fired them under its no-fault attendance plan” [from EEOC v. Verizon-settled-only $20 million, lousy dollar amount among the many people affected, but sets precedent]
http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/7-6-11a.cfm
-These include, but are not limited to:
-Returned from FMLA and/or STD and immediately Stepped and forced to accept “probation”.
You are still working there but know it is a matter of time before they find an excuse
-Returned from FMLA and/or STD and immediately Stepped and placed on “probation”.
They then found a reason to terminate you, although very minor and something very commonly done by co-worker, like getting coffee before the first job rather than after. You are still working there, the termination process/final Step is on-going and termination is likely soon.
-Returned from FMLA and/or STD and immediately Stepped and placed on “probation”. You then were terminated and are awaiting the Arbitration.
-Injured on the job, and Stepped based on zero-tolerance policy once you returned. This may be because they blame you for violating practices and causing your own injury (such as not wearing helmet, perhaps you did have it on but it fell off, then they claim YOU didn’t have it on properly, etc.)
IV. Adverse consequences from making complaints, and/or otherwise whistle blowing
These include but are not limited to:
-Filing grievances
-Filing internal complaints with the Company (such as being one of the 104,000 complaints filed internally with VZ’s EEO Dept.)
-Complaining to outside government agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, OSHA, your state’s equivalent of the NYS Division of Human Rights, etc.
V. Violation of insurance and other laws (such as NYS ISC law)
-This most commonly arises where the disability administrator, usually MetLife, refuses to process your leave OR takes so long you go without pay and/or are forced to return because you can’t afford it and/or THEY oppose your own doctors and state you are “good to go.”
-Insurance co may state you are able to return to work, and/or with no restrictions, despite all your treating doctors stating no. Part of that may involve them sending you to their IME, and “Independent” Medical Examiner, who actually is anything but independent.
-Insurance co might claim certain accommodations for your medical condition are decided by the manager, then the manager claims Met Life does it, and bounces you back and forth
VI. Other workplace bullying, similar to Neal Dias’ case
VII. Other adverse employment practices, including discrimination based on color, ethnicity, sex, disability or other
VIII. Other reasons to believe they are victimizing you (and perhaps others you know) any way they can so as to get rid of workers.
-You feel this might be because you heard through the grapevine they want to get rid of “pricier” workers, such as those using FMLA leave, people with seniority nearing pension collection stages, etc.
-Perhaps you feel it is also a flat-out campaign to rid the company of union workers and other workers, management or non-management/non-union so they may outsource jobs to other countries, use inexpensive labor for jobs that need to be done domestically, such as install cables, and even close divisions or at least, buildings
X. There is a high incidence of cancer and/or other medical conditions in your work locale
This may not be an incident of discrimination but keeps coming up. Some buildings are loaded with asbestos and other toxins, and never cleaned. Many other work sites, including the poles, are also dangerous to your health.
-Have you had a long duration of working with telephone poles which may have caused a developed in respiratory illnesses or infections and / or cancer? Were you not provided with respiratory protective gear while setting or working on these telephone poles?
-Are you and/or people you work/worked with coming down with high incidences of diseases such as cancer, lung and other pulmonary and breathing issues, rashes, etc.?
Example: In a case on Long Island, NY, a medical monitoring fund (similar to 9/11 fund) was set up for VZ workers who worked at a site now declared a Superfund site by the EPA who have, or are increased risk of cancer and other diseases caused by VZ.
-In another case, an iconic building was loaded with all kinds of things being pumped through the air vents, and, despite repeated complaints for years by workers, never cleaned. Then 9/11 “dust” was all over the locale, not far from the WTC, and that ended up inside as well. Numerous chronic complaints and medical conditions have been reported from workers at that building, and perhaps other nearby ones, including cancer, asthma and other breathing problems, and more.
XI. Exposure to Carbonless Copy Paper (CCP):
Anyone who has worked from 1990 until now, may have worked with, or possibly used or been possibly exposed to Carbonless Copy Paper (CCP). It is a multi-part form where you write on the top form and the print goes through to one or more copies without carbon paper. Most service reps, customer service, and related offices, repair, installation etc… would have used or been exposed to (ccp) may be able to file an additional claim against Verizon. The exposure to (ccp) may cause serious adverse health effects, disabilities, birth defects, cancer and death. If you have illnesses from the (ccp) and did not to give such warnings and instead set about to be fired, force to retire, deny benefits to employees they suspected of being harmed by use and exposure to ccp, provide Attorney Ryder with the evidence.
If you have worked with, been exposed to ccp, had headaches, respiratory and skin problems, asthma, RAD, loss of voice, sinus and allergy problems, eye problems , kidney or liver problems, cancers etc. this may apply to you.
IMPORTANT: GATHERING PROOF VIA TAPING, INCLUDING CONVERSATIONS,
MEETINGS AND MEDICAL EXAMS, AND PHONE CALLS
-Please continue to acquire documentation, tapes and other proof regardless. Big corporations have a knack for knocking out proof, causes of action, etc., flat-out lying in Discovery and using other legal tactics NOT to give up the information required by law in investigations and lawsuits, and once you are gone, or already had a medical exam by their IMEs, certain opportunities (such as taping) are gone
TAPING LAWS:
-Key points here: Taping: NY, NJ, and VA, and a majority of states, are one-party taping states. Cal, CT and a few other states are two party states. See below links for more information** and to check if your state is one.
This means you can record conversations, exams, calls, etc. as long as one party gives consent, which happened to be you. You cannot wiretap; use a recording device, etc. without at least the consenting party there.
-Buy a separate up loadable recorder (about $40-on the shelf in Radio Shack and many other places such as WM) with the microphone on top (can put in breast pocket) about $40. You can then upload the tapes to your PC. Don’t rely on your phone 100%.
-Another caveat: Nevertheless, do not put it past defendants to illegally intercept calls, e-mails, plant bugs, etc. They may not be permitted to use the information (known as “fruit of the poisoned tree”) but they have been known to use what they learned to gather evidence another way. Yes, it is still fruit of the poisoned tree but you need to show the tree was poisoned and even then, they can argue they just happened to have Pis outside legally. For example, they may not be able to use a tape of a person claiming disability due to surgery setting up times to meet friends to go do something heavily physical, like water skiing. However, the defendants can and will gather information about your water skiing, have the private investigators follow you to the Marina and take pictures and videos at the marina, etc.
***Taping rules:
http://www.aapsonline.org/judicial/telephone.htm
http://www.citmedialaw.org/legal-guide/recording-phone-calls-and-conversations
Independent Medical Exams-IMEs and TMOs-be prepared and tape
If you are sent to an IME, and “independent” medical exam by the company, VZ or even the Third Medical Option, tape the exam AND bring a witness, preferably one with a buttonhole camera. The witness should take notes carefully. Note this applies ANY time you have to get an exam, perhaps from the auto carrier, for Worker’s Comp, etc.
-Also, research the doctor and review your own files. Know where Insurance is looking. For example, if your complaints are disk problems in your back, focus on what you need to do to show the IME never even lifted your shirt.
For example: Typical case: Insurance companies’ middleman, MCN (Medical Consultants Network), sends the IME, in advance, a 4 page document that he just had to sign off on. Insurance company had already sent documents claiming the person was being watched for possibly fraudulently claiming disability (I guess 20+ operations, including heart surgery, even cancer, don’t count). IME claimed he examined the back but a witness statement and the tape showed he never even lifted the shirt. When asked for his office notes, he claimed he throws them out once he “dictates” the letter to MCN. He knew in advance what they were looking to attack so you should also know.
-IMEs admit they wouldn’t get the cases sent to them if they didn’t rule for the Insurance Company. The IME business is very lucrative-they take 20 minutes, including prep and signing off on the report, tops, and they get paid 20X what they would have gotten from a regular medical exam covered by your insurance carrier under your health insurance.
-Do the same thing even if the exam is a Third Medical Opinion (“TMO”-union should let you know). TMOs are supposed to be a “tie-breaker” between your physicians and the IME, and are supposed to be fair. However, their 85% pass rate is below the IME’s 92% fail rate. Additionally, the TMO opinions often vary from your treating providers in how severe your medical condition is, when you can return, if you can work with accommodations such as a desk job, etc.
***Taping rules:
http://www.aapsonline.org/judicial/telephone.htm
http://www.citmedialaw.org/legal-guide/recording-phone-calls-and-conversations
As Verizon would say: Making Progress Every Day!
“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke
Neal W. Dias
774-627-4218
Fightingfor7years@hotmail.com
Justicefor7@yahoo.com
My Blog Page:
Blog Address (GOOGLE): Bullying at Verizon – Enough is Enough
Facebook:
• Justice at Verizon
• Enough is Enough – Stop Workplace Bullying
My Story:
http://justiceatverizon.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/bullying-at-verizon/
http://justiceatverizon.wordpress.com/2012/06/24/unjustice-at-verizon-and-the-massachusetts-commission-against-discrimination/
My Speeches:
Healthy Workplace Bill Press Conference in Boston Massachusetts July 7, 2012 (Video):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85HKgP-dfyI
Healthy Workplace Bill Press Conference in New York April 30, 2012 (Video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6pPe2gqGRI&feature=share
Civil Rights and Anti-Bullying Leadership Summit in Hartford Connecticut at the Legislators Building, August 9, 2012
**(Neal W. Dias – fast forward to 02:41:56 – 02:56:09)**
http://ct-n.com/ondemand.asp?ID=8061
National Workplace Bullying Press Conference in Washington DC October 15th 2012
http://www.workplacebullying.org/2012/10/21/npc-dias/
http://youtu.be/bid5DK97rq8
Huffington Post Article:
Title: Verizon: Plenty Of Good Middle Class Jobs But Would You Want To Work There?
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/09/14/verizon-plenty-of-good-middle-class-jobs-but-would-you-want-to/
Newspaper Article About Me:
Healthy Workplace Bill Press Conference in New York April 30, 2012 (Newspaper Article):
http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/128768/savino-englebright-push-bill-to-fight-workplace-bullying/
Legislative Gazette May 7, 2012
http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2012-05-07-81658.113122-Bill-protects-employees-from-workplace-bullying.html
Story on the Massachusetts Healthy Workplace web site June 11, 2012:
http://www.mahealthyworkplace.com/workplace/neal.html
Civil Rights and Anti-Bullying Leadership Summit in Hartford Connecticut at the Legislators Building, August 9, 2012 (Flyer)
http://www.ct.gov/chro/lib/chro/2012_Summit_Details_and_Information.pdf
Press Release Distribution October 11, 2012
http://www.prlog.org/11997573-national-leaders-support-freedom-from-workplace-bullies-week.html
News Blaze October 12, 2012
http://newsblaze.com/story/2012101205010600002.pnw/topstory.html
ABC Channel 13 / WE-SET TV The Heart of Virginia October 15, 2012
http://www.wset.com/story/19802884/national-leaders-support-freedom-from-workplace-bullies-week-mary-kay-henry-seiu-hilary-o-shelton-naacp-mg-taguba-ppalm
24/7 Press Releases October 13, 2012
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release-rss/national-leaders-support-quotfreedom-from-workplace-bullies-weekquot-308871.php
U.S. Politics Today October 15, 2012
http://uspolitics.einnews.com/pr_news/118659159/national-leaders-support-freedom-from-workplace-bullies-week-mary-kay-henry-seiu-hilary-o-shelton-naacp-mg-taguba-ppalm
National Workplace Bullying Press Conference in Washington DC October 15th 2012
http://www.workplacebullying.org/freedom-week/freedom-week-wbi/
http://www.workplacebullying.org/2012/10/11/fw-npc/
http://uspolitics.einnews.com/pr_news/118659159/national-leaders-support-freedom-from-workplace-bullies-week-mary-kay-henry-seiu-hilary-o-shelton-naacp-mg-taguba-ppalm
PETITIONS:
Bullying at Verizon – Enough is Enough / Petition:
http://signon.org/sign/bullying-at-verizon-enough?source=c.em.cp&r_by=4096164
Enough is Enough – Stop Workplace Bullying / National Petition:
http://signon.org/sign/enough-is-enough-stop-1?source=c.url&r_by=4521742
Healthy Workplace Bill:
Healthy Workplace National Bill page: http://www.healthyworkplacebill.org/
o PLEASE, click on this link above, then get into you specific state. Once you are in the state of your choice, Click on to your state, and you will see the: “HWCE-Z Letter E-Mailing Tool,” will be right on that page. It will only take one minute as it will allow your state legislators know instantly that you are in support on this “Healthy Workplace Bill.”
Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) / Unlimited Resources
http://www.workplacebullying.org/
Undercover Lawyer / State Law Resources for Hostile Work Environment
http://www.undercoverlawyer.com/state-law-resources/
Oprah (On Workplace Bullying):
http://www.oprah.com/health/Workplace-Bullying-Linked-with-Lack-of-Sleep
National Workplace Bullying Attorney – Carol Ryder:
Attorney Carol Ryder from New York, NY.
http://carolryderlaw.com/100301.html
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