PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It isn't about pay raises. It's about the 31 people who work on Federal Street losing their jobs or being shipped out of the region.

 

The local Verizon workers have been on strike without pay for six weeks and while national news has triggered a lot of public debate over unions, the bottom line is that 95 families in Berkshire County are at risk of having their jobs shipped overseas or out of the region.

 

"It is not about wages. It is about keeping the benefits we have," Christine Casino, a local union steward, told the City Council on Tuesday.

 

The union says the company is seeking to send a number of call center jobs overseas and to make changes to pensions. Other workers are eyed for regional relocation. Verizon workers say the offered contract will allow the company to continue laying off American jobs.

 

"It is a just an example of the corporate world shrinking the middle class even more," Berkshire Central Labor Council President Brian Morrison said.

 

The City Council passed a resolution supporting those workers. In a unanimous vote, the council says the city needs to stand up to help keep jobs here. 

 

"The 31 people working here are paying property taxes in the Berkshires and when they are left without jobs here, that is our tax base leaving town," said Council Vice President John Krol, who along with Councilor at Large Peter White filed the petition.

 

For Krol, Verizon has not lived up to its responsibilities in providing service. While the state is working to expand broadband, Verizon hasn't brought FIOS offerings to Berkshire County. Meanwhile, the company is making billions in profits while not paying federal taxes, Krol said. The Ward 6 representative says the issue is about "corporate America degrading middle class America," the same middle class that Pittsfield was built on.

 

"We continue to see this and we have to fight against this," Krol said.

 

White has stood on the picket lines with the workers and reminded people that those workers are friends and neighbors. The workers are going without pay and on May 1, the company revoked health care offerings.

 

"They are taking a stand many of us wouldn't be able to take," White said.

 

Casino said there are food drives being held to help support them. Meanwhile, the company has brought in replacement workers during the strike. Casino showed the council a photo of a pole on West Housatonic Street which is splintered and nearly falling down but hasn't been fixed despite the replacement workers being on site. Casino urged people to report those issues to the company.

 

"It really boils down to they are continuing to work hard and they just want to keep their jobs here," Mazzeo said.

 

Resident Sheila Irvin added that it isn't just the workers who are supporting the company's profitability, but also the customers. The level of service is decreasing while the cost doesn't and the company ships the jobs overseas.

 

"Verizon is a highly profitable corporation and it is growing its profitability not only on the backs of its employees but also its customers," Irvin said. "When we stand with Verizon workers, we are standing for ourselves as well."

 

This is the second resolution the council has adopted weighing into national issues, both petitions filed by White and Krol. In May, the council adopted a resolution standing against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which opponents have said would streamline the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs.