Verizon employees ask govt leaders to support sale

Nearly 100 Verizon employees signed a petition letter asking the governor and lawmakers to support and not intervene with the company’s sale to Pacific Telecom Inc.

The petition, signed by 96 employees, was submitted to the Governor’s Office, the Senate President’s Office and the House Speaker’s Office on April 5.

“We urge all of our government leaders to support the employees of Verizon and their continued employment under the company’s new ownership. We ask that the government refrain from taking any action that might compromise or interfere with the livelihood of the employees and their families, including the possible withdrawal of all government cellular accounts from Verizon or PTI,” said the employees.

They asked in particular “our Executive Branch of government to respect the transfer of ownership and refrain from interfering in the transition process.”

They said they want to be shielded “from any undue political involvement or interference that may arise from the company’s sale.”

They said they only want to enjoy their work and serve the community “apolitically, regardless of the transfer of ownership.”

When reached for comments, Jose Ricardo P.R. Delgado of PTI said: “I think the employees have a right to protect their jobs and livelihood as I would if I were in that position.”

Verizon is selling its local operations to PTI for $60 million.

Press secretary Peter A. Callaghan said that Gov. Juan N. Babauta has always been concerned about the employees and the community as a whole.

He noted that the governor’s first action or conditions that he imposed on PTI was to guarantee the jobs of the employees.

“He [governor] is concerned about the employees. If not for his original intervention, their jobs would not have been guaranteed,” Callaghan said. “The governor is doing what he feels best not only for the employees but also for consumers of the Commonwealth.”

Joe Reyes, Verizon network supervisor, one of the petitioners, said yesterday that the petition began to circulate among the employees on March 3.

As of March 15, the letter had already garnered 96 signatories.

“We have more than the majority. We’re united in this effort,” said Reyes.

He said there are a total of 144 employees at Verizon.

Meantime, Reyes clarified yesterday that there is no threat of pull out of all government accounts from Verizon.

“There’s no threat,” he said.

As to the recent switch of Gov. Juan N. Babauta and 17 other Executive Branch officials of cellular phone providers, he said, “I have no comments.”

Babauta, who has been opposed to the sale of Verizon to PTI for various reasons, switched his mobile phone provider from Verizon to SaipanCell last week. His office denied that politics was behind the move.

Last year, the governor said that he sent out letters to all Verizon employees to explain why he is opposed to the sale.

Among others, the governor wanted Verizon to sell a portion of its cable ownership to break a perceived monopoly in the industry.

The governor has expressed disappointment over the eventual approval of the sale by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Commission last February.

In their petition, the employees asked Babauta “to wholeheartedly support the CTC approval of PTI’s purchase of Verizon.”

The letter was also addressed to Speaker Benigno R. Fitial and Senate President Joaquin G. Adriano.