If true, this is an epic betrayal of workers by their unions. As mentioned in my Verizon post of August 15, some union leaderships have in the past decided to agree to harsh terms rather than launch an all-out work stoppage campaign which they may not survive. I hope this isn't the case here, but the unions' actions are hard to understand.
The appropriate response in this circumstance is a counteroffensive. Verizon is rolling in dough, they have lots of capital. The workers should demand a raise in line with the company's enormous profits. There is no justification for Verizon's demand for concessions, and as a preventive against any future attempted robberies by the cannibals in management, the workers should make them pay for even asking. Even if in the end the workers had to withdraw their requests for raises, the management would understand that there are potential consequences for attacking the livelihoods of their workers.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/sep2011/veri-s05.shtml
