Local Verizon workers on strike will hold a rally Thursday at 9 a.m. in front of the Verizon store on the corner of Transit Road and Wehrle Drive in Williamsville.
Verizon workers have been on strike for five weeks now. Postal workers have joined strikers as they continue to push for a new contract with the company.
Union workers said nearly 40,000 employees are without health care. Verizon cut off their coverage the first of the month.
Workers said the strike is more than just a fight for better wages. They said it's a fight to save the middle class and keep jobs in the U.S.
Postal workers said they've been trying to accomplish some of the same things.
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"Workers of CWA want exactly what the letter carriers want," said Lawrence Kania the president, Branch 3 National Association of Letter Carriers. "We want job security we want good pensions. We want to stop the outsourcing and that seems to be the same problem they're having with Verizon."
James Wagner the president of CWA Local 1122 said, "well this shows the Western New York community that the working class is alive and well. It's solidarity forever for the working men and women here in Western New York."
According to Verizon they offered workers a 7.5% wage increase, protection from layoffs, a continuation of the 401K comapny match and a pension plan.
Both sides continue to negotiate in Washington to settle the dispute.
