News
Time’s Up Verizon!
With the support of TimesUp leaders , women who package and distribute phones for Verizon Wireless are speaking out about systemic and pervasive sexual harassment at a Verizon-contracted warehouse in Memphis.
Supervisors aggressively grope and grab workers, make inappropriate comments, and retaliate against those who report being harassed.
Numerous workers have brought charges against Verizon’s contractor—XPO Logistics —with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Why does Verizon say the right thing, but do nothing to help female workers in the supply chain?
When asked about sexual harassment at a recent conference, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam said, “People know when you do that at Verizon, you’re out” .
If that’s true, Verizon needs to hold XPO accountable.
Ignoring these types of abuses can create substantial financial and reputational risk for the company and its shareholders.
For the nearly 900 workers in the Memphis warehouse who are predominantly African American women, the risks are even worse.
Verizon’s Board must:
• Enforce its Supplier Code of Conduct and ensure that workers are protected from discrimination and harassment at work.
• Follow through on promises to conduct an independent investigation into the sexual harassment claims by Memphis workers.
• Demand accountability from the logistics provider hired to run the Memphis distribution center–XPO Logistics–and its supervisors who violate the law.
Read more on the Huffington Post.