Marlboro Podiatrist Blames Verizon Strike For Lack Of Business
MARLBORO, N.J. (WCBS 880) - Disconnected phone lines can mean life or death for many patients in need of their doctor's care.
WCBS 880's Monica Miller With The Story
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Fran Cohen says her husband's podiatry business in Marlboro, New Jersey has been grinding to a halt since Monday, when callers received a message that their phone lines had been disconnected.
Cohen says the problem began when they had scheduled work to be done, but received a message from Verizon that it could not be completed due to the work stoppage.
"We see about 75 patients a day on a Monday and we have an extremely busy phone because he's a diabetic wound care specialist and podiatric surgeon," Cohen told WCBS 880 reporter Monica Miller. "We take appointments on an emergency basis everyday and we're missing out on all of that."
Verizon spokesman Rich Young says they are looking into Dr. Marc Cohen's situation. However, due to malicious acts, they may not be able to fix the problem immediately. He says there have been nearly 150 acts of sabotage since the strike began.
"The FBI is investigating. We're actively working with them on this," Young told Miller.
The website of the union that represents the striking workers says that they don't condone violence and expect their members to follow the law.
On Monday, Verizon was granted an injunction against its striking workers in New Jersey.
