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Bernie Sanders Gave Striking Verizon Workers a Pep Talk

Sanders hung out with Verizon strikers in Brooklyn Wednesday, and also snagged an endorsement from the local union for subway workers ahead of the April 19 New York primary.

Read: Can Bernie Sanders Win Without God?

Bernie Sanders stood in solidarity with the 39,000 Verizon workers striking up and down the East Coast when he stopped by a picket line in Brooklyn Wednesday, as the Associated Press reports.

The Democratic presidential insurgent joined protestors in his native land who were taking a stand against the cable giant amid stalled contract negotiations. Sanders told the Verizon workers—who say they've been on the job without a contract since August—that he understands their struggle. The socialist firebrand then proceeded to slam the company, intoning, "This is just another major American corporation trying to destroy the lives of working Americans."

Sanders added confidently, "We're going to win this thing!"

According to the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, negotiations have paused because Verizon wants to halt pensions, make layoffs easier, and use more contract workers. Verizon says it needs to reevaluate the growing costs of employee healthcare.

As Newsdayreports, Sanders secured an endorsement from the Transport Workers Union Local 100 Wednesday, which represents the city's subway employees, among others. That might give him a slight boost in the face of Hillary Clinton's broader union advantage going into the April 19 primary in the state.

Photo via Flickr user Alex Hanson