PITTSBURGH -- More than 1,000 people rally against Verizon in downtown Pittsburgh Thursday.

The $88 billion telecommunications giant held its annual meeting in downtown Pittsburgh.

Before that meeting got under way, Verizon employees, steelworkers, and other union members staged a rally and march outside of the United Steelworkers headquarters at Gateway Center.

The group is protesting Verizon's sale of part of its landline, alleged abuse of workers' rights, and wages.

Employees in Thousand Oaks, Calif., showed their support for Pittsburgh's protestors by staging their own rally outside of Verizon Headquarters.