Verizon retail workers in the Pacific Northwest say the company is pulling out all the stops to crush their efforts to form a union. In interviews, they said the company has been flying in executives and consultants as part of an intimidation campaign.

Meanwhile, employees were just banned from discussing unions on a private online bulletin board — all as Verizon has been funding a right-wing advocacy group spearheading the campaign to block worker rights’ legislation in Congress.

Last week, workers at Verizon retail stores in the cities of Everett and Lynnwood in Washington sent a letter to CEO Hans Vestberg requesting that the telecom giant voluntarily recognize their union.