Yesterday, 282 Cablevision technicians and dispatchers in Brooklyn voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1109 in a union election administered by the National Labor Relations Board, overcoming a vigorous anti-union campaign led by Cablevision. They are the first Cablevision workers to join a union. Cable TV is an overwhelmingly nonunion industry while the traditional telecommunications industry remains highly unionized.
"I've waited 13 years for this," said Cablevision technician Clarence Adams. "United, as members of Communications Workers of America, we now have the power to negotiate a fair contract that will give us the dignity and respect on the job we deserve."
Cablevision workers are currently subject to arbitrary discipline and favoritism by managers, their health care coverage is inadequate, their workload is unreasonable and they have insufficient 401(k) retirement plans. Cablevision workers also make at least one-third less than Verizon workers, who are represented by CWA.
The 99 percent won over the 1 percent Republican leaders in the House when lawmakers finally decided to extend unemployment insurance for a brief period for America's jobless workers. But with more than 4 jobless workers for every one available job, America's jobs crisis continues.
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CORPORATE $$$FLOODING POLITICS
Two years ago, the Supreme Court undermined our democracy when it struck down restrictions on independent campaign spending by corporations and their supporters. Says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka: “The Citizens United ruling further tilted the playing field in favor of the 1% and against the 99%.
