SEARCH
Cablevision Workers Stay Strong in Tough Battle to Form Union
Teresa Casertano in the AFL-CIO Organizing Department tsends us this report.
Next week, 285 Brooklyn employees of Cablevision Systems Corporation will vote on whether to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA). Faced with low salaries and inadequate protections on the job, Cablevision installers in Brooklyn
decided to join together to seek changes at work. The cable installers, who
complete eight installations per day, carrying heavy ladders and climbing
poles, earn a third less than their unionized counterparts. In contrast, Cablevision CEO James Dolan received $13 million last year. Dolan is also the executive chairman of the Madison Square Garden Corporation where he received another $2 million in compensation.
When workers began their efforts to organize at the workplace, the company hired a well-known union-busting firm to carry out a campaign to persuade them to give up their efforts to join the union. It launched an internal website called “Why Union Free?” and required all 285 workers to attend anti-union meetings. But workers have not been convinced to give up–they have been holding their own worker meetings and take actions to show solidarity and unity among the union supporters.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Cablevision workers and the CWA organized a powerful rally outside the annual MLK Day game at Madison Square Garden to protest Cablevision’s fierce anti-union campaign. The location was chosen because of Dolan’s powerful position within the Madison Square Garden Corporation. The protestors, among them many Cablevision w0rkers, were joined by several elected officials. The Rev. Al Sharpton sent a written message directed to the workers, which stated:
Today, we honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s memory by standing with the workers of Cablevision who are demanding respect and dignity and the right to join a union. Dr. King fought side by side with workers, raising his voice in unity with theirs.
The story of the Cablevision workers in Brooklyn, N.Y., was featured in the New York Times, and highlighted the workers’ resolve to participate in the union. The company has turned the election not just into a choice about whether to join a union–it is ensuring the workers to decide whether they will succumb to manipulation and harassment or stand up and exercise their rights. To date, Cablevision workers have remained united in their effort to become union members. CWA and the AFL-CIO support them and will stand with them when they vote on Jan. 26.
 |
Become a Fan on Facebook |  |
Follow Us on Twitter |  |
Subscribe to YouTube |  |
Subscribe to Blog RSS | ||||
11 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Dont give up you guys, stand firm,the company will tell many lies, and play many tactics,don’t give up and vote yes for the union,you will be glad you did.
Stand firm brothers and sisters. The day of justice will come.
I agree Hang in there ssiterd and brothers
WHY ELECT A PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS?
– Fight for the middle class and the values we believe in.
– Stop moneyed interests from buying elections, Congress, and high-powered lobbyists.
– Stop the GOP legislative blockade, so that America Can Move Forward.
– Stop giving Congressional control to right-wing Republican extremists who ignore The 99% and support moneyed interests instead.
– The entire Republican agenda, policies, and ideology are indefensible. So is the economic disaster caused by the Republicans.
The key to restoring prosperity to America is to vote right-wing Republicans out of political existence.
http://www.vote-for-america.info
http://www.change-wall-street.info
Stay strong. The union and members will back you all the way.
There is a lot of subversive anti-social anti-Democracy tyranny involved in preventing — or in trying to prevent — worker organizing for their best interests.
Employers simply do not want employees having their best working situations, because employers always regard employees as a mechanism that deprives the business of profits! But only employees can provide services, not computers or self-serve “customer consumer slave” mechanisms.
Of course, employers can rig the system so employees cannot offer their best human services to customers and to their employers, and that has been done quite too often in this “modern” tyrannical commercial system that we now have.
I wish all the future brothers & sisters all the best. Be sure to watch your backs. The Dolans don’t take to losing very well. But stand together & you’ll be fine.
Be Strong, Stand Strong. Being united you can win. It’s when you are divided that the companies will take advantage of you.
Just know I rooting for you.
In all honesty, this is the only way to go. I know I worked for a company that told lies and threatened us about many things. Everything was great for a while but now with this anti-labor movement going on makes me sick. This CEO is making 13 million dollars, but the company only wants to pay you peanuts.
Just remember UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL.
CWA 13000
I echo the sentiments of previous posters. I’ve work non-union and union, and I can definitely say that union is the only way to go. There’s no better feeling knowing someone has your back on the job – collective barganing rocks! Hang in there, don’t listen to the misinformation – it’s lies. And remember: it’s not about the money, it’s about control. Your boss/owner doesn’t want you guys to have a seat at the table with an equal voice.
Amen T. Johnson I agree with everything you said. And yes to the Comcast employees hang in there we are all with you. It never was nor will it ever be easy to try and form a union. But what in life that is worth while is ever easy? Hang in there and keep fighting you will not be sorry.
If unions were that bad then companies would not fight you and spend an exorbitant amount of money to keep the unions out. Stand strong together and your solidarity will pay off.