The Cablevision 22

Cablevision workers rally for justice and a contract.

On Jan. 30, Cablevision illegally locked out and fired 22 technicians who were simply trying to use the company's much vaunted "open-door" policy to discuss contract negotiations with management.

The illegal firings, issued without any warning or instruction to return to work, were just the most recent and draconian example of Cablevision's stance against union organizing in New York. But it's also points out the danger to workers when we don't have a functioning National Labor Relations Board.

A group of technicians used "open-door" policy' to demand that the company stop stalling at the bargaining table. They requested five minutes of management's time to send that message. They waited 20 minutes, then management shuttled them into a conference room where they waited 20 more. Finally a vice president walked in and informed everyone that they were being "permanently replaced."

CWA filed charges with the NLRB seeking an injunction to reinstate the workers. Workers have rallied community leaders, clergy and New York City elected officials to their cause.

"We are not giving up. We will fight back against this corporate terror. We will last one day longer than management," said Jerome Thompson, one of the fired workers.