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AFL-CIO Leaders Push Comcast to Bargain
Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, and secretary-treasurers of unions have written to Comcast Corp. CEO Brian Roberts, urging him to bargain a fair contract with Comcast workers. In the letter, they pledged to reevaluate union pension fund investments in the company and to encourage a million union families in Pennsylvania to show their support for bargaining and to scrutinize the company's operations.
CWA has been in talks with Comcast on behalf of more than 1,000 workers in nine units in the Pittsburgh region, but the company refuses to settle. All but one of the units, organized two years ago, are still seeking a first contract.
"We are very disappointed in the'low road' approach to workers' rights that Comcast continues to pursue," the union officers wrote. "Your management team has refused attempts to reach fair contracts in several cities where workers have chosen union representation, a right they are fully entitled to exercise under national law."
Locals 13000 and 13550 represent both technical and customer service units in South Hills and Washington, technical units in Westmoreland, East Hills, Coraopolis, and both a technical unit and customer service call center in Corliss, Pa. The Westmoreland unit has been working under an expired contract since December 2000.
The secretary-treasurers' letter also took Comcast to task for union-busting efforts in Ocean City, Md.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Sacramento, Los Angeles and Fresno, Calif.; Atlanta, Ga.; and Spokane, Wash.
"This is an extremely short-sighted strategy," the union leaders wrote. "Your actions affect not only workers and their families, but hit communities that must pick up additional health care and other costs and customers who must endure the shoddy work - and worse - of subcontractors brought in to replace union workers."
Marge Krueger, administrative assistant to District 13 Vice President Vince Maisano, and several Comcast workers met with Trumka during the AFL-CIO secretary-treasurers' meeting on May 1, held immediately before the Union Industries Show, May 2-5 in Pittsburgh.
CWA also is reaching out to Comcast customers in the region with a radio ad campaign that spotlights rising cable rates and the company's use of unqualified contractors.
"Comcast should remember that the people of Pittsburgh believe in fairness, and we expect companies that do business here to share our values," the ad states, challenging the company to work with CWA to achieve a fair contract.
Krueger and leaders of the two locals have also met with Jack Shea, president of the Allegheny Labor Council, and other local union leaders, building community-wide support for the Comcast workers.
CWA has been in talks with Comcast on behalf of more than 1,000 workers in nine units in the Pittsburgh region, but the company refuses to settle. All but one of the units, organized two years ago, are still seeking a first contract.
"We are very disappointed in the'low road' approach to workers' rights that Comcast continues to pursue," the union officers wrote. "Your management team has refused attempts to reach fair contracts in several cities where workers have chosen union representation, a right they are fully entitled to exercise under national law."
Locals 13000 and 13550 represent both technical and customer service units in South Hills and Washington, technical units in Westmoreland, East Hills, Coraopolis, and both a technical unit and customer service call center in Corliss, Pa. The Westmoreland unit has been working under an expired contract since December 2000.
The secretary-treasurers' letter also took Comcast to task for union-busting efforts in Ocean City, Md.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Sacramento, Los Angeles and Fresno, Calif.; Atlanta, Ga.; and Spokane, Wash.
"This is an extremely short-sighted strategy," the union leaders wrote. "Your actions affect not only workers and their families, but hit communities that must pick up additional health care and other costs and customers who must endure the shoddy work - and worse - of subcontractors brought in to replace union workers."
Marge Krueger, administrative assistant to District 13 Vice President Vince Maisano, and several Comcast workers met with Trumka during the AFL-CIO secretary-treasurers' meeting on May 1, held immediately before the Union Industries Show, May 2-5 in Pittsburgh.
CWA also is reaching out to Comcast customers in the region with a radio ad campaign that spotlights rising cable rates and the company's use of unqualified contractors.
"Comcast should remember that the people of Pittsburgh believe in fairness, and we expect companies that do business here to share our values," the ad states, challenging the company to work with CWA to achieve a fair contract.
Krueger and leaders of the two locals have also met with Jack Shea, president of the Allegheny Labor Council, and other local union leaders, building community-wide support for the Comcast workers.