Bargaining Update

Cablevision

Cablevision techs are standing strong in their contract fight.

More than 50 Cablevision techs, members of CWA Local 1109, marked Dr. Martin Luther King Day at an event in Harlem, organized by the National Action Network and Rev. Al Sharpton. Mayor Bill de Blasio; Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand; Reps. Charles Rangel, Jose Serrano and Jerry Nadler; NYC elected officials and others also attended.

On the way, the techs stopped at a Cablevision garage for a surprise picket.

An NLRB hearing in New York City, now concluded, investigated charges that Cablevision has engaged in "bad-faith bargaining" with zero intent on ever reaching an agreement with Brooklyn technicians, personal threats by CEO James Dolan to deny Bronx workers job opportunities and training if they voted for the union, and raises of $2 to $9 an hour given to all Cablevision workers except the unionized Brooklyn techs to discourage other workers from joining CWA.

The 22 Brooklyn techs who were illegally fired last Jan. 30 were rehired last spring, thanks to tremendous community and political mobilization and support.

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Frontier West Virginia

CWA and Frontier Communications have agreed to a contract extension through April 5 while negotiations continue. The current contract expired on Aug. 2. The contract covers about 1,600 Frontier employees in West Virginia.