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Fired Comcast Worker Regains Job, Back Pay Under NLRB Settlement
Washington, D.C. – Stephen White, who was spotlighted at the Democratic National Convention as a victim of growing corporate abuses against workers, won reinstatement to his job at Comcast Corp.
White had been fired in March from his Comcast job in Montgomery County, Md., for trying to organize a union. In a settlement reached with the National Labor Relations Board that settled outstanding unfair labor practice charges, White regained his job plus back pay of more than $22,000.
The Communications Workers of America filed charges on behalf of White and other Comcast workers who have been fired or otherwise punished for exercising their legal right to union representation, and has challenged the company for other anti-union tactics. CWA has been working with Comcast employees nationwide who want a union voice but have been thwarted by the company's continuing attack on worker rights.
The Maryland cable workers had the strong support of two members of the Montgomery County, Md. Council, who wrote to Comcast executive Ralph Roberts last year and called on the company to recognize the workers' right to organize.
Those council members were subpoenaed by Comcast attorneys, who demanded all documents related to the fight for union rights at Comcast. Council members Tom Perez and George L. Leventhal accused the company of intimidation and pledged to fight the subpoenas and the company's tactics. Comcast attorneys also subpoenaed AFL-CIO officials and members of Jobs with Justice, a coalition of labor and community groups that fights for economic justice. The settlement, agreed to by CWA, cancels the Aug. 30 hearing before an NLRB administrative law judge.
The settlement order also requires Comcast to post a notice of the settlement, declaring that: "We will not issue written warnings or lower evaluation scores to you for engaging in union activities; We will not fire Stephen White because he engaged in activities on behalf of the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, and we will not fire any of our other employees for engaging in activities on behalf of the union," among other conditions.
Last October, arbitrators ordered that two Comcast workers in Pittsburgh be reinstated to their jobs, with seniority and back pay, determining that Comcast wrongly fired them. Comcast workers in Pittsburgh again affirmed in June that they are determined to keep their CWA representation and gain a fair contract.
White had been fired in March from his Comcast job in Montgomery County, Md., for trying to organize a union. In a settlement reached with the National Labor Relations Board that settled outstanding unfair labor practice charges, White regained his job plus back pay of more than $22,000.
The Communications Workers of America filed charges on behalf of White and other Comcast workers who have been fired or otherwise punished for exercising their legal right to union representation, and has challenged the company for other anti-union tactics. CWA has been working with Comcast employees nationwide who want a union voice but have been thwarted by the company's continuing attack on worker rights.
The Maryland cable workers had the strong support of two members of the Montgomery County, Md. Council, who wrote to Comcast executive Ralph Roberts last year and called on the company to recognize the workers' right to organize.
Those council members were subpoenaed by Comcast attorneys, who demanded all documents related to the fight for union rights at Comcast. Council members Tom Perez and George L. Leventhal accused the company of intimidation and pledged to fight the subpoenas and the company's tactics. Comcast attorneys also subpoenaed AFL-CIO officials and members of Jobs with Justice, a coalition of labor and community groups that fights for economic justice. The settlement, agreed to by CWA, cancels the Aug. 30 hearing before an NLRB administrative law judge.
The settlement order also requires Comcast to post a notice of the settlement, declaring that: "We will not issue written warnings or lower evaluation scores to you for engaging in union activities; We will not fire Stephen White because he engaged in activities on behalf of the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, and we will not fire any of our other employees for engaging in activities on behalf of the union," among other conditions.
Last October, arbitrators ordered that two Comcast workers in Pittsburgh be reinstated to their jobs, with seniority and back pay, determining that Comcast wrongly fired them. Comcast workers in Pittsburgh again affirmed in June that they are determined to keep their CWA representation and gain a fair contract.