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Industry Gets the Message, "Comcast Doesn't Care"
Just about everybody in California's mad at Comcast. More than 200 union and community activists turned out at a cable TV industry convention to blast Comcast for poor service, high prices, discrimination in hiring and total lack of respect for workers' rights.
Said District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler, "Whereas the phone companies are heavily unionized and provide stable middle class jobs, Comcast is less than 5 percent unionized and consistently takes the low road: contracting out most work, keeping wages low, and refusing to allow workers to voice their concerns."
Smashing TV sets labeled "Comcast Doesn't Care," speakers berated Comcast during the rally April 3 outside the Moscone Center in San Francisco during the National Cable Telecommunications Association convention. Participants included Media Action Marin, Media Alliance, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, Access S.F., Code Pink, Jobs with Justice and CWA Locals, 9430, 9423, 9421, 9415, 9412, 9410, 9408, 9400, 9119 and 9413. Flight Attendants and IUE-CWA activists were also on hand, along with TNG-CWA Local 39521.
Local 9415 President Valerie Reyna pointed out that, "You don't see many Comcast employees at this rally because they're afraid they'd be fired if the company found out."
When Comcast acquired AT&T Broadband two and a half years ago, the company made a pledge to improve its dismal performance in diversity. "The company has broken its promise and as it surpasses $20 billion in revenues we have yet to see any true commitment to diversity," said Alex Nogales, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.
Local 9423 Organizer Josh Sperry said Comcast "creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation everywhere. This March, in Oakland, where we represent workers, they wouldn't let us into the building. They turned on the sprinklers when we stood outside. How low can you get?"
As their contract expires, about 150 CWA members in Fresno are fighting a company-inspired campaign to decertify the union, Sperry said.
Comcast dropped a popular FM radio station from its line-up in Marin County, where because of the terrain, conventional radio reception is spotty, at best.
Sydney Levy of Media Alliance said Comcast fails to provide programming that cities and schools have been requesting and pointed out, "Cable rates are 17 percent lower when there is a competing cable company. We don't have that in the Bay Area, so local customers are paying the higher monopoly price. Prices go up every year, and what do we get for it? Low quality service from a company that abuses its workers and doesn't listen to the public."
Said District 9 Vice President Tony Bixler, "Whereas the phone companies are heavily unionized and provide stable middle class jobs, Comcast is less than 5 percent unionized and consistently takes the low road: contracting out most work, keeping wages low, and refusing to allow workers to voice their concerns."
Smashing TV sets labeled "Comcast Doesn't Care," speakers berated Comcast during the rally April 3 outside the Moscone Center in San Francisco during the National Cable Telecommunications Association convention. Participants included Media Action Marin, Media Alliance, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, Access S.F., Code Pink, Jobs with Justice and CWA Locals, 9430, 9423, 9421, 9415, 9412, 9410, 9408, 9400, 9119 and 9413. Flight Attendants and IUE-CWA activists were also on hand, along with TNG-CWA Local 39521.
Local 9415 President Valerie Reyna pointed out that, "You don't see many Comcast employees at this rally because they're afraid they'd be fired if the company found out."
When Comcast acquired AT&T Broadband two and a half years ago, the company made a pledge to improve its dismal performance in diversity. "The company has broken its promise and as it surpasses $20 billion in revenues we have yet to see any true commitment to diversity," said Alex Nogales, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.
Local 9423 Organizer Josh Sperry said Comcast "creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation everywhere. This March, in Oakland, where we represent workers, they wouldn't let us into the building. They turned on the sprinklers when we stood outside. How low can you get?"
As their contract expires, about 150 CWA members in Fresno are fighting a company-inspired campaign to decertify the union, Sperry said.
Comcast dropped a popular FM radio station from its line-up in Marin County, where because of the terrain, conventional radio reception is spotty, at best.
Sydney Levy of Media Alliance said Comcast fails to provide programming that cities and schools have been requesting and pointed out, "Cable rates are 17 percent lower when there is a competing cable company. We don't have that in the Bay Area, so local customers are paying the higher monopoly price. Prices go up every year, and what do we get for it? Low quality service from a company that abuses its workers and doesn't listen to the public."