Pittsburgh Local Celebrates Victory at Comcast

Five years of solidarity, persistence and community support have led to three groundbreaking contracts for embattled Comcast workers near Pittsburgh.

Workers represented by CWA Local 13000 have ratified contracts covering 350 technical unit employees in the South Hills, East Hills and Corliss bargaining units. The victories follow CWA contracts ratified last fall by South Hills service representatives and Westmoreland technicians and warehouse workers.

CWA's hard-won success against Comcast in western Pennsylvania has given the area the country's largest number of organized workers at the notorious union-busting cable company.

"We could not be prouder of our members at Comcast, our Local 13000 leaders and our staff for never backing down even as Comcast illegally fired workers, mounted decert campaigns and tried every other trick in the book to keep CWA out," CWA President Larry Cohen said. "These contracts represent an historic victory for us."

"Congratulations to every person involved with these wins, from the membership, local officers and the executive board of Local 13000 to all of the District 13 staff involved, especially Administrative Assistant Marge Krueger," said District Vice President Jim Short. "These workers truly wanted a say in their workplace and were willing to outlast Comcast one day longer."

Said Krueger, the chief organizer and negotiator, "one day longer" was the mantra that symbolized the workers' determination throughout the long fight.

The contracts have different expiration dates between two and three years from now. Krueger said they all include an initial wage increase of 2.5 to 3.5 percent and a $700 signing bonus, and a second-year raise of 2.6 percent. While health care costs for workers will rise in two increments, they will be offset in part by additional wage increases of .5 percent. Workers will maintain their paid time off and won a provision that the company can't schedule shifts after 7:30 p.m.

The CWA-represented units were first organized and certified in 2001, when they were owned by AT&T. A year later, AT&T Broadband merged with Comcast and the battle for recognition and a contract became even tougher.

"We have had seven different company attorneys who tried to start bargaining from the beginning each time there was a change," Krueger said. "Bargaining only occurred in between four elections, layoffs and numerous unfair labor practice charges."

CWA-sponsored radio ads, public support from the Pittsburgh City Council and other political leaders, AFL-CIO support and a town hall meeting hosted by Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) all helped increase pressure on Comcast to bargain.

CWA members of Locals 13000 and 13500, as well as other locals around the country, lent their support, even making home visits to Comcast workers to help them understand the benefits of joining the union.

Krueger said she's been bowled over by the workers who fought so hard for union representation and contracts.

"I felt it was a privilege to work with people like that," she said. "I've been doing organizing for 20 years and to see people just keep fighting and fighting, even though the company tried to beat them down so much — I just can't say enough positive things about them."