Why is Negotiating a First Contract So Difficult?

CWAers packed the policy forum in Brooklyn, NY.

Below: House Democrats participating in the forum included Reps. Rob Andrews, Rush Holt, Hakeem Jeffries and Nydia Velazquez.

Cablevision's anti-union campaign has been so brazen and ruthless that Democratic members of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a forum about the ongoing labor dispute to illustrate the challenges of negotiating first contracts after workers unionize.

"Good labor relations promotes job growth. Bargaining in good faith promotes good labor relations," said New Jersey's Rep. Rob Andrews (1st District) at Monday's forum in Brooklyn, NY. "When there isn't good faith bargaining, we need a legal remedy such as binding arbitration that results in a first contract that is fair to the employer and the employees."

Watch the full policy forum here:

In January 2012, Cablevision workers in three facilities in New York and Brooklyn voted 180-86 to join CWA. The NLRB certified the bargaining unit the following month. But management and workers still have not finalized a first contract more than a year later.

Instead, management locked out and fired 22 Cablevision workers seeking a meeting with management to discuss lack of progress in negotiations this past January. The technicians had intended on taking advantage of the company's much-touted "open door" policy. But while they waited for the meeting, a Cablevision-Optimum vice president informed the workers that they were being "permanently replaced." Public outcry about the firings followed, and the company rehired all 22 workers this month. (Read more in the New York Daily News.)

Meanwhile, the struggle for a first contract continues.

On Monday, employees described the company's tactics to delay negotiations and intimidate workers. For instance, if a contract is not reached after a year of bargaining following certification of an election, a window opens for workers to file a decertification petition to eliminate the union. After the one-year mark was reached at Cablevision, a decertification petition was filed.

In the wake of the 22 unjust firings, a number of employees who had supported joining CWA were terrified. Some even told union supporters that they signed the decertification petition because they assumed that management would see the petition. They said that support for the union dropped because it has not been able to get a contract and because of the firings.

C. John Cicero, a professor at the CUNY School of Law, testified that this case "fits a pattern or blueprint well-worn into the fabric of union avoidance." But House Democrats pledged to work on ensuring more protections for workers.

"Federal law is designed to protect the ability of the American worker to unionize, organize and bargain collectively. Throughout the country, however, in places like Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio, the right to collectively bargain is under assault," said New York's Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (8th District). "We cannot let that happen in Brooklyn. Congress, as the custodians of our democracy, has an obligation to make sure that our laws are not blatantly violated. That is an obligation that we take seriously, and we will continue to be steadfast in this regard until the Cablevision situation has been resolved."

Two Cablevision employees, District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton, New Jersey Rep. Rush Holt (12th District) and New York Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (7th District) also joined the discussion. CWA Locals 1109, 1101, 1102, 1105 and 1120 were joined by members of New York Communities for Change, Occupy Wall Street and Make the Road New York in packing the forum.

While Cablevision was also invited to participate in Monday's discussion, the company declined to do so.

To learn more about the forum, check out New York Daily News columnist Albor Ruiz's commentary. The Brooklyn Downtown Star also covered the meeting.

As they continue to bargain for their first contract, Cablevision workers are building support on Facebook. Please "like" and share your thoughts on the Cablevision99 Facebook page.