cwa newsletter, september 19, 2013

7/29/2019 CWA Newsletter, September 19, 2013

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September 19, 2013

Cablevision Tech: 'I J ust Want a Shot at the American Dream'

NLRB Examines Unfair Labor Practice Charges Against Cablevision

American Airlines, US Airways Employees Say 'Let Us CompeteTogether'

Building Our Movement

TPP: Out of the Shadows!

Cablevision Tech: 'I J ust Want a Shot at the American Dream'

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Cablevision technician Clarence Adams, a member of CWA Local 1109,addresses lawmakers in Washington, DC.

Today Cablevision technicianClarence Adams testified before the HouseSubcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions on the future ofunion organizing.

"Ten years ago, I put my life on the line 6,000 miles away from home in thename of protecting the basic rights of American democracy," said Adams, a
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U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in the Iraq War and has worked as aCablevision field technician in Brooklyn for more than 14 years. "I believed Iwas fighting so that the rights of every American would be protected. I neverthought that I would see the day that I, as an American citizen, would havemy basic rights trampled on and no one would do anything about it. I never

thought that a big corporation could violate my rights and the governmentwould let them get away with it."

Ever since Adams and his Cablevision coworkers voted to join CWA lastyear, management has refused to bargain with workers in good faith. Inaddition to intimidating and threatening employees, Cablevision even illegallyfired 22 workers for simply attempting to use the company's "open door"policy to discuss the stalled contract negotiations.

Cablevision faces now several unfair practice charges at a National LaborRelations Board hearing in New York City this week.

Adams told lawmakers that Cablevision ultimately bowed to public pressureand rehired him and his 21 coworkers.

"When we walked back in the door, we showed our fellow workers that this isstill a fight that we can win," he said. "But I have to say I am very, very upsetabout what happened to us and what has happened since we voted in theunion. The NLRB has filed charges against Cablevision, and we still awaitjustice. Cablevision threatened my livelihood by illegally firing me, and theyhave shown utter contempt for the rule of law. And so far there have been noconsequences for them. Cablevision has hired over 50 lawyers, literally, to

defend their unlawful actions. It is simply obscene for them to spend so muchon lawyers, instead of sitting down to negotiate with their employees."

He added, "I just want a shot at the American Dream."

Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) commended Adams for his "bravery andstanding tall for working men and women." Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ ) calledCablevision's campaign against CWA, "a textbook example of what's becomeknown as union busting."

"We have a broken system," said Rep. J oe Courtney (D-Conn.).

Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) pointed out that workers, like the OUR Wal-Martmembers attending the hearing, have increasingly turned to new ways ofasserting their rights in the workplace precisely because of the nation'sdysfunctional labor laws.

"My constituents know that with Wal-Mart, a discussion of a union is toxic.They're trying to figure out how they can keep their job and how they get
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some respect, decent wages, and decent working conditions," said Miller."And if you try to figure it out among your peers, you can get fired. But if yougo the other route as Mr. Adams went, you spend a year trying to talk to yourcoworkers and get a union, and you win an election. But now you've spent601 days trying to get the results of your election and get the benefits of the

bargaining."

Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J .), the ranking member of the House Health,Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee, said, "We believe that yougrow the economy through the middle class out. When Americans areengaged in collective bargaining, they are part of this effort to grow theeconomy. On average, union workers earn 27 percent more than theirnonunion counterparts.They are more likely to have a retirement plan andhealth care coverage. These are the elements of middle class success."

NLRB Examines Unfair Labor Practice Charges Against Cablevision

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Cablevision is facing several unfair labor practices charges this week at aNational Labor Relations Board hearing in New York City.

The charges include:

The company has engaged in "bad-faith bargaining" with zero intenton ever reaching an agreement with Brooklyn technicians. Despitevoting to join CWA more than a year ago, these workers still do nothave a first contract.

CEO J ames Dolan personally threatened to deny Bronx workers jobopportunities and training if they voted for the union.

To discourage additional CWA organizing campaigns, Cablevisionillegally gave raises of$2 to $9 an hour to every Cablevision employee except those in Brooklyn.

American Airlines, US Airways Employees Say 'Let Us Compete Together'

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CWA Local 1171 President Tom Gunning speaks at the rally outside the U.S.Capitol.

Below: Hundreds of activists at the fly-in ask their allies in Congress to urgethe Justice Department to settle its lawsuit against the airlines pendingmerger.

Hundreds of pilots, Flight Attendants, mechanics, technicians, aircraftdispatchers, call center representatives, passenger service agents and fleetservice employees rallied on Capitol Hill this week to make the case forproposed merger between American Airlines and US Airways.

Over two days, they met with more than 50 senators and nearly 300 House

members, urging them to lend their support a deal that would give all 70,000workers job security. The merger has been stalled since last month when theJ ustice Department and six state attorneys general filed lawsuits againstAmerican and US Airways to block the deal.

"For employees, there's no question that the merger of US Airways andAmerican Airlines is very positive," said Tom Gunning, president of CWALocal 1171, one of many locals representing nearly 15,000 CWA and AFA-


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CWA workers at US Airways. "It will create a stronger, more competitiveairline, one that will provide better service and more options to passengersthan either of our airlines could do alone. That kind of competition is good forpassengers."

He added, "At US Airways, we've already suffered through very turbulenttimes in our industry. My co-workers and I have suffered through twobankruptcies, pay cuts and that sinking feeling that things might never turnaround. American Airlines workers have lost jobs and seen their benefitsslashed. Their airline remains in bankruptcy. This merger finally is theopportunity for all our sacrifices to be rewarded."

Activists also included members of AFA-CWA, APA, APFA, IBT, TWU andUSAPA.

A federal judge is scheduled to hear the case on Nov. 25.

Building Our Movement

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CWA's Iowa State Council meets to begin building political power forlegislative and electoral campaigns in 2014.
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In Bakersfield, Calif., a "buy-cott" is encouraging people to shop at stores thatsupport comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship.CWA activists working with the Kern Coalition for Citizenship have helpedsign up more than 70 small businesses, which have all posted flyers ofsupport in their windows. Flyers read, "This Business Supports Economic

Opportunities For All. We Support Immigration Reform With A Pathway ToCitizenship."


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CWA Local 1039 in rallies outside the New J ersey State Capitol today insupport of a fair contract for child care providers and raising the minimumwage. On Nov. 5, residents will be voting on a ballot measure that wouldincrease the minimum wage from$7.25 an hour to $8.25 an hour.

TPP: Out of the Shadows!

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Right now, lead negotiators for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade dealwill be meeting in Washington, DC for several days of horse-trading aimed at

speeding the massive pact towards conclusion. This round is even moresecretive than the last three years of closed-door negotiations, in that theyare not even including a stakeholder process.

Tomorrow, join environmental, labor, family farm, faith, consumer, publichealth and social justice activists for a lunch-hour rally to let TPP negotiatorsknow that people are watching and will be holding them accountable.

Where: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative at 600 17th St NW,Washington, DC

When: Sept. 20 at Noon

RSVP on Facebook.

Tonight, watch CWA President Larry Cohen discuss the TPP on The EdShow, which airs 5 p.m. on MSNBC.

CWA Local 7704 President Keven Ondrak told his local news station, "Westop these foreign trade deals that take our jobs offshore. We must bringback all offshore work here back to the United States."

Ondrak said union members and all working Americans deserve to have avoice in the process. "They shut the door on us and they have theirCongressional meetings and they call for a vote through fast-track up ordown. So, they're excluding us," he said.

Read the full story at KCSG Television.
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cwa newsletter, september 19, 2013

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