Comcast Workers United
News from IBEW Local 2322 http://ibew2322.com
Pressure is building for Comcast to begin talks
with Fall River and Fairhaven workers
At the end of September, Congressman Lynch and
Fall River Mayor Flanagan certified that the majority
of Fall River and Fairhaven employees had signed
cards to unite in IBEW Local 2322. (See the card
count and certification on YouTube video at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNCLD_12ebQ)
Since then, Congressman Barney Frank wrote a
letter calling on Comcast management to, "begin
collective bargaining for an agreement covering
[workers] wages, benefits and working conditions."
State Senator Marc Pacheco also wrote a letter to
Local 2322 indicating that, "Comcast workers have
my full support and I will do anything to help."
Comcast Still Stonewalling
Local 2322 Business Manager Eric Hetrick reached
out to management to request dates for talks and for
routine information that workers need in order to
negotiate better wages and working conditions.
So far Comcast has refused to set dates for talks or
provide the information needed.
Yet, in an October 4 letter to Local 2322, Comcast
Regional VP Stephen Hackley wrote, "Comcast
respects the rights of employees to organize for the
purposes of collective bargaining."
If Comcast respects workers rights, why won't it sit
down and talk with its employees?
November 2010
In the same Oct. 4 letter to Local 2322, Hackley urged
allowing "employees to vote" in an election
"administered by the NLRB."
But NLRB elections are almost completely
discredited. Labor economist and Harvard Professor
Richard Freeman recently authored a paper saying that
union elections in the private-sector, "have turned
into massive employer campaigns against unions."
And he argued that the U.S. labor laws have "failed to
deter firms from illegal actions to prevent
unionization." Read more about Dr. Freeman's study
at: http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/labor-law-is-
broken-economist-says/
Because Comcast is not obligated to respect the
employee majority, it will take sustained pressure from
customers and the community to convince
management to begin talks with employees.
Make it a career!
Despite the "great recession," Comcast continues to be
a highly successful company. In the third quarter of
2010, revenues were up 7 percent! That success was
made possible because of the hard work and
dedication that each employee gives to Comcast.
Sharing in that prosperity is what having an
organization of your own is all about. Collective
bargaining with management is the only way to get
your wages and working conditions in a legally
binding contract that ensures management will respect
by its promises to you.
More info…
To get copies of the letters or news articles, email
Steve Smith at smithhousem@aol.com or call him at (978)
302-3690. See: www.comcastworkersfightback.blogspot.com
or call IBEW Local 2322 Business Manager Eric
Hetrick or agents John Rudowski and Vic Bala at 508-
947-2131 if you have questions.
Printed by union labor at IBEW Local 2322