International President Lonnie R. Stephenson pictured with Assistant Business Manager Lance Van Arsdale, Business Representative Derek Jordan and striking Local 3 members employed by Spectrum Communications.
Sisters and Brothers,
The Local 3 members formerly employed by Time Warner Cable before the purchase by Charter have been working under an expired agreement. Both TWC and Charter have refused to bargain with Local 3 for over 2 years.
A number of high profile labor disputes have been in the news over the past year ‰ÛÓ IBEW and CWA members employed by Verizon, IUE-CWA Local 81359/81380 members employed by Momentive Performance Materials in upstate NY and the Fight for $15 initiative focused in low-wage industries like fast-food and service jobs. We have heard about the corporate agenda for years. Clearly, the tactics employed by Charter/Spectrum during these negotiations are pulled directly from the corporate playbook.
According to the informational website run by rank and file Charter/Spectrum employees‰ÛÓ http://nycabletruth.blogspot.com/ these are some of the proposals put forth by Charter thus far:
‰Û¢‰ÛâCHARTER/SPECTRUM promised customer’s faster internet speeds knowing their equipment was not capable of delivering.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCHARTER/SPECTRUM has been disciplining their technicians over repeat service calls to customers over unobtainable Wi-Fi internet speeds.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCHARTER/SPECTRUM is forcing technicians to install refurbished equipment not capable of maintaining internet speeds.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCHARTER/SPECTRUM is not providing proper training and promotions to their technicians.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCHARTER/SPECTRUM are using subcontractors from other states in violation of the New York City Franchise Agreement.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCHARTER/SPECTRUM proposes to reduce medical benefits for their technicians.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCHARTER/SPECTRUM is being sued by NYS Attorney General Schneiderman for lying about their internet speed.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to eliminate Pension and Hospitalization Plan contributions, which would end your Joint Board Medical and Joint Board Pension.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to eliminate the Educational and Cultural Trust Fund contributions. Funds will no longer be available for you or your spouse to attend college.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to eliminate Annuity/HRA contributions, Dental and the Company 401k.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to eliminate Social Security (FICA) which is an additional 7.65% of your salary.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to eliminate overtime pay for Saturday and Sunday.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to reduced holidays from 9 to 7 days (eliminate your birthday day and religious holiday).
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to eliminate bargaining unit shifts and create shifts at their discretion at any time.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to have union members paid bi-weekly instead of weekly.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to eliminate all personal days including accrued personal days and eliminate unused payout of sick time.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to eliminate the Subcontracting Clause which will allow them to lay-off employees of the company even if outside contractors are being used.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants the right to subcontract out services and all bargaining unit work non-union
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to assign any employee regardless of seniority to any work location, in the five boroughs and New Jersey, at their discretion as long as they give 2 weeks notice.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCharter wants to eliminate the representation of your Shop Steward.
At this point, we are asking all Division Chairpersons and Club Presidents to help raise awareness of this situation. Our Local 3 sisters and brothers employed by Charter/Spectrum need our support and solidarity. In your reports at your meeting please read the talking points found below and share the informational website put out by rank and file members.
‰Û¢‰ÛâCHARTER/SPECTRUM employees who are members of Local 3, IBEW have voted to go on strike.
‰Û¢‰ÛâThis situation affects roughly 2,500 Local 3 members.
Trade unionists come out in force to support the striking Spectrum Communications workers.
