Cambridge proposes language to strengthen workers’ rights in cable license with Comcast

The Cambridge City Council unanimously passed a resolution on January 31 supporting strong workers’ rights language in the city’s next cable TV agreement with Comcast.  The resolution urges Comcast to, “comply with the National Labor Relations Act and all applicable state and federal wage and hour laws.”  The city’s previous ten-year contract for cable and internet services expired on December 29, 2010.

The resolution also urged the city’s Cable TV, Telecommunications and Public Utilities Committee to include language in the renegotiated agreement with Comcast to, “encourage a healthy relationship with its employees by respecting their right to organize and to bargain collectively with their employer, and to engage in other protected, concerted activities to improve their wages and working conditions.”

The resolution was proposed by Councillors Marjorie Decker, Lelund Cheung and Timothy Toomey.  “It’s the minimum we can ask,” said Councillor Cheung. “I know Comcast can afford it because they charge all of us too much.” Cheung said the order addressed, “another aspect of the tyranny of Comcast that reigns in this city.”

Cambridge resident and Verizon technician Glenn Dansker spoke forcefully in favor of the resolution.  “I have worked for Verizon for 26 years and have always been grateful for the support I’ve received from my union, IBEW Local 2222.  This language will encourage Comcast to respect their employees’ right to organize; to allow their employees to bargain collectively, and to respect worker’s rights.”

“As a Comcast subscriber and Cambridge citizen, I am happy that the City Council adopted this policy.  As Comcast workers fight for their rights, it is incumbent on cities and towns that contract with Comcast to encourage its management to negotiate fairly with workers by adopting similar policies.  We need to use our strength as consumers to pressure Comcast to live up to both the letter and the spirit of the law,” said Kara Smith, who is on the staff of the Cambridge-based Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

“We don’t want anyone in our community to live in fear,” said Jennifer Doe, an organizer with Jobs with Justice, a community-labor coalition that has been supporting Comcast workers who are seeking to form unions at about 20 garages in Massachusetts. “This resolution will really give Comcast workers a boost!”

Comcast techs in the Fall River and Fairhaven garages are leading an initiative to begin talks with management about their wages and working conditions.  However, despite having proved that a strong majority want to collectively bargain for improvements, Comcast management is still refusing to discuss these issues with its employees.

To learn more about Comcast workers struggle for justice, visit their “Virtual Bulletin Board” where letters of support and other items of interest regarding the union are posted at: http://comcastunion.blogspot.com.  A copy of the Cambridge City Council resolution will be posted on the site as soon as it is available.