ATT Broadband Cable Techs Get a Voice in Spokane
Workers Vote 47-6 for CWA Representation
On April 18, some two months after casting their ballots in a union representation election, workers at AT&T Broadband in Spokane, Washington, learned that they won CWA representation. The ballot count showed that they won by an overwhelming margin -- 47 votes for CWA and 6 votes for “No Union.”
The 56 technicians in the bargaining unit work at the company’s fulfillment unit. That the cable workers had to wait more than two months to get the ballots counted (the election was held Jan. 28) is indicative of the way the workers feel they were treated.
Employees cited heavy-handed policies by local management as a driving force behind their campaign. Workers say the company was inconsistent in carrying out day-to-day policies relating to scheduling, promotions and raises, and that favoritism was common.
The cable workers' victory was covered online by the website published by Spokesman-Review newspaper. Click this link to read the article. [note: this link was posted on April 30, 2002, and probably has a limited life.]
The ballot count was held up right after the election, when the company charged that CWA had violated the terms of the Neutrality and Consent Election (NCE) procedures which govern union representation elections at AT&T. The company said that the workers’ formal organizing campaign had begun too early and that the length of the actual campaign was too short.
An independent third party neutral ruled that the company’s charges were without merit. An enormous level of support for the union had developed among the workers before formal notice was given to management. Support was so strong, that activists collected enough authorization cards to call for an election just three days after the formal campaign had begun.
CWA Local 7818 organizer Mary Boehke assisted the workers with their campaign.
