IBEW Organizes 700 Comcast Workers Who Saw Pay Slashed While Profits Soared

[Omaha Steve]

X post in Socialist-Progressive

http://wepartypatriots.com/wp/2014/07/08/ibew-organizes-700-comcast-workers-who-saw-pay-slashed-while-profits-soared/

With their work conditions eroding, Comcast direct sales reps in Florida turned to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to help them organize. Comcast was making record profits while slashing pay by nearly 30 percent, so it’s easy to understand why 700 technicians would band together nationwide to fight for better pay through collective bargaining.

Sales representative Debbie Hernandez spoke with IBEW bloggers about the 2012 salary restructuring which triggered the initial outrage among workers. “They increased our sales goals, lowered our commission and lowered our salary – all in one day,” she said.

Communication between co-workers was difficult. Thanks to the IBEW, though, coordinating organizational efforts was simplified:

Because they’re always in the field talking with customers, some reps had never even spoken to each other,” [Fifth District Lead Organizer Kathy Smith] said. “But once the organizing campaign got off the ground, it was another story.”

FULL story at link.

[roguevalley]

1. ibew... now there is a union's union