OP-ED
The Spectrum Strike: Two years too little, too late
This pattern of
unsavory business
practices forced the
state’s Public Service
Commission to issue a
groundbreaking order
for Charter to shape up or
leave the state entirely. In
the last year, the company
has been forced to pay
out over $200 million
fines and settlements — a
staggering penalty even
for New York.
Bolder yet are
Charter’s recent attempts
to decertify Local 3 by
employing a well known
union-busting scheme.
An internal company
memo urged current
workers who are not
part of the union to vote
against the interests of
the thousands of families
that are fighting for a
fair contract.
By pitting worker
against worker, the
Charter once again
displays that no dirty
tactic is beneath them.
One would expect a
company that has been
so publically castigated
and penalized to conduct
its affairs with humility,
but Charter appears to be
shameless. In a continued
offensive stance
against our workers,
Charter has made it
clear that corporate
greed and profits
are valued far above
our families.
As unions continue
to find the fight for fair
wages under attack, New
York cannot afford to lose
more jobs for our families.
Keeping our unions
strong is fundamental
to protecting New York’s
working middle class.
I am proud to stand by
actions taken by the
City, the State and the
Legislature to send a
clear message that we
stand with our workers.
Charter has displayed a
callous disregard not only
for the working families
of Local 3 but also the
people of New York. It
is time for Charter to
take responsibility
and return to
the table in good faith.
We cannot afford
anything less.
Daniel Rosenthal
represents the 27th
Assembly District,
which encompasses
the neighborhoods of
Electchester, Pomonok,
Kew Gardens Hills, Kew
Gardens, College Point
and parts of Whitestone,
Richmond Hill, Briarwood
and Forest Hills. He is
a member of the State
Assembly Standing
Committee on Labor.
ON THE WEB
BY DANIEL ROSENTHAL
Every spring, my
office assists hundreds
of families from
Electchester Houses
with annual income
affidavit forms.
Electchester is a
remnant of a New York
City that was unionstrong;
its nearly
6,000 apartments were
built in coalition with
the International
Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers
Local Union #3 (Local
3) to provide affordable
housing options for
our working families.
Last year, dozens of
constituents expressed
their concerns about
making ends meet as an
ongoing strike between
Local 3 and Charter/
Spectrum left many
workers furloughed.
This month marks an
extraordinary two years
since the picket line
started against Charter,
and there is no clear end
in sight.
In March 2017,
nearly 1,800 members
of Local 3 went on
strike against Charter
Communications after
the company refused to
offer its workers a fair
contract with benefits.
In the following months,
the news surrounding
Charter’s practices filled
the news cycle-- and it
remains damning to
this day.
A company that
cheats its workers will
cheat its customers and
recent legal actions taken
against Charter prove
just that. New York’s
Attorney General’s office
filed a lawsuit citing
the company wilfully
engaging in consumer
fraud. In a separate
action, New York
City’s Department of
Information Technology
and Telecommunications
sent three separate
notices of default
to Charter.
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