Charter Communications “lied” to New Yorkers and “abused the workers,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) told a union rally Wednesday in New York City. Charter broke promises in its state franchise agreement to keep its trained workforce and to bring broadband to underserved households, he said. The state wants to fine it $20 million for violating the broadband agreement, he said. The union audience, including International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and AFL-CIO, chanted “Kick them out!” Cuomo later led another chant: “Workers united will never be defeated!” IBEW Local 3 has been on strike for nearly two years (see 1810230034). The operator also is defending against broadband complaints by the New York attorney general (see 1809250023) and Public Service Commission (see 1811270015), with the PSC ordering the company’s exit from New York. The union last week turned down a “fair offer” including “key concessions,” including the union’s top demand -- continued funding for the union’s medical and benefit plan, Charter blogged Wednesday. The offer “would have allowed many returning workers to have the choice to receive substantial wage increases, along with the company’s robust benefits; be covered by the union’s benefits; or receive a generous buy-out package with the union’s benefits." More than 97 percent of striking employees would be allowed to return to work, it said. “Only bad actors -- such as those who vandalized Charter’s network used to provide critical communications services to customers including to public safety, schools and hospitals, or blocked employees and customers from entering or exiting Charter facilities, or engaged in acts of violence -- would be unable to return.” The company claimed New York service quality remains at “an all-time high.”

Charter Communications “lied” to New Yorkers and “abused the workers,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) told a union rally Wednesday in New York City. Charter broke promises in its state franchise agreement to keep its trained workforce and to bring broadband to underserved households, he said. The state wants to fine it $20 million for violating the broadband agreement, he said. The union audience, including International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and AFL-CIO, chanted “Kick them out!” Cuomo later led another chant: “Workers united will never be defeated!” IBEW Local 3 has been on strike for nearly two years (see 1810230034). The operator also is defending against broadband complaints by the New York attorney general (see 1809250023) and Public Service Commission (see 1811270015), with the PSC ordering the company’s exit from New York. The union last week turned down a “fair offer” including “key concessions,” including the union’s top demand -- continued funding for the union’s medical and benefit plan, Charter blogged Wednesday. The offer “would have allowed many returning workers to have the choice to receive substantial wage increases, along with the company’s robust benefits; be covered by the union’s benefits; or receive a generous buy-out package with the union’s benefits." More than 97 percent of striking employees would be allowed to return to work, it said. “Only bad actors -- such as those who vandalized Charter’s network used to provide critical communications services to customers including to public safety, schools and hospitals, or blocked employees and customers from entering or exiting Charter facilities, or engaged in acts of violence -- would be unable to return.” The company claimed New York service quality remains at “an all-time high.”

Charter Communications “lied” to New Yorkers and “abused the workers,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) told a union rally Wednesday in New York City. Charter broke promises in its state franchise agreement to keep its trained workforce and to bring broadband to underserved households, he said. The state wants to fine it $20 million for violating the broadband agreement, he said. The union audience, including International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and AFL-CIO, chanted “Kick them out!” Cuomo later led another chant: “Workers united will never be defeated!” IBEW Local 3 has been on strike for nearly two years (see 1810230034). The operator also is defending against broadband complaints by the New York attorney general (see 1809250023) and Public Service Commission (see 1811270015), with the PSC ordering the company’s exit from New York. The union last week turned down a “fair offer” including “key concessions,” including the union’s top demand -- continued funding for the union’s medical and benefit plan, Charter blogged Wednesday. The offer “would have allowed many returning workers to have the choice to receive substantial wage increases, along with the company’s robust benefits; be covered by the union’s benefits; or receive a generous buy-out package with the union’s benefits." More than 97 percent of striking employees would be allowed to return to work, it said. “Only bad actors -- such as those who vandalized Charter’s network used to provide critical communications services to customers including to public safety, schools and hospitals, or blocked employees and customers from entering or exiting Charter facilities, or engaged in acts of violence -- would be unable to return.” The company claimed New York service quality remains at “an all-time high.”

Workers made a pact Saturday with Consolidated Communications in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, said unions and the company. About 1,000 workers represented by Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers last month threatened to strike in the former FairPoint territory (see 1807250054). Consolidated reached agreement with unions hours before contracts were to expire. Separate agreements with CWA and IBEW “maintain high quality affordable health care, provide enhanced retirement benefits through a new 401K savings plan, and protect local jobs for the life of the agreements,” the unions said. Workers will vote to ratify the three-year agreements in “coming days,” they said. Consolidated is “optimistic our employees will ratify these new labor agreements,” which show an improvement in union-company relations since Consolidated acquired FairPoint one year ago, said Consolidated CEO Bob Udell. Meanwhile, AT&T workers represented by CWA launched a multistate "Broken Promises Tour" to talk about job cuts since the GOP tax bill. AT&T says it hired 8,000 U.S. employees gross, not subtracting those who left (see 1807300016). The CWA executive board in May approved a possible strike by 14,000 workers covered by AT&T Midwest and Legacy T contracts.

Unions in former FairPoint territory may strike against new owner Consolidated Communications, said Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers officials. Unions voted Wednesday to authorize a strike if no agreement is reached. Consolidated Communications seeks to reach agreement with CWA and IBEW in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Consolidated Vice President-Human Resources Ryan Whitlock said in a statement. “We have been negotiating in good faith for months with union leaders in a mutually respectful manner to secure labor agreements that provide flexibility to effectively and efficiently meet our customers’ needs,” Whitlock said. “We are hopeful to negotiate contracts that will allow us to more effectively and efficiently serve our customers, benefit our employees and ensure we are a sustainable and competitive Company.” It has a contingency plan to minimize potential service disruptions, he said. Consolidated “is pursuing subcontracting flexibility to allow for the use of additional labor resources to expedite the repair, maintenance and installation of services for customers” but “has proposed no IBEW-represented employee will be laid off as a result of using subcontracted resources,” Whitlock said. Consolidated “offered to hire additional IBEW represented jobs to assist in overseeing the quality and safety of these resources.” An "overwhelming majority" of the 1,000 workers represented by CWA and IBEW voted to authorize the strike if talks fail on the contract that expires Aug. 4, the unions said in a Wednesday news release. “Despite more than three months of bargaining, we are still far from an agreement that protects consumers and good jobs in our communities,” said IBEW Local 2327 Business Manager Peter McLaughlin. “Management continues to insist on outsourcing work, and we strongly believe that will hurt consumers and the hard-working employees who support, build, and maintain Northern New England’s critical telecommunications infrastructure.”

Unions urged the FCC to ensure worker safety and system reliability in any new pole-attachment rules. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers members "are literally on the front lines of network maintenance and development," so "any changes to pole networks should protect the safety and reliability of the grid and communications network, and those who work on it," said a filing posted Friday in docket 17-108 (that's the net neutrality docket, but the letter addressed the wireline infrastructure deployment proceeding, which is docket 17-84). IBEW noted concerns about "pole congestion, safe access to perform pole work and the effect of RF radiation on linemen working on poles." It urged the FCC maintain national utility standards on the "distance between communications equipment and utility space for high voltage wires and devices." It backed one-touch, make-ready (OTMR) solutions to streamline pole attachments, "but only outside the utility space," and urged the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee to consider the issues. Communications Workers of America said in docket 17-84 BDAC OTMR recommendations "appropriately exclude 'complex' make-ready work in the communications space and all work in the utilities space from mandated third-party OTMR," in a meeting with an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. "However, the BDAC OTMR recommendation overreaches by authorizing third-party contractors to perform 'simple' make-ready work in the communications space without advance notice to all existing attachers, without providing existing attachers the opportunity to move their equipment in a timely manner, and by giving new attachers’ contractors the authority to determine whether make-ready work is 'simple' or 'complex.'" CWA cited similar concerns to an aide to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.

Unions urged the FCC to ensure worker safety and system reliability in any new pole-attachment rules. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers members "are literally on the front lines of network maintenance and development," so "any changes to pole networks should protect the safety and reliability of the grid and communications network, and those who work on it," said a filing posted Friday in docket 17-108 (that's the net neutrality docket, but the letter addressed the wireline infrastructure deployment proceeding, which is docket 17-84). IBEW noted concerns about "pole congestion, safe access to perform pole work and the effect of RF radiation on linemen working on poles." It urged the FCC maintain national utility standards on the "distance between communications equipment and utility space for high voltage wires and devices." It backed one-touch, make-ready (OTMR) solutions to streamline pole attachments, "but only outside the utility space," and urged the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee to consider the issues. Communications Workers of America said in docket 17-84 BDAC OTMR recommendations "appropriately exclude 'complex' make-ready work in the communications space and all work in the utilities space from mandated third-party OTMR," in a meeting with an aide to Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. "However, the BDAC OTMR recommendation overreaches by authorizing third-party contractors to perform 'simple' make-ready work in the communications space without advance notice to all existing attachers, without providing existing attachers the opportunity to move their equipment in a timely manner, and by giving new attachers’ contractors the authority to determine whether make-ready work is 'simple' or 'complex.'" CWA cited similar concerns to an aide to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.

As elimination of FCC main studio requirements takes effect Monday, broadcasters, attorneys and a union official told us they don’t expect immediate office shutterings or layoffs. The change won’t matter greatly for many broadcasters and is seen as more likely to shape long-term plans. “It won’t be a bloodbath Monday,” said International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers International Representative-Broadcasting and Telecommunications Neil Ambrosio. However, IBEW believes the rule change eventually will shrink staff, he said.

CBS and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers reached an early contract renewal agreement covering 3,500 technicians, the broadcaster said in a news release Wednesday. The IBEW represents CBS workers in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, St. Louis, San Francisco, Dallas, Miami and Atlanta, the announcement said. The contract was ratified by the affected workforce and will be effective Feb. 1 and goes through April 30, 2021, it said. The current contract was scheduled to end Jan. 31 and the new deal includes pay increases, increased benefit contributions and “a path forward for new media,” said the company.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and three left-leaning public interest groups urged Senate Democrats Wednesday to place a hold on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's reconfirmation amid concerns about what the groups believe is special FCC treatment of Sinclair. Several Senate Democrats said they plan to focus a floor debate on Pai's reconfirmation on their concerns about FCC handling of controversial policy issues under Pai, including Sinclair's proposed buy of Tribune. Senate Republicans are aiming to bring Pai up for a final vote before the Columbus Day recess (see 1709130054 and 1709150060). Congress “seems to be asleep at the wheel” on Sinclair/Tribune given that key congressional committees haven't held hearings on the deal and have given no indication they plan to do so, said Allied Progress Executive Director Karl Frisch during a conference call with reporters: “I don't think there should be a vote” on Pai's reconfirmation to a new five-year term “until some serious questions are answered and until hearings are held in Congress" on Sinclair/Tribune. A hold on Pai would be “first step” to allow hearings to occur, Frisch said. IBEW also supports a hold on Pai to allow Congress to “look at the steps that [Pai] is taking” that affect Sinclair, including reinstatement of the UHF discount, said International Representative Vinny Butler. Senators “should be prepared to ask tough questions” about Sinclair/Tribune, said Credo Action Campaign Manager Brandy Doyle. Pai recently told several top House Democrats that Sinclair hasn't received any special treatment, noting any actions that affect the company “have been motivated by my belief that a strong over the air broadcast service advances the public interest” (see 1709190060). The FCC, the House and Senate Commerce committees and Sinclair didn't comment.