Striking Charter® Employees Ramp up the Attack against the Telco

Reports from several reliable sources indicate that more than 1,800 striking workers of Charter Communications^® are planning to step up their battle against the telecom company through an online ad campaign. Representatives for Local Union 3 IBEW have already started an online ad campaign attack against Charter^®, which is one of the leading internet providers in the country.

In one of the newly released video spots, a 29-year company veteran, Marvin Billups, talks about how the current health plan of the union helped him to save his daughter. In the video spot, Billups asks, “If the CEO makes $98 million, how is our contract going to affect him.”

The acquisition of Time Warner Cable^® and unionized workers in New York sparked the dispute between both the parties. The workers who are currently under strike claim that Charter Communications^® is trying to significantly cut down their retirement and medical pension benefits. In addition to that, striking workers also added that the telecom giant has not yet negotiated to them in good faith.

On the other hand, the officials from Charter^® claim that they already offered an attractive and generous package to the striking employees but they refused to end the dispute.

Christopher Erikson, who is the business manager for the union local that has been conducting strike said, “There’s been no progress in negotiations at all. It’s been six months and my members are certainly suffering.” Erikson also added that the union workers are planning to stage a protest during Charter’s meeting, which is scheduled for next.

A spokesman from Charter^® defended the offer made by the company and said, “This benefit package is in line with the medical, pension and savings plans enjoyed by more than 90,000 Charter^® employees nationwide. And this competitive offer will have a positive, lasting impact on employees’ standard of living and allows us to grow a well-paid, highly skilled workforce for the benefit of our customers.”

Cuomo attorney Alphonso David recently requested the utility commission of New York to review the behavior of the company, especially in light of the promises that they made during the acquisition of Time Warner Cable^®. He wrote, “I understand that as a result of the current strike, Charter’s employee workforce has been diminished in size and skill, leaving customers vulnerable to poor service. Charter’s actions, therefore, contradict the representations it made to the State’s regulator.”