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from: Madison.com

Local communications union pulls support of video bill

Judith Davidoff and David Callender — 11/01/2007 12:11 pm

Though AT&T says good jobs will go to its workers if the state passes a proposed video franchise bill, the largest union local in its Wisconsin workforce is not buying it.

"We're very concerned about the future of AT&T jobs in Wisconsin," George Wells, president of the Communication Workers of America Local 4603, said in an interview Wednesday.

Wells is delivering a letter today to Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker, D-Weston, notifying him that the local is pulling its support from the bill.

"While we fully understand the importance of statewide video franchising, the proposed legislation has a significant number of flaws which need to be addressed, especially when compared to the video bill recently passed in the state of Illinois," Walls wrote in the letter.

Walls said his local represents about 1,800 AT&T employees in the Milwaukee area.

The Capital Times reported Wednesday that AT&T has cut its Wisconsin workforce by nearly half since 1993. Noting the closure of another call center in Milwaukee this summer, Wells said he was concerned the video franchise bill would not produce the promised jobs because it lacks strong requirements on how many households new video providers would have to reach.

"The more build-out, the more jobs for us," he said.

The statewide Communications Workers of America remains supportive of the bill, said Ron Honse, Wisconsin's political director.

He said his union has been working closely with AT&T "to make sure that the technology gets deployed in all parts of the state and that consumers don't get left behind."

Honse said AT&T has made "serious commitments for millions of dollars of investments in upgrading the infrastructure" in Ohio and Illinois, where similar video legislation has passed. He said those commitments would result in new union jobs.

Fast track

The video bill, sponsored by Rep. Phil Montgomery, R-Green Bay, and Sen. Jeff Plale, D-South Milwaukee, is once again on a fast track. The Joint Finance Committee took less than an hour Wednesday to approve the bill, and it's now scheduled for a vote before the full Senate next Thursday. The state Assembly passed the bill in April.

Under the bill, AT&T and other telecommunication companies would be able to offer cable television service in the state without securing franchise agreements with individual municipalities.

Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona, who was one of only three legislators who voted against the bill in Joint Finance, said he would try to amend the bill on the Senate floor today. Among the changes he'd like to see is a time limit on the statewide franchises that would be issued to video providers.

Decker spokeswoman Carrie Lynch said the majority leader had no direct comment on CWA Local 4603's opposition to the bill, but noted Decker has always had his own concerns about the legislation. Decker has been pleased with changes that have already been made and hopes "as the bill moves forward they'll look at everything," Lynch added.

Lynch said Decker would be open to amendments introduced on the Senate floor.

Doyle weighs in

At a question-and-answer session after a public appearance Wednesday, Gov. Jim Doyle told reporters he sees the need for cable deregulation but wants to make sure consumers are not left behind in the process.

Doyle said changes to the bill have already "gone a long way toward protecting consumers." But, he added, "I think the Legislature before it acts has to be very confident that Wisconsin consumers aren't moving backward on this, but that it provides the kind of protections we need."

Doyle said he wasn't sure whether a statewide video franchise system would create more jobs, but noted jobs were secondary to the prospect of increased competition for consumers.

"I think generally that fair competition is better for consumers, so that people have better choices and clearer choices," said Doyle, whose former campaign media adviser, Thad Nation, is running TV4US, the statewide public relations campaign that is drumming up support for the bill.

"And competition should drive down costs," Doyle said. "Whether that provides jobs or not, I hope it does, but again I think the argument people have to weigh is does the competition help consumers or does it not help consumers."

Judith Davidoff and David Callender — 11/01/2007 12:11 pm