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Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO: Endorse Video Competition Bill

3/7/2007

Thursday March 8, 2007 Contact: Ann Crump, Communications Workers of America 414-525-4292

Groups Say Bill is Critical to Future of Union Telecom Jobs

Madison, WI – The Communications Workers of America (CWA-IUE), a labor organization representing more than 10,000 workers in Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO said Thursday they strongly support a bill that would promote video competition and encourage job growth.

“This bill is important to the future of union telecom jobs in Wisconsin,” said Mike Goebel, the political representative of CWA and President of CWA LOCAL 4611 in Racine, Kenosha and Lake Geneva. “Consumers will benefit from real cable competition. Prices will lower where there is serious competition. Cable bills are way too high and going higher all the time. Consumer access channels will be protected and Union workers will help assure that entire communities, rich and poor, are provided access to video competition. Everyone stands to benefit from faster internet access and new high-tech union jobs that will be created for the video services at&t will be providing. Also, the new jobs created will be union jobs. Family supporting jobs with benefits that protect workers’ families are essential to the economics in our cities and to the State of Wisconsin. Non-union cable companies contract most of their installation work to individuals without providing any benefits in most cases.”

Phil Neuenfeldt, of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, said that the future of union, family-supporting telecom jobs in Wisconsin was closely tied to this bill. “Because this bill is good for jobs, the state AFL-CIO, which represents hundreds and thousands of jobs in this State, urges legislators to co-sponsor and vote for this important pro-union legislation. Both parties should be able to unite to accomplish these things which will benefit consumers and the economy. People need a choice.”

The Video Competition Act (LRB-1914), would create a new process that allows video entertainment providers to receive a single franchise to offer video in the state. That franchise would require providers to share revenues with local governments and transmit local public channels.