The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is pleased to share the news that our IBEW 827 brothers and sisters at Comcast joined together in solidarity to soundly defeat the company’s aggressive campaign to decertify the union. This victory is a testament to the strength, solidarity, and hard work of union members and the IBEW 827 organizing team. On behalf of our one-million member union family, we congratulate our IBEW 827 brothers and sisters, Business Manager Robert Speer, Business Agent Rich Spieler, Lead Organizer Joe Mastrogiovanni and Chief Stewards Leah Connelly and Glenn Yeary on a job well done.
During this hard fought campaign, management held captive audience meetings, made false promises, and used every tool at its disposal to try and turn workers against the union. Yet for every attack that was launched against the union, the organizing team made sure to stay one step ahead.
“We worked hard, sending emails every week. We were on the phone with stewards all the time. It was a total group effort,” stated IBEW 827 Business Agent Rich Spieler. “We did a better job of making the case for sticking together. We told them the truth. The company would have their meetings with people in the daytime, and we would have a nighttime meeting afterwards where we would answer all their questions. That’s what made the difference.”
While the decertification petition circulated by management was signed by 17 workers, the final vote in favor of the union was 42-13. This outcome demonstrates that workers not only stuck together, but also impressed upon their coworkers the importance and value of being part of a union and having a voice at the workplace.
Comcast’s actions are nothing new during these times of unbridled corporate greed and anti-union attacks. The company has increased employee health costs and withheld more than $160,000 in back pay to employees. But as shown by our IBEW 827 brothers and sisters, we have the power to prevail when we stand united and work together. Our collective voices will always speak louder than money and cheap intimidation tactics. We are ready, we are united, and we are fighting to duplicate these victories at every level of our labor movement.