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Comcast Activist Attends White House Union Forum

April 5, 2011

Comcast worker Chrstine Dexter and many of her co-workers voted for IBEW representation.

Christine Dexter knows the benefits of union membership. As a UPS employee in southeastern Massachusetts during the ’90s, she was a member of the Teamsters and received fair wages and quality health care coverage.

Now a service tech for Comcast in Fall River, Mass., Dexter is helping lead the call for organizing at a company known for union busting – and she’s taken her message all the way to Washington, D.C.

Dexter joined fellow workers and activists at the White House on March 28. Coordinated by the U.S. Department of Labor, the day-long event served as a highlight of Women’s History Month and spotlighted women workers currently fighting to get union representation.

Taking the stage beside Labor Secretary Hilda Solis and employees of Wal-Mart, T-Mobile and other companies, Dexter told the crowd assembled for the forum why she and her co-workers are fighting for a fairer workplace:

A Massachusetts native and nine-year Comcast employee, Dexter installs cable TV and Internet connections for customers in the southeastern part of the state. Last fall, a significant majority of her nearly 100 colleagues at the Fall River and Fairhaven garages signed cards to be represented by Middleboro Local 2322.

Employees were concerned about unfair disciplinary procedures and cutbacks to health care coverage. For Dexter, the issue also comes down to job security:

I’m a single woman, I own my own home, I’m good at what I do and I need to know that I’m going to continue to have a job at this profitable company.

I came to Washington because I want to stand up for all my fellow workers who need a voice at the table

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Comcast has refused to recognize the unit and has rebuffed their efforts by holding captive audience meetings, intimidating employees and engaging in harassment. But Dexter said she and her co-workers are undeterred:

We have political support. We’ve gone to the statehouse, met with the Massachusetts secretary of labor and visited with representatives and mayors.

I’m optimistic that we’re going to be able to change things for the better.

The White House event also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City, where 146 workers – mostly women and girls – died in the worst industrial disaster in the city’s history. Solis said the efforts of the forum attendees showed that while gains have been made, their work is far from over:

 

We were honored to have heard the hopeful stories of these brave women. They were a reminder of the obstacles that must be overcome in the workplace and of the very hard work we still have to do on behalf of all working people.

While in Washington, Dexter also met with AFL-CIO and IBEW officials and the labor liaison for Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.)

Click here to read more on the Comcast employees’ union mobilization.