National Journal's Technology Daily, June 1, 2005, Wednesday

Copyright 2005 National Journal Group, Inc.
National Journal's Technology Daily

AM Edition

June 1, 2005 Wednesday

HEADLINE: LABOR: Union Workers Having Tough Time With Tech Industry

BODY:
Union organizers are having little success recruiting workers
from wireless and cable companies, The New York Times reports.
The number of unionized workers in every industry has dropped
significantly since 1980, but the future of unions in the
telecommunications sector appears particularly bleak. "We're not
winning, we're losing," said Lisa Morowitz, union coordinator
for the Communications Workers of America (CWA). "If we don't
move the direction this industry is moving, we could become
obsolete." After the Bell company monopolies were unionized in
the late 1930s, the telecom sector had a large union presence,
but mergers, deregulation and innovation have caused workers to
flock from traditional phone companies to the largely union-free
cable and wireless companies. Besides a 2000 deal to unionize
workers at Cingular Wireless, labor groups have had few
successes. Comcast workers have voted to abolish nearly two
dozen unions in the past three years, while CWA is currently
locked in a fight over labor issues with Verizon Wireless. Harry
Katz, a Cornell University professor, said unions need to change
their message to convince workers that unions will be helpful
during turbulent times.