A group called "Cablevision99," which claims to represent nearly 300 unionized Cablevision (NYSE: CVC) technical workers in Brooklyn, has posted a YouTube rap video with a title, "Strike," and lyrics that the Bethpage, N.Y. cable company certainly won't find catchy.
You can view the video here.
Posted over the Labor Day holiday, the rap video features a group of purported Cablevision techs and breaks down, in rhyme, the two-year battle the Communications Workers of America (CWA) local has had with company to gain formal recognition and a contract.
"Cablevision and the Dolans don't want to give you the dignity and the respect that you deserve," says a narrator at the beginning of the tune. "It's you that did all the work to make him rich, rich, rich. And he's certainly not making you rich…"
The rap lyrics later include a, er, shot at Cablevision chief executive James Dolan's blues band, J.D. and the Straight Shot.
TheCableVision99.org is a website operated by the CWA to campaign for Cablevision's unionization. The video is not posted on the site, however.
Cablevision responded with this statement: "Cablevision continues to bargain in good faith to reach an agreement with the CWA union for our Brooklyn employees."
The CWA has been battling Cablevision since 2012 as it seeks to unionize the company's technical workers. In March 2013, the union claimed that Cablevision fired 22 of its Brooklyn workers because they were in favor of joining the CWA. The cable company argued that the employees were let go because they refused to work. In any event, the workers were later rehired. To date, the CWA has only been able to unionize only about 280 of Cablevision's 14,000 workers.
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Cablevision techs' "Strike" video.(Source: YouTube) |
For more:
- direct link to the YouTube video
Related links:
Cablevision asks CWA to stop calling subscribers about Hurricane Sandy credits
Bronx Cablevision technicians reject proposal to join CWA
Cablevision employees in Brooklyn vote to join CWA; union eyes other cable MSOs