Cablevision technicians in the Bronx voted overwhelmingly not to join CWA 1101 with a vote of 121 to 43 on June 27th.

Five months ago Brooklyn Cablevision technicians became the first to unionize by voting to join CWA 1109.

Tim Dubnau, District One’s regional organizer said that the Bronx vote came after a “honey and vinegar” campaign of illegal bribes and threats by Cablevision to discourage unionization. He said the company threatened the technicians with termination if they voted to join the union, and also gave them raises of up to $9 an hour. Under the National Labor Relations Act, employers may not offer raises to influence a unionization vote.

CWA made a statement that, management pulled out all the stops. It hired a union-busting law firm that helped create a “vote-no” committee that waged an ugly anti- campaign against union supporters.

Cablevision CEO James Dolan came to the Bronx location twice. On his first visit, he announced huge pay increases, raises that won’t apply to Cablevision workers at the Brooklyn location, of course. The CEO’s second visit wasn’t so pleasant. Then, he threatened technicians that if they voted for CWA, they wouldn’t get any of the new technology work that the company is rolling out. Cablevision “created a climate of such fear and intimidation that a free and fair election was not possible.”

CWA has filed unfair labor practice charges based on the company’s illegal actions.

Cablevision dismissed the union’s claims. “Cablevision employees were in no way coerced,” Jim Maiella, a spokesman, said in a statement. “This is just sour grapes from C.W.A. after an overwhelming loss in this election. We are confident that any investigation would show that.”