Andy, unions rip Spectrum labor-bashing

ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo and state labor leaders are accusing Charter/Spectrum cable of “union-busting” activities and are set to unleash Monday a campaign seeking new boycotts against the company, the Daily News has learned.

Negotiations between Spectrum and IBEW Local 3, which has been out on strike for more than a year, had heated up in recent weeks, a source with knowledge of the situation said.

The source said that despite progress being made, Spectrum walked away from the talks on Friday, leading to charges that the company was engaging in union-busting activities — something the company vehemently denies.

Cuomo, state AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento, and Hotel and Motel Trades Council President Peter Ward, who had been working with both sides to mediate an end to the labor dispute, began strategizing this past weekend about “an all hands on deck multi-prong campaign” that will involve the governor as well as public and privatesector unions to strike back at Spectrum, the source said.

On Monday, IBEW Local 3, which has had 1,800 workers out on strike for more than a year, will reinstitute its picket lines outside of Spectrum offices.

On Wednesday, Cuomo and labor leaders from around the state will join the picket line and union officials will reestablish their call for elected officials to boycott Spectrum-owned channels like NY1 while seeking to expand it to advertisers, consultants and lobbyists, the source said.

Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio and other officials stopped appearing on NY1 several months ago in support of the striking workers. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand refused to debate on the channel. But as negotiations heated up, the boycott was eased.

Meanwhile, a statewide digital campaign targeting Charter/Spectrum customers is set to be launched Thursday, the source said. The campaign, the source said, will seek to “educate (customers) on Charter’s union-busting practices and inform them of service alternatives in their area.”