Marc Moncier says he and his 11 co-workers were "over a barrel with no ground to move," working for K&S, a nonunion cable subcontractor, when the IBEW came knocking. They had endured numerous pay cuts—from $1,500 a week take-home to $500—and had even walked off the job once, but their managers "ruled with an iron fist," said Moncier, a broadband technician with 10 years of experience in the industry.

In late June, Moncier and his co-workers voted 9 to 3 to be represented by Kingsport, Tenn., Local 934 after a union campaign directed by Lead Organizer Joe Skinner.

The winning vote could help spread the union’s influence at K&S, a Charter Communications subcontractor, employing over 300 workers at 10 locations in Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

"We chased down K&S trucks and struck up conversations with the workers," says Skinner, who worked with Organizer Craig Perica, a former K&S supervisor, Regional Coordinator Larry McGlamary and Local 934 Organizer David Combs on the campaign with support from the Research and Telecommunications Departments.

The company called workers into meetings where they showed anti-union videos. But managers couldn’t divide them or dislodge the workers’ desire to have a bargaining agent. The unit, which included several blood relatives, accurately predicted the vote before it took place.

Moncier voices concern about first-contract negotiations. Directly after the vote, his brother, Matt, a union supporter, went up to a manager to shake hands. The manager refused. His brother quit his job on the spot.

"The company guys were pouting like elementary school children after we won," says Moncier, who is calling his congressman to get him to support the Employee Free Choice Act. "Tennessee is a right-to-work state and we could sure use first contract arbitration language [in EFCA] to help give workers a chance " he says.

Western Utility Electric shares a signatory relationship with Chicago Local 9 and Rockford, Ill., Local 196. The company has employed union members—electricians, laborers and operating engineers—on outside construction projects for many years. However, mechanics on the job remained unorganized.

After two international unions attempted to organize the mechanics, a Local 9 lineman suggested to them that their best option in seeking a voice on the job and fair treatment from their shop manager would be joining IBEW. The lineman then called the union hall.

Local 9 Business Manager Bob Pierson, who is also chairman of the International Executive Council, notified the Membership Development Department of the mechanics’ interest in representation.

International Organizer Mike Green met with the four mechanics, who signed authorization cards.

Western Utility Electric recognized the new bargaining unit without a representation election.

"Now when mechanics come out on the job and work with electricians, they will be members of the same union working together," says Green.

Twelve public safety officers at Metro Community College in Omaha, Neb., signed IBEW authorization cards after becoming dissatisfied with their representation by another labor organization.

The bargaining unit was recognized by the college’s board of governors without an election. The employees are now members of Omaha Local 1483.

"IBEW’s strong reputation in Omaha made the difference," says Region 3 Membership Development Coordinator C.J. King, thanking International Organizer Brian Heins and Local 1483 Business Manager Mark Salerno for their work on the campaign.