Communications Workers Oppose Kavanaugh Nomination

The Communications Workers of America said D.C. Appeals Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh should not be allowed to join the Supreme Court.

Kavanaugh, a judicial conservative who has participated in numerous cases involving communications issues, was tapped by the president Monday (July 9) to succeed Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is exiting at the end of the month.

Related: Kavanaugh Tapped for High Court

"Judge Kavanaugh routinely rules against workers and their families and regularly sides with employers against employees seeking justice in the workplace, including CWA members," said the union, which represents more than 700,000 members, including workers in broadcasting, cable and news.

CWA pointed to Kavanaugh's partial dissent in a case involving union members at CNN who lost their jobs due to a reorganization CWA said was just a way to get rid of union workers. Kavanaugh wrote that CNN had not violated labor laws and should not have to pay back wages.

They also pointed to his support for AT&T in its decision to prevent CWA members who interacted with the public from wearing union shirts protesting the company and for holding that a picket waiver extended to union signs in workers' cars.

"Working people can’t afford to have Judge Kavanaugh making decisions that, without doubt, will adversely affect our families and our communities," CWA said. 

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.