Bankruptcy of Cable Installers

Most independent cable installers are contractors who have established a dependent relationship with a media vendor. Be really careful because this is a thankless arena and some media vendors have created business plans that intentionally "phase out" their contractors in order to avoid having to pay them residuals or new contract benefits or other benefits that their contractors gain over time. So, ask yourself "What protection do I really have?"

Look at your contract carefully. First of all it should be on paper with real signatures and not on a computer screen. Does the contract draw you in with promised future benefits (this is actually deferred compensation) that will flow with no further effort on your part from work that you perform? If so, then find in the contract - and it will be there - where it specifies that these benefits will terminate after you leave. Then find the paragraph that makes it possible for them to have you "leave."

Does the media vendor control your advertising and make it their advertising?

In order to survive and make a Chapter 11 work, you will need other sources of work. You should attempt to establish a broad base.

Charles Chesnutt