Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1157135
22 SAG-AFTRA | Summer 2019 | sagaftra.org Broadcast News WBUR BEGINS NEGOTIATIONS T he SAG-AFTRA bargaining unit at Boston University's WBUR-FM began its negotiations for a first contract in early June. The bargaining committee is led by the newly elected shop stewards and others who represent the many areas of work that will be covered by SAG-AFTRA. The new bargaining unit, which is comprised of 120 people, covers the public media professionals who create content for all areas of the station, including those working in the news department, on the digital team, on programs Here and Now, Radio Boston, On Point and Only a Game, on podcasts and in the production departments. KUOW RATIFIES FIRST CONTRACT T he SAG-AFTRA bargaining unit at the University of Washington's KUOW 94.9, Puget Sound Public Radio, has ratified its first-ever union contract. The unit achieved significant pay increases for many of the employees as well as fair and equitable working conditions for public radio professionals. The unit, which is composed of 43 reporters, producers, announcers, hosts, web editors, production engineers, community engagement employees and board operators, overwhelmingly approved the agreement and joins the Seattle Local. Other highlights of the contract include on-call pay, free public transportation to work, additional holiday compensation, guaranteed breaks between shifts, security in the field, and the formation of a labor-management committee to work through issues between bargaining years. MEMBERS REDOUBLE EFFORTS IN ENTERCOM CAMPAIGN S AG-AFTRA members have been engaged in a nationwide contract campaign with Entercom Radio since early this year. Member-led activism on the ground and on social media coupled this support with events such as a T-shirt week, pizza day, Twitter day and donut day to bring attention to their negotiations. In June, the SAG-AFTRA Philadelphia and Los Angeles locals reached agreements with Entercom Communications for new union contracts at KYW 1060 AM in Philadelphia and KNX 1070 AM, 94.7 The WAVE and K-EARTH 101.1 FM in Los Angeles. While these four contracts have closed, the campaign continues. New York, San Francisco, New England, Ohio-Pittsburgh and Chicago locals continue to bargain with Entercom. The Missouri Valley Local opened its negotiations in July, with members in Detroit and Minneapolis to follow. KUOW broadcasters and members of the bargaining committee, from left, John Ryan, Kate O'Connell Walters, Ann Dornfeld, Bill O'Grady and Paige Browning. In Philadelphia, KYW staff members, from left, Hadas Kuznits, Dave Madden, Michelle Durham and Mike DeNardo join Entercom shops nationwide to show their solidarity — and enjoy some donuts! Employees at Boston's WBUR-FM are all smiles.