Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1541667
44 SAG-AFTRA | Fall/Winter 2025 | sagaftra.org Broadcast News T he content creators at Northwest Public Broadcasting have informed management about their intent to form a union with SAG-AFTRA. A majority of the NWPB content creators signed the petition to unionize. The group includes hosts, reporters, videographers, social media producers and editors dedicated to telling the most interesting, important and engaging stories through radio, TV and online. NWPB has expanded its local coverage over the last few years, adding more local coverage for radio, TV and online audiences. Additional reporters, videographers and editors have enabled the station to cover more topics that are important to people in the Northwest. NWPB serves Washington state, Oregon, Idaho and parts of British Columbia. In their petition, which was delivered to NWPB management on July 21, the organizing committee wrote, "It has been a challenging year for public broadcasters across the country. We are proud that, as journalists and content creators for Northwest Public Broadcasting, we have continued to serve our rural communities in new and exciting ways. "By officially becoming a bargaining unit, we hope to strengthen our workplace culture and ensure that everyone who works at NWPB receives necessary support and protection to improve the work we do for our regional audience." On Sept. 23, the Public Employment Relations Commission in Washington state conducted a card check and confirmed majority support for representation by SAG-AFTRA. NWPB joins public media outlets nationwide in unionizing with SAG-AFTRA, including NPR and its member stations across the country, as well as WFAE, WETA, NewsHour, WESA, KPCC, KUOW, OPB, MPR, NHPR, WAMU, WBEZ, WBUR, WHYY and WNYC, among others. Northwest Public Broadcasting Content Creators Form Union New England Rolls With It S AG-AFTRA broadcasters from WBZ-AM and the Total Traffic and Weather Network Boston gathered on June 28 for an evening of bowling, pizza and camaraderie. The event, held at Brighton Bowl, brought together members and union staff for some classic New England candlepin bowling. Although many of the attendees work in the same building — and some even share on-air time — the event offered a rare chance for members from both units to relax, socialize and connect outside the studio. Training Aims to Empower Stewards O n Sept. 13, Ohio-Pittsburgh Local Executive Director Brian Lysell led a broadcast stewards training in Philadelphia. Titled The Legal Rights of Stewards, the session equipped members with knowledge and strategies for effective representation. The training covered a range of essential topics, including defending members facing discipline, using the National Labor Relations Act to slow down and stop unilateral changes, understanding what the Managements Right Clause does and does not allow your local management team to do at your shop, what changes — and what doesn't — during negotiations, and using labor-management meetings for inter nal organizing and preparing for contract bargaining. Beyond the informative content, the training provided a valuable opportunity for stewards from across the market to connect and share insights. The attendees were a diverse group of members employed at Philadelphia radio and television stations owned by Audacy, Beasley, iHeart, CBS, NBC/Telemundo, public media entities, and included a recently organized SAG-AFTRA unit at iHeart's Philly hip-hop and R&B station Power 99. From left, Ohio-Pittsburgh Local Executive Director Brian Lysell; Natasha Brown, Jim Donovan and Monica Avery of CBS3; and Sophia Schmidt, Kayley Fiorino, Heather Chin and P. Kenneth Burns of WHYY. Members have a great time at Brighton Bowl.