Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/964761
UNION FIGHTS FOR WBZ MEMBERS SAGAFTRA.org | Spring 2018 | SAG-AFTRA 23 W hen the new owner of Boston radio station WBZ-AM told employees they would not honor their existing contracts, SAG-AFTRA helped them fight to keep their jobs. The union has represented employees at WBZ-AM since the 1940s. When CBS sold its radio stations last year, most went to Entercom Communications. However, Entercom already had a significant number of stations in the Boston area and therefore could not take all the CBS stations there due to antitrust issues. Shortly before the CBS Radio/Entercom transaction date, they announced that WBZ-AM and CBS Radio Traffic Boston would be sold to iHeartMedia. iHeart managers toured the station and T elemundo affiliate station WZDC has joined the SAG-AFTRA family, debuting its first newscast on Jan. 1 from the facilities of WRC-TV. WZDC Telemundo will be operated by WRC-TV through a local marketing agreement until the Telemundo Station Group receives governmental approval and a channel-sharing agreement between WZDC and WRC-TV goes into effect. Telemundo is co-located with NBC4 Washington's news facility in Washington, D.C., and includes anchors, reporters, content producers, desk assistants and production assistants. "Without diversity and true inclusion in newsrooms, we cheat our profession and our audience out of what we all need to be an informed nation. NBC Universal's expansion of Telemundo provides a wonderful opportunity for SAG-AFTRA. At WRC in Washington, D.C., our bargaining unit is wholly dedicated to upholding our union's standards by ensuring an equitable and inclusive transition for our growing family. We are excited to support our Telemundo brothers and sisters as they provide a voice and cultural experience that our local news viewers can connect with across media platforms," said Tracee Wilkins, shop steward at WRC-TV and a Washington- Mid Atlantic Local Board member. Spanish-language television is a priority for the union. Telemundo's telenovela performers made history on March 8, 2017, when they voted overwhelmingly to join SAG-AFTRA. Whether it's entertainment or news, SAG-AFTRA welcomes Telemundo to the family. KUOW staff and friends celebrate at Floating Bridge Brewing in Seattle Feb. 21, after station employees voted to join the union. KUOW STAFF MEMBERS SELECT SAG-AFTRA AS THEIR UNION S taff at KUOW-FM 94.9, a National Public Radio member station in Seattle, overwhelmingly elected to join SAG-AFTRA on Feb. 13. "We are excited about embarking on a new era in the history of KUOW," said reporter Ann Dornfeld. "For the first time in 65 years, the people who produce and present the stories that our community relies on will have a say in their own working conditions." The new bargaining unit will cover the public media professionals who create content for the station, which is affiliated with the University of Washington. The unit includes the station's announcers, hosts, producers and reporters, as well as digital and community engagement staff. This victory allows them to move forward to negotiate a first contract. The Washington State Public Employment Relations Commission certified the union through a "card check" process. More than 70 percent of the proposed unit of KUOW programming staff signed cards in favor of union representation. "To keep serving our listeners well, we need to be able to afford to live in the communities we serve," said producer Amina Al-Sadi. KUOW is the latest public media organization whose employees have voted to join SAG-AFTRA. In recent years, employees at MPR in St. Paul, KPCC in Pasadena, KPBS in San Diego and WBEZ in Chicago have voted to join the union. SAG-AFTRA also represents public media professionals at National Public Radio (NPR), KQED in San Francisco, WNYC in New York and other stations. In Seattle, SAG-AFTRA also represents radio broadcasters at KNKX, TTWN, Forks Broadcast, Classical King FM and television broadcasters at KING 5, KOMO News 4, and KIRO 7. The Telemundo NBC Washington, D.C., team on Jan. 1. TELEMUNDO'S D.C. BROADCASTERS GO UNION reassured employees that they wanted a smooth transition, but hours later iHeart notified SAG-AFTRA that they would not honor the existing union contracts and all members would have to reapply for their jobs. The union quickly marshaled its resources and set up a meeting with iHeart at the station. More than 60 members attended and actively participated in the negotiations. Within days, the union reached a transitional agreement with iHeart that guaranteed every member would be hired at their current rate of pay, maintained the contribution rates to the SAG-AFTRA Health and AFTRA Retirement plans, and kept intact the 2018 and 2019 wage increases in the previous contract with CBS. The union and iHeart are currently negotiating a full agreement.