KTTV-TV R ally - CWA - Communications Workers of America

VOLUME 62, #3 • Fall 2013
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCAST EMPLOYEES & TECHNICIANS
THE BROADCASTING AND CABLE TELEVISION WORKERS SECTOR
OF THE COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA
{www.nabetcwa.org}
Printed in the U.S.A.
K T T V -T V R a l ly
Local 53 Mobilizing
Local 53 is engaging in an extensive mobilization campaign and filed an unfair labor
practice charge claiming that the company’s
implementation is unlawful. NABET-CWA
has contacted the Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Service to try to get the company to use mediation to resolve the labor
dispute. So far, Fox has refused to participate in mediation efforts.
Nonetheless, members were out in full
force at a rally on August 16, along with the
L.A. County Federation of Labor’s 12-foot
tall inflatable rat, to protest the company’s
implementation. The rally was held in front
of the station and the Union used a 20’x10’
high billboard, an antique double-decker
London bus with banners on
each side that read “Turn off
FOX 11,” as well as whistles
and bullhorns that blasted
KTTV to express displeasure
with Fox’s actions.
“We received a tremendous
amount of support from the
public. All day long, people
were blowing their car horns,”
Ross said. “We will continue to
rally and utilize every other
mobilization tactic we can in
order to assure a fair and equitable contract
for our members.” The Union’s negotiations
committee includes Cheryl Bacon, Tim
Devolve, Pat Decker, and NABET-CWA
Staff Representative Eric Seggi.
On September 12, the Local visited the
outdoor set of “Good Day L.A.,” which airs
on Thursdays outside the station. The show
features food vendor interviews and music,
so the Local commissioned Dixieland Jazz
Band musicians from A.F.M. Local 47 in
L.A. to play during their live broadcast.
Ross said you could hear the trumpet in the
background during the show.
Another large, three-hour rally took place
on September 19, with bullhorns and what
Ross calls the “world’s loudest whistles.”
From its Orange County home, the Local’s
billboard truck rode to the venue for eight
hours along the San Diego Freeway, providing many drivers the opportunity to see the
Union’s large “Stop Corporate Greed/
Turn Off Fox 11”
message.
The Local encourages Union
members to “like”
its Facebook page
at: Turn Off Fox 11.
L.A. County Labor
Federation’s 12-foot rat
August 16 Rally
September 19 Rally
KQED Says “YES” to NABET-CWA
O
n August 13, the television, engineering and production employees at KQED-TV in
San Jose, CA, voted 3-0 in favor of NABET-CWA representation.
The vote, conducted by the National Labor Relations Board, took place in the
main office of KQED in San Francisco, where NABET-CWA Local 51 currently represents over 100 employees in 11 different units.
“The employees made their voice heard to management,” said Local 51 President
Kevin Wilson.
Negotiations for a successor contract have been ongoing at the station since the
NABET-CWA contract expired on October 22, 2012. In those negotiations, the Union
had proposed sweeping the San Jose employees into the KQED/NABET-CWA Collective
Bargaining Agreement, due to continued concerns that the company might try and move
production to San Jose and perform the production work non-union.
“The Company rejected our proposal and told us that we knew how to organize them if
we wanted to represent them,” said Local 51 President Kevin Wilson. “So we did!”
KQED’s transmitter is located on the Sutro Tower in San Francisco
Fall 2013 • NABET NEWS • Page 1
WWW.NABETCWA.ORG
O
n July 15, contract negotiations for the
KTTV-TV (Fox) engineering unit
came to a halt when the company declared impasse and implemented its
November 2012 package proposal that cut
wages and benefits for the unit of engineers,
editors and photographers at the station.
The cuts came just weeks after the company
told its shareholders that it was earning billions of dollars, and predicted even more
success in the future.
“They are saying that the television stations are the most profitable of their group
holdings right now,” said Local 53 President
Steve Ross.
The imposed contract eliminates a week’s
vacation, two holidays, including Martin
Luther King Jr. Day, and turned a one-hour
paid meal period into a one-hour unpaid
meal. The changes reduce the paid day from
8 hours to 7.5 hours (amounting to a 6.25%
pay reduction). For Daily Hires, the company
implemented a 7.5 percent decrease in premiums (the percentage above the base rate to
compensate for lack of benefits), which
amounts to nearly a 15% pay cut.
Ross pointed out the irony of Fox’s cutting
the MLK holiday in light of one of Dr.
King’s belief that boycotts were effective
tools for civic action. Ross also has written
to many of KTTV/KCOP’s advertisers, letting them know that Fox has not been bargaining in good faith or treating its
employees fairly. If Fox doesn’t return to the
bargaining table, Ross said the Union is prepared to lead a boycott of those advertisers.
NABET-CWA Joins “Jobs with Justice” in
Rally Protesting LIN Media Union-Busting
It’s More Than Fighting
the Good Fight!
WWW.NABETCWA.ORG
“Fighting the good fight!” That’s a phrase you
often hear in labor circles and issue advocacy
campaigns. NABET-CWA members have faced a
number of battles in 2013 with greedy employers,
some which started years earlier. They have also
NABET-CWA Sector President
faced a rising tide of attacks on workers’ rights
James Joyce
from foes in Congress and in statehouses throughout the country. In many of these battles, the odds
for success were daunting, prompting some to merely shrug their shoulders and exclaim, “At least we are fighting the good fight.”
Fortunately for NABET-CWA and the rest of the labor movement, there are members, Local Officers, Staff Representatives and support staff that didn’t just stop at
“fighting the good fight” in 2013, and kept working hard until contracts were won,
action was taken in legislatures, or some other form of justice, such as favorable arbitration awards and NLRB decisions, were rendered.
In this edition of NABET News you will read about some of the recent contract
battles where members are fully engaged and not merely going through the motions.
For example, there’s Local 53’s campaign to win a fair contract for the engineering
and news departments at KTTV (FOX) in Los Angeles. After more than two years
of negotiations, and an employer implementation, the Local Officers and the membership are pushing back, harder than ever. At Local 42 in Cleveland, members at
WKYC-TV (Gannett) just this month ratified a new contract after a nearly five year
battle, which at its essence was a fight to keep Union representation at the station. In
the course of that battle, Local 42 succeeded in changing labor law for the betterment of the entire union movement by convincing the NLRB to issue new rules regarding dues check-off. Local 51 members working at KABE-TV (Univision) in
Bakersfield, CA., within the past year have not only formed a Union for themselves,
but have won first contracts, bringing them respect and dignity at their workplace.
Other Local 51 members are mobilizing and rallying against KOIN-TV (Lin Media)
in Portland, OR. In Hartford, CT, the members of Local 17 are simultaneously engaged on three fronts against the greed of WFSB (Meredith Broadcasting): at the
bargaining table, at arbitration hearings, and with the NLRB, and it appears that a
breakthrough in that struggle was imminent as we went to press.
On the national front and regarding issue advocacy, NABET-CWA members really stepped up to the plate with the campaign to restore a fully functioning National
Labor Relations Board over the summer. Countless letters were written, and countless phone calls were made, to members of Congress, especially members of the
U.S. Senate. They attended rallies at the Chamber of Commerce and personally visited the Washington, D.C. and home state offices of Senators. By doing more than
“fighting the good fight,” workers’ rights have been preserved nationally and a fully
functioning five-member NLRB is back in place and issuing important decisions.
NABET-CWA Legislative and Political Action Teams (LPATs), especially Local
41’s LPAT in Chicago did the hard work to help lead to this success. And now those
LPATs are gearing up for state and local elections this November to make sure that
those candidates who are committed to working families are placed into office. This
fall we will also be fighting against the expansion of free trade agreements, especially the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which some say will grant unprecedented power to corporations, allowing them to infringe upon consumer rights,
labor rights, and environmental interests, globally.
So the next time you hear someone say, “At least you are fighting the good fight,”
let them know that there is more to our activism than that. We are fighting to protect
jobs and benefits. We are fighting to protect working families and the middle class.
We are fighting to protect democracy and to promote civil rights. And tell them that
they need to participate because we are in these fights to win, not for show! It’s
more than just “fighting the good fight”!
A Labor Day Tradition:
Local 21 Clambake
Local 21 held its annual Clambake on September
7. Dozens of members, retirees and friends of Local
21, including NABET-CWA Sector Administrator Jodi
Fabrizio-Clontz and Staff Attorney Judiann Chartier,
attended the “Fred Saburro Clam Bake” in Latham,
N.Y. It’s a time when members from Albany-area stations WMHT (PBS), WNYT (NBC) and WRGB (CBS) can
celebrate Labor Day together.
Page 2 • NABET NEWS • Fall 2013
O
n September 25,
NABET-CWA
protested the
union-busting tactics
at LIN Media, which
Sept. 25 Rally
most recently included
job cuts at KOIN-TV. NABET-CWA and
Jobs with Justice rallied in front of the station, which is owned by LIN Media, LLC.
That company operates 43 television stations throughout the U.S., including three
other stations covered by NABET-CWA
contracts.
“LIN has hubbed every unionized station
they own in the country, yet at the same
time, they have not hubbed any of their non
-union stations,” said NABET-CWA Staff
Representative Carrie Biggs-Adams.
KOIN-TV Moves Work out of
Portland, Operates Station
Remotely
LIN purchased KOIN-TV in October 2012
and six months later, on April 30, 2013, the
station announced its plan to operate the
Portland-based station via “remote control”
from Indianapolis, IN. The plan eventually
cost seven master control staffers their jobs.
“Technological change is normal for television engineers, but eliminating good
Portland jobs and sending the work out of
the state is just plain wrong,” said Local 51
President Kevin Wilson.
Management did not offer jobs in other
parts of the station to any of the displaced
workers, who combined had more than 125
years of service with the company. What’s
more, the station left them hanging for
months, wondering when their employment
would end. That end came on August 22,
when the station began hubbing.
After KOIN management made inadequate offers initially, NABET-CWA was
able to improve the company’s severance
package. The seven displaced workers received two weeks of pay per year of service,
up to a maximum of 26 weeks.
Slow-moving Talks
Biggs-Adams said negotiations are difficult
and moving slowly at KOIN. The contract
for the 50-person unit of photographers,
graphic artists, web producers, maintenance
engineers, editors, and assignment desk
personnel expired on July 27.
The company believes any employee
should be able to do jurisdictional work,
and it has suggested setting up an “on-call”
system for workers. Biggs-Adams says “oncall,” or on standby to work, has proved unsuccessful at WTNH in New Haven, so the
Union does not want to see it implemented
elsewhere. LIN also wants to eliminate
union shop requirements and dues checkoff. More talks are scheduled for October
1-2 and Oct. 30-31.
ESPN’s Olbermann Show =
More Jobs for NABET Members
N
ABET-CWA and Disney/ABC
reached an agreement in August that
brings 15-20 additional jobs to Local
16 in New York City. Camera people, technical directors, audio engineers, video operators, and editors on Keith Olbermann’s
new show
will be
covered
under
modified
terms of
the
NABETCWA/
ABC
Master
Agreement. The
hour-long,
live show
airs on
ESPN2, Monday through Friday, at 11 p.m.,
E.T.
“This agreement will provide a tremendous amount of work, 52 weeks out of the
year, to our members and will provide them
with the benefits of a good Union contract,”
said Art Mazzacca, President of NABETCWA Local 16.
The agreement is in line with previous
agreements between NABET-CWA and the
network, including ESPN’s Pardon the
Interruption, Around the Horn, and Highly
Questionable, all of which are produced in
Washington, D.C. Though Olbermann is on
ESPN, sports is just one of many topics discussed on the show.
Sector President Jim Joyce stated, “I am
very proud that an additional group of
NABET-CWA members will be putting
their craft talents on display in the highly
competitive late night television market.”
Good News for NABET-CWA/
ABC Retirees: Pension Benefit
Increases
W
ith the ratification of the NABETCWA/ABC Master Agreement earlier this year, new benefit accruals
will go into effect for certain current retirees and beneficiaries, as well as for future
retirees. During the negotiations, there was
a dispute between NABET-CWA and ABC
regarding the amount of benefit increase for
the period of January 1, 2008, through
December 31, 2010. Additionally, there was
a dispute as to which accrual rate would
apply going forward from January 1, 2011.
All of these disputes have been resolved,
and some retirees will be receiving a lump
sum retroactive payment, in addition to future benefit payment increases as follows:
■■For any pension service credit earned
during the five-year period from January 1,
2008, through December 31, 2012, the benefit accrual will be increased to 1.80%. The
previous accrual rates were 0.65% for
2008-2010 and 0.52% for 2011-2012.
■■Anyone who retired between January 1,
2008, and December 31, 2012, will have
their benefit increased for any pension service during this period. A lump sum distribution representing the difference between
the old rate and the new rate will be paid to
the retiree or their surviving beneficiary, if
applicable. Future benefit payments will
also reflect the new accrual rates.
Any questions regarding your specific situation should be directed to the ABC-NABET
Local Contacts
....................After the Show
by Bill Freeda
NABET-CWA National Coordinator and President of the Media Sector, CWA Retired Members Council
Retirement Trust Fund at 215-483-6000.
Update on GE Post-65
Retirement Benefits
Reason for Change? Keeping up with the
“competition”
O
n August 15, 2013, NABET-CWA
Sector President Jim Joyce, NABETCWA Staff Attorney Judi Chartier,
and I met with Angel Ortiz, NBCU Labor
Relations, and Paul Lalli, Chief Labor
Counsel to General Electric, regarding GE’s
change in their Post-65 retirement benefits.
The meeting was cordial, and we asked a
number of questions that require follow-up
by GE and NBCU. We asked for full contact information for everyone who received
the notification from GE, as well as a list of
NABET-CWA employees still working at
NBCU on February 23, 2011, who received
a memo informing them that they had
Special Benefits Protections due to their 25
years or more of service prior to the date
Comcast took over on January 28, 2011. We
presented Mr. Lalli with a printout of a
Power Point presentation that was presented
at a benefit orientation given to NABETCWA members illustrating eligibility
thresholds for continuing GE Retiree
Health Coverage. We also identified other
classes of NABET-CWA retirees who we
believe are protected from losing their Post65 retirement benefits.
The explanation given by GE for making
this change in their policy is that other corporations no longer offer these benefits and
GE needs to remain competitive. This type
of excuse is what we have all grown to understand to mean as taking benefits away
from us and putting even more money in
the pockets of GE’s senior executives. Is
there any doubt that whatever savings garnered from this policy change will find its
way into senior executives incentive pay in
the future? This at the expense of the people
who can afford it the least. I will continue
to keep you apprised of any new
developments.
For communications purposes it would be
helpful to have current and accurate email
addresses.
■■Local 11:
Retirees: contact Edie Perez at
gperez4472@aol.com
Active Members: contact Carrol Deo Lal at
cdeolal@nabetlocal11.org.
■■Local 41:
Retirees: contact Ray Taylor at
raytaylor2529@sbcglobal.net
Active Members: contact Local 41 at
312-372-4111
■■Local 31and 53 retirees and members
should attempt to have their locals create
similar email lists.
GE Retiree Justice Fund
I
am a member of an ad-hoc committee
known as the GE Retiree Justice Fund, a
group of representatives from various
unions in different parts of the country. The
only thing we have in common is that we
represent GE retirees that belonged to a
union. We attend GE’s shareowners meetings where we demonstrate prior to the
meeting and submit shareowner proposals.
In general, we maintain a presence so GE
never forgets the people who built the company, the retirees. Due to a previous agreement with GE, the GERJF has periodic
meetings with GE’s top level Human
Resources team. We are in the process of
arranging one of these meetings sometime
this fall. I will report on the meeting in the
next NABET News.
Tomorrow show Reunion – October 12
The first Producer-Director of the Tomorrow show, Joel Tator, is organizing a reunion
for those who worked on the show. This October marks the 40th anniversary of the
late-night television talk show hosted by Tom Snyder that aired on NBC from 1973 to
1982.
The reunion will take place in Burbank, CA, on Saturday, October 12, 2013. Joel is
aware that the location may be a problem for some, but he wanted to reach out to former staff and crewmembers to let them know that formal detailed invitations are forthcoming. Joel can be
contacted at:
Joel Tator
11909 Weddington Street
Valley Village, CA 91607
818-985-9242
Deborah Tashjian
May 18, 1953 – June 29, 2013
D
eborah Tashjian, a secretary at NABET-CWA Local 53 in Burbank, CA,
passed away on June 29 at age 60. She had worked at the Local for 17
years.
Deborah began her employment at Local 53 as a temporary employee in
Debbie
January of 1996, becoming a full-time staff employee, and OPEIU member,
in January 2001. During that time, she worked as a receptionist and performed general secretarial and clerical duties.
“Deborah was an integral part of our office staff and will greatly be missed,” said Tracy
L. Jackson, Local 53 Administrative Secretary/Assistant to the Treasurer.
Deborah was diagnosed with lung cancer in early 2011. She is survived by her mother
Betty, brother Don, ex-husband Bruce, her children, Kyle and Jennifer, and three
grandchildren.
In autumn 1973, NBC
launched the nightly program to air after the Tonight
Show. The show originally
broadcast on KNBC in Los
Angeles, moved to New
York’s WNBC the following
John Lennon and Tom Snyder on the New York set of NBC’s
year, then returned to L.A.
“Tomorrow” Show in 1978.
in 1977.
NBC occasionally used Tomorrow to substitute for shows in its late-night schedule.
One such occasion occurred in October 1975 when a special Saturday show aired in
place of the premier of a new sketch comedy show called Saturday Night Live, which
wasn’t quite ready for broadcast yet. For the last 15 minutes of the show, Snyder introduced the audience to then-unknown actors Gilda Radner, Laraine Newman, Jane
Curtin, Billy Crystal, Chevy Chase, Garrett Morris, and John Belushi.
Tomorrow also made history when it aired what would turn out to be John Lennon’s
final televised interview on April 28, 1975.
The show was cancelled to make way for Late Night with David Letterman. The last
Tomorrow Coast to Coast show aired on December 17, 1981, with Chevy Chase as the
final guest.
Fall 2013 • NABET NEWS • Page 3
WWW.NABETCWA.ORG
Tomorrow History
N A B ET- C W A R e g i o n s 2 a n d 6
NABET-CWA Local 24: Six decades and counting
O
ne of NABET-CWA’s oldest locals,
Local 24 in Watertown-Massena,
N.Y., was created in 1946 with two
AM radio stations – one in Watertown
and the other in
Massena. The area
is known as the
North Country, a
region of New York
that encompasses
the state’s extreme
northern frontier,
on the border of
Canada.
The Local had
just 15 members at Culley Gosieir, WWNY/
the time, after they WNYF Steward
received their own
charter. Originally
they were members of Local 211 in
Syracuse. A few of these members had also
worked to help negotiate contracts at the
Kingston, Ontario, broadcast station and the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
network, in conjunction with the Canadian
NABET.
Television stations, owned by the radio
stations WMSA and WWNY/WCNY, came
to the area in 1954, doubling the Local’s
membership. Through the years, the number of members has fluctuated, expanding
with news and radio, as well as with the addition of another television studio.
Currently, Local 24 represents about 40
members at five radio stations and two television stations: WMSA-AM, WTNY-AM/
WCIZ-FM, WWNY-TV 7/WNYS-FOX28,
and WNER-AM/WFRY-FM.
The Local’s leadership includes President
Dianne Chase (WTNY/WCIZ radio),
Secretary Eric Amundsen (WWNY/
WNYF-TV), and Treasurer David Wells
(WWNY/WNYF-TV). The Local is conducting a special election for the currently
vacant Vice President position.
Local 24 is one of the few locals in the
Union that still have radio stations, according to Local 24 Secretary Eric Amundsen.
For many years, the stations had been affiliated with area television and newspapers.
WWNY was the first Watertown-based
television station. The call sign WCNY-TV
stood for Carthage, New York. It was locally
owned by the Johnson family, along with the
Watertown Daily Times and WWNY radio
(now WTNY). In 1965, it changed the call
letters to WWNY to match its radio sisters.
In the 1970’s, the radio, television and
newspaper affiliations were divested. The
Johnson family sold WWNY to current owner
United Communications Corporation in 1981.
WWNY is a sister station to Fox affiliate
WNYF, which UCC began operating in 2001.
WWW.NABETCWA.ORG
Labor Relations
One of the more significant moments in
Local 24’s labor relations occurred in the
late 1990s with WWNY, just as the station
was trying to get its Fox station on the air.
Amundsen said the Company’s desire to get
Fox up and running worked in the Union’s
favor when it held a picket of 50-60 people,
bought a billboard and built a website to advertise its difficulties in reaching a contract
at the station. The technical unit’s two-year
Page 4 • NABET NEWS • Fall 2013
Sandy Cook, WMSA Radio Steward
Local 24 E-Board Members Dave
Wells (Treasurer) and Chris Henry
(WWNY/WNYF Steward)
struggle resulted in pay raises and bonuses.
“We had the tri-town labor community
helping, with dozens of people picketing,”
said Amundsen. “It was something the
Company had never experienced before and
it worked.”
Amundsen also fondly recalls a fabulous
party the Local hosted for two years in the
‘90s, when it rented a Mississippi Riverboat
that cruised around the Thousand Islands.
Local 24 currently is in between negotiations, with the next set of talks starting next
May.
Local 24 (L-R): Alan Walts (WTNY/WCIZ
Steward), Secretary Eric Amundsen and
Local 24 President Dianne Chase.
Long-time NABET-CWA
photographer remembered
Former WWNY photographer and NABETCWA member, Don LaPage, was
remembered in a retrospective that aired on
the station earlier this year, offering a television history lesson to viewers. Don retired
after 38 years at WWNY, and passed away
in March.
According to the station’s website,
LaPage was “a fixture at the TV station,”
having worked there from 1955 to 1992.
“[LaPage] came up during an era when
Don LaPage
news photography was technically demanding. Everything was shot on film, which
was then placed into chemical baths, which
would eventually turn into the pictures
you’d see on TV. A lot could go wrong. It
was an era that required and rewarded craft,
and Don was a craftsman.”
Even the mayor of Watertown, Jeffrey
Graham, commented on the story on his
April 2 blog: “He was a great guy to work
with back in the day when 16 mm film was
the medium and Union rules said a NABET
technician had to handle the equipment.”
Graham has a background in news at
WFYF-TV in Watertown.
Local 411: “NABET has been very good for us”
N
ABET-CWA Local 411 was first chartered in 1976. At the time, WCCO photographers were the “lowest paid
photographers in the Twin Cities,” according
to Local 411 Vice President Bob Hernandez.
Hernandez started at WCCO as an intern
in 1974, after graduating from the
University of Minnesota. Shortly thereafter,
a lot of the photographers couldn’t get
raises, so photographer Bob Collins called
around to find out what other photographers
were making in the market.
“It took a lot of contracts, but eventually
we got parity with the rest of the local stations,” Hernandez said. “NABET has been
very good for us as far as being able to represent exactly what we do,” Hernandez said.
One of the Local’s first labor confrontations occurred when the members honored
the October 1979 IBEW strike at WCCO,
near the end of NABET-CWA’s first contract. Twenty NABET photographers
walked out, putting pressure on the station
to negotiate with IBEW.
“I think we would have been fired for
honoring the picket line if we hadn’t been a
part of NABET,” Hernandez said.
“Newscasts were very basic, without much
photography input back then.”
Hernandez is the current, and was the original, Local Vice President. He has just been
elected to a new 3-year term. With his prior
history as a factor, Hernandez said he decided
he could do more now to help the Union’s
current board, many of whom are fairly
young. Bob Collins was the Local’s first president and he is still employed at WCCO.
Today, the Local represents workers at
WCCO-TV (CBS), and KTCA-TV (PBS), as
well as ABC and NBC Freelancers in the Twin
Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN.
While the Local started out with about 20
members, there are 30 at WCCO today and
the numbers there are growing. WCCO is
adding more shows and more work, particularly for editors, because of the addition of
many programs throughout the broadcast
day. In all, the Local represents about 80
workers, including some freelancers who
work in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois.
The NLRB
Decision
upholding
the Union’s
charges
NLRB upholds Union in
jurisdiction case
When Hernandez started his career, WCCO
was owned by a family that eventually sold
the company to a consortium of lawyers.
Eventually, CBS bought the station.
“We never really had any problems with
the contract until now,” Hernandez said.
The company wants to make changes to jurisdiction by giving NABET-CWA work to
AFTRA-represented employees.
In its last contract talks with CBS, the
Union signed a “letter of intent” that it would
give AFTRA two positions to shoot if
AFTRA would give NABET-CWA two reporting positions. AFTRA didn’t follow
through on its end, and signed a contract
with the company that said it would not have
to alter its members’ jobs.
In this round of talks, the company wants
to maintain the sideletter that allows it to
assign NABET-CWA work to two AFTRA
members every day. WCCO also threatened
the Union that if Local 411 didn’t give up
the work, they would not get a new
contract.
NABET-CWA filed charges with the
National Labor Relations Board in
Minneapolis. On July 22, an administrative
judge upheld the Union’s position that the
sideletter was a “permissive subject,” and
that the employer unlawfully bargained to
impasse on “Letter of Agreement #3”.
The ruling states, in part, “There is a
clear demarcation between employees in
the AFTRA unit, i.e. Reporters and
Producers, as opposed to “Photojournalists.”
Thus, it appears that Letter of Agreement #
3 from the 2009-12 contract shifts unit
work to employees who would never fall
within the unit description in the NABET
contract.”
Though both sides had agreed to accept
the judge’s decision prior, the company reneged once the decision came out and has
filed an appeal.
“Basically, technologies are allowing
fewer people to do more work,” said Sector
Counsel Judiann Chartier, the attorney who
is representing NABET-CWA and Local
411 in the case.
The unit is currently working under the
old contract, which expired earlier this year.
The company is refusing to bargain until a
decision on the NLRB appeal is made.
“If the Board rules again in our favor, this
could affect CBS O&Os throughout the
Union,” Hernandez said.
Sunday Night Football Crew:
Working all day for Sunday night
EVS Replay
Booth
Mark Porta,
Camera
Operator
Jim Vanderford,
Camera Operator
Rodney
O’Rear,
Lead EVS
Mark Stacey,
Camera
Operator
F
or NBC’s Sunday Night Football Crew, Bowl) that extend their commitment to
Sunday night is a culmination of
NBC Sports by several more weeks. NBC
lengthy travel, set-up and game-day
Sports also televises the Super Bowl in cercoverage to bring viewers one of the mosttain years: Super Bowl XLIII (Feb. 2009),
watched televisions shows in prime time.
Super Bowl XLVI (Feb. 2012), and Super
On any given week, NBC Sports takes
Bowl XLIX (Feb. 2015).
more than 150 production and technical
“We’re pretty much in football mode
personnel on the road to various cities to
from the first of August until a week after
broadcast SNF. The technical side of the
the Super Bowl – until Valentine’s Day,”
operation requires approximately 100 perDeTolla said. The crew is gone from Friday
sonnel, some 50-75 who are represented by to Monday for SNF, every weekend. For
NABET-CWA.
those who work in a city where the team is
Most of the highly experienced crew are
playing well, they may be lucky enough to
veteran technicians who have worked towork in their hometown one weekend,
gether for years. Some
something DeTolla ascame to NBC following
pires to: “I wish my
many seasons on the
Buffalo Bills would be
“The SNF show is like
ABC Monday Night
good enough to make
setting up for a Super Bowl
Football Crew.
it on SNF,” he said.
John DeTolla, a
A typical SNF
every week.”
Daily Hire member
broadcast uses 30
—John DeTolla,
and NABET-CWA’s
cameras (22 camera
Local 25 Chief Steward
Chief Steward at Local
operators plus robotic
25 in Buffalo, N.Y., has
and fixed cameras),
been covering football
dozens of playback masince 1989, including 17 Super Bowls. He
chines and miles upon miles of video and
and four of his co-workers from 1989 are
audio cable. Some crew members doustill working together, and most of the othble-up and work on the pre-game show as
ers he has known since ABC covered MNF. well. The crew is highly skilled in the stateDeTolla just happened to be available
of-the-art television technology NBC uses
when ABC was looking for technicians to
for the broadcasts, including Super Slo-Mo,
work the Bills game (back when the Bills
Extreme Slo-Mo (XMO), Cable Cam aerial
were good, DeTolla points out). Working
camera, 4K camera technology, innovative
down the list, he was the seventh person
graphics, and 5.1 surround sound, to enthey called, and he’s worked every week
hance the viewing experience.
since then.
“The SNF show is like setting up for a
“I’m very blessed and enthused about the Super Bowl every week,” DeTolla said. The
job,” DeTolla said. “The show itself is an
technical crew must connect three trucks
honor and phenomenal to be on.”
together, run cables between them, setup
The football crew commits to 20-plus
EVSs /replay devices, and make sure evweeks of regular season telecasts, traveling
erything is connected to the network and is
to a different city each week. NBC’s two
“talking to each other.”
Thursday night football broadcasts –
For the ENG crews, there is a tremenSeason Kick-off and Thanksgiving Day –
dous amount of pre-game work that is inpresent additional travel and logistical
corporated into the final program. Edited
challenges. Many members of the crew
packages, scenic shots of that week’s city or
also are involved in pre-season and
region taken from aircraft, time lapses, and
post-season games (NFL playoffs, Pro
footage of local high school Friday night
football games are all used to enhance the
live programming. The headshots of each
team’s players are videotaped by ENG
crews on a green screen, and then sent to
New York for “graphic treatment” in team
colors, etc. Each show also features a Bob
Costas interview of star players and/or
coaches. Oftentimes, the broadcast will
supplement the regular segments with a
special feature on a particular celebration or
event. For example, during the Sept. 22
Chicago/Pittsburgh game, the show used
video taken in celebration of Hispanic
Heritage Month. And for a Sept. 15 Seattle
game, the network hired a local chalk artist
for a promo that took an hour to shoot, and
then was edited and time-lapsed on Final
Cut Pro. Following post-production treatment, these features are incorporated into
the live broadcast.
“All of the crew are very talented and
have done thousands of games,” DeTolla
said. “Repetition is important, but when
there is a ball in a sport, you have to expect
the unexpected.”
The crew attends camera meetings before
each show. Production helps break down all
the story lines, and the crew is given detailed
“break-down” sheets and “three-deep
sheets” that list all of the names and positions of players so they can identify any
player on the field or sideline in order to
keep the audience as informed as possible.
Show hosts Chris Collinsworth and Al
Michaels also give input, and their information filters down to the crew so they know
what to look for.
Football’s Popularity Spikes
As with most sports, football has grown in
popularity and coverage in the past 25
years. The number of cameras used for each
game has doubled, along with the amount
of packages and extra information that is
added to the program.
“Our directors do an unbelievable job of
researching and providing the latest equipment and tools that enable us to cover the
games the way that we do,” DeTolla said.
New equipment allows nearly everything
to be available for air, making it almost impossible to miss something. The cameras
playback immediately and continue recording. Graphics are incorporated with up-todate computer technology, and there is a
constant flow of information from many
sources (leaks, trends and other information
from the web that the program incorporates). Cameras are considered live all the
time, with the ability for footage to be sent
to New York or sent over the air live.
As the game has evolved, DeTolla says
football stadiums have elevated the television experience for viewers as well, with
many becoming palatial “destinations.” The
new stadiums, such as the billion-dollar
Cowboys stadium with its massive jumbotron that hangs from 20-yard line to the 20yard line, have incorporated new camera
positions into their design, making it a virtual stadium for the fans at home. The new
stadiums allow television to broadcast in a
manner that’s never been done before, and
also adds to the amount of work and preparation for network crews.
“As these stadiums improve and get more
expansive, the crew has to keep on its toes,
adjust and adapt on a seasonal basis, incorporating new technologies and graphics.
The broadcast, with HD, has to be more
sharp and more spectacular,” DeTolla said.
“As TV gets bigger, you have to be better at
your craft because you’re trying to bring the
experience to the viewer. Our responsibilities as a crew increase all the time.”
In addition to the traditional television set,
viewers can watch the game from any camera angle over the Internet on the NBC
website.
(Continued on page 6)
Fall 2013 • NABET NEWS • Page 5
WWW.NABETCWA.ORG
Geoff Butler,
Technical Director
Training Future
Union Leaders:
4th Annual New
Activist Training
(NAT):
O
n September 20-23, nearly 30 NABET
officers and stewards and Newspaper
Guild (TNG) local officers gathered at
the Conference Center at the Maritime
Institute in Linthicum, MD, for the 2013
new leadership training. This year, the seminar combined NABET-CWA’s New Activist
Training (NAT) and TNG’s New Local
Officer Seminar (NLOS). The joint training
brought CWA media sector activists together for three days of intensive skills
building, with hands-on, practical workshops and bargaining exercises.
CWA President Larry Cohen spoke to the
assembled group on Friday night for about
45 minutes. “We need to take inspiration by
looking at history, looking at other groups
that are succeeding now, and BUILD A
MOVEMENT,” Cohen said.
NABET-CWA Staff Representative
Carrie Biggs-Adams’ started off the seminar with a workshop, “How to Start a
Revolution,” followed by collective bargaining exercises that assigned one group of attendees to be “management” and the other
“Union.” At this point, NABET-CWA
Sector Vice President Charlie Braico and
TNG’s Jim Schaufenbil led the new activists in mock bargaining exercises to learn
the skills necessary for successful negotiations, including mobilization techniques.
Participants also learned how to harness the
power of the Internet as a resource for bargaining, including using Laborweb and
YouTube.
The second day’s focus was on contracts,
2013 New Activist Training attendees (pictured, standing L-R): Greg Dolphin-Local 57, Sector President Jim Joyce, Ray Dean-Local 51, Alton Morris-Local 31, Carrie
Biggs-Adams, Mike Wilkins-Local 18, Cristina Silver-Local 11, Jodi Fabrizio-Clontz, Bob Lewis-Local 31, and Bob Williams-Local 31; (pictured, kneeling): Sector Vice
President Charlie Braico, Dan Moreno-Local 41
how to file and write a grievance, how arbitration works, what a steward’s job is, how
organizing works, and what NABET-CWA
offers in the way of training. NABET-CWA
Sector President Jim Joyce presented the
Union’s training opportunities and “The
Contract” workshop, while Braico led the
workshops: “Organizing: How We Do It,
“Decertification: How We Prevent It,” and
“Arbitration: How it Works, How We Win.”
Biggs-Adams followed up with role-playing
scenarios of a disciplinary meeting with
management, and taught participants about
the job of being a Steward, including
Steward’s and employee legal rights, and
discussed new member orientation.
Politics and legislation were covered on
the last day, with Joyce and Braico discussing the Union’s political action committee,
and Administrator of the Sector Operations
and Finances Jodi Fabrizio-Clontz informing participants about goal-setting, the financial responsibilities and duties of top
officers (Local President, Treasurer,
Secretary), and enforcing union security
clauses.
In addition to the nine-hour daily sessions, the Unions organized activities outside of the classroom. On Saturday night,
many of the participants were provided a
personal nighttime tour of Washington’s
monuments. They enjoyed a true “Inside the
Beltway” moment when they were ordered
to stop the car for a motorcade carrying the
President of the United States as he returned to the White House following a
meeting with the Congressional Black
Caucus. At a Sunday night gathering, the
group also learned how to use music in organizing and mobilizing, with labor singers
Luci Murphy and Peter Jones singing classic labor songs.
Graduates of the seminar received a certificate and the materials and books necessary to empower them in their new roles as
labor activists.
In discussing the NAT Training afterwards, NABET-CWA President Jim Joyce
In Memory: NABET-CWA Local 16
E-Board Member Neil Pultz
WWW.NABETCWA.ORG
N
eil V. Pultz, Sr., a long-serving member of the NABET-CWA Local 16
E-Board, passed away on August 30,
2013, after fighting a four-year battle with
lung cancer and a number of other serious
health problems.
Neil was hired by ABC – the “Blue
Network” – as an audio engineer in 1952.
During his 41 years with the network, he
proudly served his Union as both a shop
steward and an E-board representative. On
the job, he covered everything from live
television and radio dramas to sporting
events like the Olympics in Innsbruck,
Austria. He got a taste of international politics when he traveled to China with
President Ford.
“His favorite assignments were the many
space program launches and landings he
covered in Florida at the Kennedy Space
Center,” according to his son, Kevin Pultz,
who is a NABET member and 32-year employee of WABC-TV in electronic news
gathering. “My father loved being a broadcast engineer and had a life full of exciting
experiences and wonderful friends that he
met along the way,” Kevin said. Neil retired
in 1993.
Page 6 • NABET NEWS • Fall 2013
Neil leaves behind his devoted wife of 62
years, Alma (a.k.a. Chris); four sons, Neil
Jr. (Priscilla), David (Elizabeth), Kevin
(Marietta), and Tim (Pamela); a daughter
Sheila Stevenson (Robert); and, seven
grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Services were held on September 2,
Labor Day, in Greenwich, CT. In lieu of
flowers, the family asks that donations be
made to the National Multiple Sclerosis
Society, Connecticut Chapter, or the
American Cancer Society.
Sunday Night Football
(Continued from page 5)
Five-Time Emmy Winners
For it’s work, the crew has won accolades
and ratings. In May, NBC’s SNF crew won
their fifth consecutive Sports Emmy Award
for Outstanding Live Sports Series, as well
as an Emmy for Outstanding Live Sports
Special for Super Bowl XLVI. In 2006, the
technical crew won “Outstanding Technical
Team Remote.” SNF was the highest-rated,
most-watched television program in the
2011-2012 season.
Even with two rain delays in the first three
weeks of this new season, the ratings for
SNF never varied, according to DeTolla:
“People didn’t turn away or change their
channel. They watched the rain delay
coverage.”
NABET-CWA Contract
Anyone wishing to contact the family
may do so by writing to:
Mrs. Alma Pultz
Middlebrook Farms
2750 Reservoir Avenue
Trumbull, CT 06611
or
Kevin Pultz
36 Upland Road
Stamford, CT 06906
stated, “It is important for the Sector to be
able to provide this valuable education to
those who have stepped up into leadership
and activist roles within their Locals.
Myself, and my colleagues on the Sector
Executive Council believe that this training
is one of the best uses of our resources
spent every year. The ‘students’ worked
very hard over these past four days and I
know that the members of their Locals will
ultimately be the beneficiaries of this
program.”
Neil Pultz, on assignment for ABC News in China in
1974.
This season kicked-off in Denver on
Thursday night, September 5, when the
Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens
visited the Broncos. Sector Vice President
Charlie Braico and Local 11 VP Lou
Marinaro were on-site in Denver to meet
with the crew and attend to any contractual
issues or questions that arise. A local Union
representative attends the game every couple of weeks.
“It’s great to have a collective bargaining
agreement between the company and the
Union, and everyone is very respectful and
works well together,” DeTolla said. “There
are so many things that need to be addressed during any single broadcast. The
contract is a living, breathing document.”
2 0 13 N A B ET- C W A S c h o l a r s h i p s A w a r d e d
Richard Apramian
Richard
Apramian of
Old Tappan,
N.J., is the
son of Local
16 member
Richard
Apramian. In
high school,
Richard was a
member of
the National
Honor
Society and
received the
New Jersey Spirit of a Hero Scholarship,
which was awarded by the first lady of New
Jersey. Active in foreign language clubs and
the OT Diversity Club, he volunteered as a
camp counselor, with organizations to help
the homeless, and volunteered to help autistic children. Richard was a tutor for seven
students in his senior year, helping them
with Spanish, Math and Biology. Richard
won the Dorr C. Wilson Scholarship Award
and attends Ramapo College of New Jersey
in Mahwah as a Biology/Pre-Medicine
major.
Joseph Burns
Joseph Burns
of Syracuse,
N.Y., is the
son of Local
211 member
Christie F.
CascianoBurns.
Joseph graduated with
Honors and
Advanced
Distinction
from the
Christian
Brothers Academy. In his four years of
high school, Joseph was a Varsity Hockey
player, a member of the Spanish Club and
was a Peer Minister and Social Justice
Advocate. He also volunteered his time at a
local food pantry. Joseph won the Lawrence
Dworkin Scholarship Award and attends
Bentley University in Waltham, Mass.
Jessica Lavitol
Jessica
Lavitol of
Hillsdale,
N.J., is the
daughter of
Local 11
member
Michael A.
Lavitol. In
high school,
Jessica was a
Peer Leader
for freshman
students and
volunteered
for a special needs sports league in her
hometown. She also was a Teacher’s Helper
for Vacation Bible School for five years.
Her extracurricular interests include taking
voice, dance and theater classes, which
helped prepare her for her roles in three
high school musicals, including Cabaret
and Les Miserables. Jessica won the
Edward M. Lynch Scholarship Award and
attends Monmouth University in West Long
Branch, New Jersey.
Adam Rosenberg
Adam
Rosenberg of
Herndon, VA,
is the son of
Local 31
member Gary
Rosenberg.
While in high
school,
Adam’s major
interests were
mathematics
and music.
He played
oboe for four years, was the section leader
of his school’s wind ensemble and played
both alto sax and trombone in the school’s
marching band. Since 11th grade, he was a
member of the Math Honor Society. He
also tutored students in Math and SAT
preparation. As a senior, Adam interned at
a free clinic that provides health care to disadvantaged residents of Fairfax County.
Adam won the James P. Nolan Scholarship
Award and attends the University of
Virginia in Charlottesville as an Echols
Scholar, where he intends to study Math
and Computer Science. His interest in
music will continue as a member of the
Cavalier Marching Band.
Kyle Schroeder
Kyle
Schroeder of
Hillsdale,
N.J., is the son
of Local 16
member
Donna
Schroeder.
Kyle graduated with honors from
Pascack
Valley High
School in
Hillsdale, N.J.
In addition to maintaining a high GPA, Kyle
was the starting center for the football team
that made it all the way to the New Jersey
State Championship game. Kyle won the
George Smith Scholarship Award, and attends James Madison University in
Harrisonburg, Va., where he will major in
Sports and Recreation Management with a
minor in Business.
Sector Executive Council for
Regions 2, 4 and 6 are Sworn-In
The following student received a one-time
NABET-CWA Scholarshipof $1,000:
Andrew Roennau
Andrew
Roennau of
Clifton, N.J.,
is the son of
Local 11
member Eric
Roennau.
Andrew graduated with
distinguished
honors from
Clifton High
School,
where he was
a member of
both the Honor Society and the Music
Honor Society. Throughout his high school
years, Adam performed in the marching
band, concert band, orchestra, pit band, the
Clifton Community Band, as well as three
New Jersey regional bands and the New
Jersey All State Symphonic Band. Music
led to a job at Medieval Times, where he
worked as a Trumpeter. Andrew won the
Thomas F. Kennedy Scholarship Award,
and attends Seton Hall University in South
Orange, N.J., minoring in Music.
Independent Report
(Continued from page 8)
the station and is demanding “effects bargaining” with WJLA. According to the station,
WJLA currently employs about 240 part-time
and full-time newsroom employees. It was
announced in May that the Allbritton family
was seeking a buyer for its television holdings. The announcement came five months
after Joe L. Allbritton, whose initials were
used as the call letters for WJLA, passed
away at age 87.
WJBK-TV (FOX) – Detroit, MI (Local 43)
The two sides are still negotiating and
making “minor progress,” according to
NABET-CWA Staff Representative Eric Seggi.
More talks are scheduled for the first week
of October.
Sector President James Joyce administers the oath of office to RVP4 Don Farnham, Jr.,
RVP 2 Fred Saburro and RVP6 Bill Wachenschwanz.
Cumulus Radio (Locals 16, 31, 51,
and 57)
Bargaining is scheduled to resume in late
November in New York City. Several attempts
by NABET-CWA to schedule earlier sessions
were rebuffed by the company.
Fall 2013 • NABET NEWS • Page 7
WWW.NABETCWA.ORG
N
ABET-CWA awarded scholarships to
five accomplished high school students, all of whom are sons or daughters of active NABET-CWA members. They
each will receive $750 annually for four
years – a total of $3,000 – toward their college educations. In honor of their academic
and community leadership, the following
students won these merit-based scholarships that are named in memory of past
NABET-CWA International Presidents and/
or employees:
I n d e p en d ent R e p o rt
KMEX-TV – Burbank, CA (Local 53)
On August 22, bargaining unit members ratified a new contract by an overwhelming percentage.
Details of the new four-year agreement include raises of 3%, 2.5%, 2.5%, and 3% in each year.
The first raise is retroactive to April 1, 2012. “The negotiating committee did a tremendous job in
getting a fair contract from the company, and I want to thank them for all their hard work over the
last year,” stated Local 53 President Steve Ross. Negotiating committee members included Leroy
Jackson, Sal Solorio, Roy Crumpton and John Soltero.
WKYC-TV – Cleveland, OH (Local 42)
Members now have a new contract in place that was the result of an August 17 bargaining unit
meeting and, ultimately, a secret ballot vote held on September 16. After nearly five years of
negotiations and mobilization, the NABET-CWA unit at the Gannett-owned WKYC-TV ratified a
two-year deal, which provides some stability and security for the membership in 2015. While the
agreement contains many of the “posted terms and conditions” implemented by Gannett in 2010,
the new contract clearly defines the Union as the sole bargaining agent for the unit. According
to NABET-CWA Staff Representative Louis Fallot, “any reference to wage reductions and vacation
give-backs have been removed since that battle happened long ago.”
KABE-TV – Bakersfield, CA (Local 51)
On August 18 and 19, contracts were ratified for the two newly organized NABET-CWA Local 51
units at KABE-TV (Channel39/Univision). The two units, Clerical/Sales/Traffic and Engineering/
Production/Master Control, were organized last October. There are two separate contracts because the station is a hub for four Univision stations. The contracts for the 25 workers includes
raises that were “handcrafted” for each position, plus a $500 signing bonus. Other highlights included paid meal periods when missed, holiday pay, and night differential. The bargaining committee included KABE worker Ray Dean and NABET-CWA Staff Representative Carrie Biggs-Adams.
Hockey Western New York – Buffalo, NY (Local 25)
A three-year contract was ratified in mid-August between NABET-CWA Local 25 and Hockey
Western New York, which owns and operates the Buffalo Sabres National Hockey League club.
The contract calls for 3% wage increases in each year. In addition, the agreement gives the
Union jurisdiction over televised home games for the minor league hockey team, the Rochester
Americans, which will result in more work for NABET-CWA members. The bargaining committee
included Local 25 President Roy Schrodt, Chief Steward John DeTolla, Dan Neaverth, and NABETCWA Staff Representative Eric Seggi.
FOX Air Conditioning – Los Angeles, CA (Local 53)
On August 26, 11 members of the Air Conditioning, Operations, Repair and Maintenance bargaining unit at the FOX Television Center approved a new three-year contract. Details include a 2.5%
wage increase in each of the three years. The negotiating committee included Enoc Rivas and
Michael Peterson.
WNEM-TV – Saginaw, MI (Local 48)
Bargaining continues for the technical unit of photographers, editors, directors, maintenance,
reporters and anchors at this Meredith-owned station. The company is insisting on freezing the
pension for some employees and “grandfathering” in certain employees with a reduced benefit,
even though the pension is over 100% funded. Jurisdiction remains a major stumbling block in
the talks. The company maintains its position that reporters and anchors in the unit be “at-will”
employees.
WWW.NABETCWA.ORG
The Bargaining Committee includes Local 48 President Zara Maldonado, Jeff Jenkins, Ernie LeClair,
Kyle Linkowski, Brian Donaldson, Dave VanNostrand and NABET-CWA Staff Representative Eric
Seggi.
WFSB-TV — Hartford, CT (Local 17)
A complaint was issued against the Meredith-owned station for threatening that it would file an
NLRB charge against NABET-CWA if a grievance were filed against the Company. The complaint
also stated that the station’s General Manager, Klarn DePalma, threatened to “take back” One
Man Band fees from the members who performed Live Shots using Backpack transmitters. A trial
date of September 11 was set, but ultimately the company agreed to an NLRB settlement, which
includes posting a notice to employees that Meredith will not threaten employees due to union
activity. NABET-CWA Staff Attorney Judi Chartier handled this case for the Union. Over the summer,
Page 8 • NABET NEWS • Fall 2013
WFSB
Negotiating
Committee
(L-R): Cory
Peck, Local
17 President
Andy Halpin;
top right, Ernie
Whitehead;
bottom right,
Al Wurst.
the membership overwhelmingly rejected the Company’s initial contract offer.
Negotiations with WFSB resumed on Sept 10-12 in Cromwell, CT. NABET-CWA
Staff Representative Louis Fallot and the bargaining committee were joined at the table by Region
2 RVP Fred Saburro. In another grievance matter, an arbitrator will hear the case of the Union’s
claim of jurisdiction over photography work on December 10.
House Recording Studio – Washington, D.C. (Local 31)
NABET-CWA filed three unfair labor practice charges against the company, which are pending at
the Office of Compliance on Capitol Hill. The charges were filed over cancellation of a contract
sideletter, surface bargaining, and the company’s employment of non-union temporary workers.
A mediation session between the Union and management is scheduled for October 25.
WIVB-TV – Buffalo, NY (Local 25)
The four-year Agreement between NABET-CWA and LIN MEDIA is being proofread by the Union’s
Negotiating Committee. Once the document is approved, the signature process will commence.
The Local has filed a grievance on behalf of a member who was recently terminated without just
cause. Another grievance was filed in support of a member who applied for an open position and
was told by the station that he would have to take a salary reduction if he was granted the position. The Union contends that this salary reduction is not warranted.
House Photography Studio – Washington, D.C. (Local 31)
Contract bargaining began for this new unit in July, and the two sides have met once a week since
then. NABET-CWA Staff Representative Carrie Biggs-Adams hopes that fixing the compliance issues at the House Recording Studio will lead to a breakthrough for this contract as well.
KVEA-TV – Los Angeles, CA (Local 53)
Negotiations continued in August with little progress. The Union is seeking to enhance job
security when the company moves the station
from Burbank to the Universal Lot. That move
is expected to be complete by February 2014.
Wages are still on the table, and in a letter
to members, Local 53 President Steve Ross
stated, “We will continue to stand our ground
to assure that all the years we have sacrificed
with very minimal compensation finally comes
to an end. The company is making record
profits and we will fight them tooth and nail on
this.” The members voted to authorize a strike
if necessary. The Local plans to schedule more
rallies until a fair contract is reached.
WJLA-TV – Washington, DC (Local 31)
On July 29, it was announced that WJLA and
other Allbritton Communications properties
would be sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Sinclair owns nearly 150 television stations
across the country. Conference calls have
been held on this matter and the Union is
requesting information regarding the sale of
(Continued on page 7)
Official Publication of the
Communications Workers of
America (AFL-CIO, CLC)
International Union Headquarters
501 3rd Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20001-2797
Phone: (202) 434-1100
CWA News (ISSN 0007-9227) is
published quarterly Jan/Feb/March,
April/May/June, July/Aug/Sept, and Oct/Nov/Dec by
Communications Workers of America, 501 3rd Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20001-2797. Periodical Postage Paid at
Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices
Postmaster: Send address changes to NABET NEWS at
501 Third St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001-2797.
Phone: 202-434-1254
E-mail: nabet-cwa@cwa-union.org
Distributed to all active and retired NABET-CWA members.
This issue contains no paid advertising.
Please send news items to:
NABET News
c/o Jill Gallagher
Freelance Public Relations and Editorial Services
9819 Haverhill Drive, Kensington, MD 20895
Phone/Fax: 301-933-1415
E-mail: gators4@verizon.net
Editor: Jill Gallagher
Layout: Chadick + Kimball
Sector Officers
Sector President James Joyce
Sector Vice President Charles Braico
Regional Vice Presidents
Region 1 - Richard L. Gelber
Region 2 - Fred W. Saburro
Region 3 - Maurice “Moe” Thomas
Region 4 - Donald R. Farnham, Jr.
Region 5 - Leroy Jackson
Region 6 - William Wachenschwanz