WAMU Washington, DC SAG-AFTRA Members Sign First Contract

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

WAMU Washington, DC SAG-AFTRA Members Sign First Contract.

Nearly two years after station content creators voted unanimously to recognize SAG-AFTRA as their union, the first contract has been signed at American University news/talk WAMU Washington, DC. “We've secured

www.insideradio.com

 

[seattlesarchiebunker]

It will be interesting to see how this pans out for the staff at 88.5. They have a first-rate team over at WAMU.

The staff at KUOW in Seattle unionized a few years back. About a year later, several staffers were laid off.

 

[Kelly A]

It will be interesting to see how this pans out for the staff at 88.5. They have a first-rate team over at WAMU.

The staff at KUOW in Seattle unionized a few years back. About a year later, several staffers were laid off.

That's the misconception which people who want union representation believe; that somehow your job is more secure. It isn't.
The organization just needs to go through the union before getting rid of you.

 

[davideduardo]

That's the misconception which people who want union representation believe; that somehow your job is more secure. It isn't.
The organization just needs to go through the union before getting rid of you.

And in positions where creativity and initiative are critical, union agreements that stress seniority and the like may discourage those with original ideas and even cause them to seek work elsewhere.

On the talent side of any business, union agreements have to allow for the progress of innovators and creators.

 

[TheBigA]

On the talent side of any business, union agreements have to allow for the progress of innovators and creators.

That's why I quit two different unions. If you want to innovate, you have to go into management. Or ownership.

 

[Kelly A]

On the talent side of any business, union agreements have to allow for the progress of innovators and creators.

And over the years automation has been used to reduce the union represented FTE count. There's always a technology clause in the contract which makes workers vulnerable to new tech.

 

[Mikey Radio]

It will be interesting to see how this pans out for the staff at 88.5. They have a first-rate team over at WAMU.

The staff at KUOW in Seattle unionized a few years back. About a year later, several staffers were laid off.

That's the misconception which people who want union representation believe; that somehow your job is more secure. It isn't.
The organization just needs to go through the union before getting rid of you.

I'm not anti-union by any means, but they certainly have their place and not every position at every station benefits. At one of my first stations, the AFTRA dues that even part-timers had to pay before they could so much as open a mic were excessive, especially considering that some of those folks maybe pulled a 5 hour shift on Saturday and another on Sunday and were making a touch above minimum wage. They had to work for more than a month just to pay the annual dues. In the end, that particular station was bought out and over time eliminated staff and eventually went automated aside from mornings. As soon as the sale happened and as changes were made (and lots of rumor was swirling), union on-air staff filed grievances with AFTRA to try and save their jobs, they met with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and in the end when only a handful of staff remained and it was time for dues paying season once again, all airstaff but one (the shop steward) voted to get out. Some of those people paid dues for a almost a decade and in the end really got little or nothing to show for it. To be frank, the ownership and upper management at that station at the time the union was formed and voted in were great to work for/with, they treated their staff well and it was a family atmosphere so I'm not sure if unionization was needed or if they ever received much benefit, aside from a monthly newsletter to read. The shop steward did got some type of card for his wallet that granted him lifetime AFTRA membership of some sort once the union disbanded.

At another job I was at, some staff wanted to unionize, seemingly just for the sake of it. When asked why, employees said "Well, we need protection". When asked "from what" or "what type of 'protection' do you expect exactly?", they couldn't answer. Another stock comment was "We need someone to watch out for us and speak on our behalf". When asked "for what" or "in what manner" or "what do you expect them to say that you could not say for yourselves" again, they couldn't answer - and again it was a place with a small staff and they were working for administration and upper management that were good to their people and treated them well, their benefits and retirement packages were pretty outstanding and the amount of company holidays and the pay they received if they worked on those days was nothing to sneeze at, either.

Again, I'm not anti-union and I realize they have their place and in cases where people were working long hours under dangerous conditions for little pay, with no consideration for their health or well-being, etc. unions definitely have their place and offer a very real benefit. That said, that's not the case in every workplace or situation.

 

[Kelly A]

At another job I was at, some staff wanted to unionize, seemingly just for the sake of it. When asked why, employees said "Well, we need protection". When asked "from what" or "what type of 'protection' do you expect exactly?", they couldn't answer. Another stock comment was "We need someone to watch out for us and speak on our behalf". When asked "for what" or "in what manner" or "what do you expect them to say that you could not say for yourselves" again, they couldn't answer - and again it was a place with a small staff and they were working for administration and upper management that were good to their people and treated them well, their benefits and retirement packages were pretty outstanding and the amount of company holidays and the pay they received if they worked on those days was nothing to sneeze at, either.

And that's been my experience too. It's a lot of 'grass being potentially greener on the other side of the fence'-thinking. But few actually dig into comparing with any sort of detail between being represented by a union, or not before choosing to unionize. I know a union broadcast engineer who had to pay a $5,000.00 initiation fee out of his pocket before he could work at a new union-represented station.

Again, I'm not anti-union and I realize they have their place and in cases where people were working long hours under dangerous conditions for little pay, with no consideration for their health or well-being, etc. unions definitely have their place and offer a very real benefit. That said, that's not the case in every workplace or situation.

I agree here to. Unions certainly have their place. But just because your supervisor has you scheduled for hours you would prefer not to work during the holidays, might not be worth unionizing over.

 

[Miss Tuned]

I am in a union. I went on strike with my coworkers earlier in the year. This semester (we're a university) we have received on average an 11% raise, enough to cover inflation. It works!

 

[Kelly A]

I am in a union. I went on strike with my coworkers earlier in the year. This semester (we're a university) we have received on average an 11% raise, enough to cover inflation. It works!

Trouble is; not all unions are created equal. Those Starbuck's that unionized, will find that out eventually.