Staff at Pittsburgh Neighborhood Broadcasting Company have voted 26-1 to unionize after asserting their plans to prepare in late August.
Union members say right now’s verdict demonstrates unity and dedication among the many broadcasters at Pittsburgh’s twin public radio stations, WESA and WYEP.
“It was an awesome victory,” Sarah Boden, a well being and science reporter with WESA, stated throughout a press convention instantly after the depend. “It’s a transparent mandate from employees that that is the way in which ahead.”
Now that their bargaining unit has been ratified beneath the sponsorship of SAG-AFTRA, the members can begin working towards a brand new contract with PCBC administration. Along with pay raises, staff say they’re additionally exploring enhancements to advantages like parental depart and trip time.
“Everybody has totally different causes for desirous to be on this group, together with simply wanting a voice on the desk,” Boden stated.
Radio employees say the transfer can be about amplifying their voice in discussions over the corporate’s future.
“This can be a very profitable group,” stated Maria Scapellato, a just lately retired WESA radio host who spoke at right now’s press convention. “However organizations transfer into the long run, and except the workers sit on the desk with administration and supply their imaginative and prescient as effectively, you then don’t understand how this group will look sooner or later.”
In a press release emailed to Pittsburgh Metropolis Paper, Terry O’Reilly, firm president and CEO, says he’s “happy that each member of employees had a chance to share their voice via the Nationwide Labor Relation Board’s confidential voting course of.”
“We’re trying ahead to resolving the problems that stay, after which to negotiating in good religion to succeed in a mutually-acceptable settlement with SAG-AFTRA and their members,” his assertion continues.
When radio staff first introduced their plans to unionize, they stated they hoped administration would voluntarily acknowledge their petition. However the firm steered their request via the Nationwide Labor Listening to Board’s official processes, forcing a employee vote and permitting administration to contest the make-up of the unit.
Staff are requesting 32 workers, together with some editors and producers, be admitted. The corporate has reportedly challenged two membership requests, which might be decided in a subsequent NLRB listening to.
Regardless of some preliminary tussling, Kevin Gavin, longtime host of WESA’s The Confluence, stated he’s hopeful the method will in the end repay for all events.
“I look ahead now to negotiating our first contract with PCBC,” Gavin stated. “And admittedly, I am optimistic that the administration of our group will see {that a} mutually agreed upon deal will profit the devoted and gifted content material creators for each stations.”
