Organizing Update

Public Broadcast TV Workers Seek Union Representation

Technical and production workers at WXXI-TV petitioned the National Labor Relations Board last week seeking collective bargaining rights through representation by the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-Communication Workers of America (NABET-CWA).

The employees produce and broadcast programs at the Public Broadcast Service station in Rochester, NY. WXXI-TV management has hired Bond, Schoeneck, and King – a firm that touts "union avoidance" as one of its services – to represent them. The NLRB will step in and hold hearings if the two sides cannot come to agreement.

NABET-CWA represents thousands of television workers around the country, including workers at public broadcasting stations in Binghamton and Albany, NY. WXXI employees, NABET-CWA and the Rochester AFL-CIO are asking worker-friendly viewers, WXXI members, station underwriters, and area elected officials to monitor the outcome of these events closely.