Search News
For the Media
For media inquiries, call CWA Communications at 202-434-1168 or email comms@cwa-union.org. To read about CWA Members, Leadership or Industries, visit our About page.
500 Public Broadcasting Workers Join CWA
By a margin of 374 to 18, one of the largest unionized groups of public broadcasting employees in the country on Oct. 22 voted to become part of CWA. The previously independent Association of Employees of the Educational Foundation, founded more than 25 years ago, represents 500 workers at WGBH-TV in Boston and Los Angeles.
"While affiliation with CWA won't alter the day-to-day operations of the AEEF, we firmly believe that CWA's size, resources and experience will empower us at the bargaining table," said WGBH marketing coordinator and AEEF President Michael Callahan.
"Our newest members can count on CWA to be there for them when they next bargain and whenever they need us," said District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino, who welcomed the affiliation.
"Having AEEF in CWA strengthens our network of workers in public broadcasting and nonprofit media that are fighting for an independent voice and better living standards," said CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, who met with AEEF officers and affiliation committee members prior to the balloting.
Various CWA contacts have kept up a dialogue with AEEF for seven years, said Ed Sabol, administrative assistant to Mancino.
CWA Representative Steve Early, who also worked on the final year-long campaign, pointed out that more than 20 AEEF stewards, including those based in Los Angeles, participated in workplace meetings and discussions and, in the final days before balloting, followed up with a systematic get-out-the-vote drive.
Most of the credit goes to AEEF's leaders, Early said. "In the final stages they did most of the work themselves."
Lise Lareau, president of the Canadian Media Guild/CWA Local 30213 wrote to AEEF members, explaining how CWA's lobbying efforts in the United States inspired the CMG to form a public policy advocacy coalition with other groups called Our Public Airwaves. She said the Guild would not have been able to invest in the coalition if CWA's Member Relief Fund were not there to back up the CMG in bargaining.
"I consider our affiliation with CWA our backbone," Lareau said. "It gives us the strength needed to push back in bargaining, to push for big issues that are important to us, to not be too frightened to strike, though we've never actually had to."
A similar letter of support for the affiliation came from CWA Local 1032 President Jim Marketti, who explained how CWA staved off attempts by the state government dating to 1985, to shut down the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority, which employs numerous Local 1032 members.
"While affiliation with CWA won't alter the day-to-day operations of the AEEF, we firmly believe that CWA's size, resources and experience will empower us at the bargaining table," said WGBH marketing coordinator and AEEF President Michael Callahan.
"Our newest members can count on CWA to be there for them when they next bargain and whenever they need us," said District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino, who welcomed the affiliation.
"Having AEEF in CWA strengthens our network of workers in public broadcasting and nonprofit media that are fighting for an independent voice and better living standards," said CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, who met with AEEF officers and affiliation committee members prior to the balloting.
Various CWA contacts have kept up a dialogue with AEEF for seven years, said Ed Sabol, administrative assistant to Mancino.
CWA Representative Steve Early, who also worked on the final year-long campaign, pointed out that more than 20 AEEF stewards, including those based in Los Angeles, participated in workplace meetings and discussions and, in the final days before balloting, followed up with a systematic get-out-the-vote drive.
Most of the credit goes to AEEF's leaders, Early said. "In the final stages they did most of the work themselves."
Lise Lareau, president of the Canadian Media Guild/CWA Local 30213 wrote to AEEF members, explaining how CWA's lobbying efforts in the United States inspired the CMG to form a public policy advocacy coalition with other groups called Our Public Airwaves. She said the Guild would not have been able to invest in the coalition if CWA's Member Relief Fund were not there to back up the CMG in bargaining.
"I consider our affiliation with CWA our backbone," Lareau said. "It gives us the strength needed to push back in bargaining, to push for big issues that are important to us, to not be too frightened to strike, though we've never actually had to."
A similar letter of support for the affiliation came from CWA Local 1032 President Jim Marketti, who explained how CWA staved off attempts by the state government dating to 1985, to shut down the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority, which employs numerous Local 1032 members.