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 vote of 374-18, one of the largest unionized groups of public broadcasting employees in the country has 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,” District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino, said.
CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, who met with AEEF officers and affiliation committee members prior to the balloting, said having AEEF in CWA “strengthens our network of workers in public broadcasting and nonprofit media who are fighting for an independent voice and better living standards.”
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 coordinated District 1’s part in the final year-long campaign, said more than 20 AEEF stewards, including those based in Los Angeles, participated in workplace meetings and discussions and followed up with a systematic get-out-the-vote drive.
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.
'CWA Is Our Backbone'
“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 Local 1032 members.
CWA leaders who assisted AEEF’s affiliation committee also include Organizing Coordinator Erin Bowie in District 1; CWA Representative Laura Reynolds in District 9; headquarters-based Organizing Coordinator Jimmy Tarlau; TNG-CWA President Linda Foley and Boston TNG-CWA leader Bob Jordan; Frank Lane, president of NABET-CWA Local 5108, which represents technical crew at WGBH; Ron Chen, president of the Independent Publishers Employees/TNG-CWA at the Wall Street Journal; and Dudley Burdge, Local 1032 staff representative.
AEEF Vice President Mark Hoffman, Treasurer Billy Pender and Business Agent Joe Montagna also pushed for the affliation, along with committee Co-Chair Charlie Paquette and members Judy Matthews, Diane Dion, Jan Stankus, and Ann Lopez.
AEEF’s contract with WGBH expires next August.
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,” District 1 Vice President Larry Mancino, said.
CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, who met with AEEF officers and affiliation committee members prior to the balloting, said having AEEF in CWA “strengthens our network of workers in public broadcasting and nonprofit media who are fighting for an independent voice and better living standards.”
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 coordinated District 1’s part in the final year-long campaign, said more than 20 AEEF stewards, including those based in Los Angeles, participated in workplace meetings and discussions and followed up with a systematic get-out-the-vote drive.
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.
'CWA Is Our Backbone'
“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 Local 1032 members.
CWA leaders who assisted AEEF’s affiliation committee also include Organizing Coordinator Erin Bowie in District 1; CWA Representative Laura Reynolds in District 9; headquarters-based Organizing Coordinator Jimmy Tarlau; TNG-CWA President Linda Foley and Boston TNG-CWA leader Bob Jordan; Frank Lane, president of NABET-CWA Local 5108, which represents technical crew at WGBH; Ron Chen, president of the Independent Publishers Employees/TNG-CWA at the Wall Street Journal; and Dudley Burdge, Local 1032 staff representative.
AEEF Vice President Mark Hoffman, Treasurer Billy Pender and Business Agent Joe Montagna also pushed for the affliation, along with committee Co-Chair Charlie Paquette and members Judy Matthews, Diane Dion, Jan Stankus, and Ann Lopez.
AEEF’s contract with WGBH expires next August.