Act Now: Don't Let Congress Kill Public Broadcasting and CWA Jobs

If U.S. House Republicans get their way, PBS, NPR and local radio and TV public broadcasting stations would lose their federal funding and up to 1,500 CWA members could lose their jobs.

Republicans want to strip all funding from the current year's budget for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a move that has already spurred outrage and petitions on Facebook and other social networking sites.

NABET-CWA has launched its own campaign, urging people to call or e-mail their members of Congress immediately or, even better, write a handwritten letter, fax it to CWA and it will be personally delivered. NABET-CWA represents most of the 1,500 workers, with others represented by TNG-CWA and CWA Local 1300.

More than 170 million people in the United States access public broadcasting stations or websites every month at a cost of just $1.35 per American per year.

"That is a microscopic fraction of the federal budget, and yet losing it would be catastrophic," NABET-CWA President Jim Joyce said. "Donations alone can't save all our members' jobs, or the unique mix of news, entertainment and educational programming that Americans have enjoyed for more than four decades."

The 2011 federal budget has been operating under a continuing resolution since the fiscal year began last Oct. 1. The resolution expires March 4, and House Republicans are demanding $61 billion in cuts to education, job training, social services and other programs, including the full $430 million for public broadcasting.

Here's how you can help:

• Click here to e-mail your member of Congress via NABET-CWA's Save Public Broadcasting webpage.
• Call your Member of Congress toll free at (877) 426-8013.
• Text CPBFUND to 49484. (Standard text messaging rates apply.)
• Write a hand-written letter to your member of Congress, and fax it to (202) 434-1426. CWA will hand-deliver the letters.