In The News: Small Local, Big Win for NABET-CWA

In a victory worthy of David vs. Goliath, a small unit of PBS workers in Harrisburg, Pa., stood up to a management team whose contract demands could have spelled the end of their union.

"I think they saw 20 members, a small local, and figured we couldn't put up a fight and they were going to roll right over us," NABET-CWA Representative Bill Murray said of the contract talks at WITF radio and TV. "They got a big surprise."

The Local 58213 members, who include engineers, announcers, reporters, videographers and directors, recently approved a new contract that not only preserves job security, it requires management to fill vacancies. Local President Joe Grazan said members attended board meetings, wrote letters to PBS backers, leafleted at WITF events and put the squeeze on fundraising, with scores of supporters refusing to donate until management changed its tune.

CWA leaders applauded workers for standing up to a management team that was bigger than their entire local — 26 managers for its 100 union and non-union workers. "Your story will be told and retold as an example of what our union can do together," CWA President Larry Cohen.