KCRW Votes To Unionize
• Employees at NPR affiliate KCRW/Santa Monica have formally voted to recognize SAG-AFTRA as their labor union. The online vote was conducted according to an election agreement reached between SAG-AFTRA and KCRW through a mutually respectful and collaborative process. The new bargaining unit will cover more than 90 public media professionals, including DJs/hosts, producers, reporters, production engineers, board ops and others who create content for all areas of KCRW, including music and news radio programming, digital content, podcasts and live events. The employees made the request to unionize on May 30, 2019, when they delivered a petition to station management with more than 75 percent support.
SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris remarked, “On behalf of SAG-AFTRA members, I am thrilled to welcome KCRW to our union family. KCRW is a one-of-a-kind radio station that produces some of Los Angeles’ most dynamic and diverse programming, and we’re excited to make sure everyone’s voice is heard through the collective bargaining process.”
KCRW President Jennifer Ferrocommented, “From the beginning, KCRW has worked collaboratively both inside the organization and with our community. We look forward to creating an even better work environment with our employees and SAG-AFTRA in order to continue to serve the community with the highest quality programming.” KCRW Producer Avishay Artsyadded, “We are excited to officially be recognized as a union at KCRW. Our staff has united around this organizing effort and we are looking forward to sitting down with management and negotiating a contract that will be fair for all. KCRW is a vital source of information, music and community, and we are thrilled to have an even better opportunity to create amazing content for our listeners.”
KCRW, based at Santa Monica Community College represents the latest in a series of organizing victories in the public media sector. In recent years, employees at KPCC/Pasadena, KPBS/San Diego, WBEZ/Chicago, KUOW/Seattle, Minnesota Public Radio, WBUR/Boston and digital and per diem employees at New York Public Radio have all unionized with SAG-AFTRA. SAG-AFTRA also represents public media professionals at NPR and several other public radio and television stations.
