Broadcast News - Winter 2016

BROADCAST News // N E W S I N B R I E F BSC TO MEET IN L.A. // The next Broadcast Steering Committee meeting will be held on Saturday, March 12, in Los Angeles.

HELP SAVE KPLU // In Seattle, SAG-AFTRA members who make up KPLU’s award-winning news team and jazz and blues staff are trying to raise $7 million by June 30 to save the independent public radio station from a buyout.

Visit kplu.org to learn how you can help.

// VOL. 5

// ISSUE 1

// WINTER 2016

Don’t Go It Alone

KFOR BARGAINING PREP // The SAG-AFTRA photojournalist unit at KFOR in Oklahoma put a new spin on negotiations preparation by combining their pre-bargaining meeting with a bowling party at the Dust Bowl.

KGO-AM & KFSO REACH AGREEMENTS // Members of the San Francisco stations reached tentative agreements with Cumulus after years of bargaining and delays caused by ownership changes when ABC sold these flagship stations.

SEATTLE PSC SEMINAR // On March 30, SAG-AFTRA is sponsoring a seminar on personal service contracts to be held at KIRO-TV and open to all members in the Seattle area. Chief Broadcast Officer Mary Cavallaro will provide a primer on employment contracts in the broadcast industry.

MOVIE NIGHT AT NPR // The NPR bargaining unit was treated to a private screening of The Revenant at NPR Studio 1 on Jan. 28. The fun-filled evening was hosted by SAG-AFTRA and NPR correspondent and movie critic Bob Mondello, with special permission from Fox. Special thanks to NPR shop steward Julia Bailey and SAG Awards Supervising Producer Jon Brockett for making this event possible.

1ST AMENDMENT AWARDS // SAG-AFTRA will once again host a table in honor of the recipients of the Radio Television Digital News Foundation 2016 First Amendment Awards.

The awards will be presented at a dinner hosted

by ABC News Senior Correspondent Pierre Thomas at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in D.C. on March 16. RTDNF presents these awards annually to organizations or individuals who have made a significant contribution to the protection of the First Amendment and freedom of the press.

TERMINATIONS, NON-RENEWALS, RETIREMENTS, PAY REDUCTIONS AND BUYOUTS

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ou’ve been terminated or notified that Your SAG-AFTRA agreement likely provides your employer does not intend to renew for a severance package in cases of termination, your contract. You’re offered continued and a non-renewal of your contract is considered employment but only with a cut in pay. You are a termination when that non-renewal is coupled told you are being demoted or reassigned or with an employer giving you notice of your last might just want to retire, or that your employer day of work. SAG-AFTRA staff counsels members will be offering buyouts. It happens to people almost every day regarding severance packages, who work in all industries, options for how those packages “Members going through but if you work in the media might be paid out and potential difficult discussions with industry, it can happen to you opportunities to negotiate in a very public way. That their employers know that for additional compensation. extra variable adds a level Several elements make up a they can seek help and of stress and anxiety to an termination/separation agreeadvice from their union already stressful and anxious ment: notice, severance pay, on what are very personal continued health benefits, situation. SAG-AFTRA is your union and your support restrictive covenants, vacation and stressful situations.” system, helping you navigate and consideration for release.

— CATHERINE BROWN these difficult career events.

The sum can be substantial.

SAG-AFTRA staff counsels members confidenUnder many SAG-AFTRA agreements, severance tially with a focus on keeping employment issues alone can be in the high six figures for some. out of a public forum. “Members going through Importantly, severance pay is generally not difficult discussions with their employers know creditable against your personal service contract. that they can seek help and advice from their If you are being asked to sign a release as a union on what are very personal and stressful condition of receiving severance pay, call your situations,” said SAG-AFTRA Vice President, SAG-AFTRA executive broadcast representative.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 3 >>> Broadcasters Catherine Brown.

THINKSTOCK

THE NEWSLETTER FOR SAG-AFTRA BROADCASTERS

Connecting with Catherine Brown:

CAN WE TALK?

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s a station shop steward, conversations with co-workers were always invited and encouraged. Among the toughest talks were those that involved questions about work performance or critical considerations about contract changes or terminations. Every member should know that your shop steward is a great resource and that the SAG-AFTRA staff around the country is ready to answer your questions. And the conversations are confidential.

Most of what you need to know should be part of your personal services contract and in the collective bargaining agreement between the union and your company. Never hesitate to ask for explanations before signing or agreeing to contract clauses you don’t understand.

Here is also another great opportunity to interact with the union and to help shape some of the policies that impact our working lives. When these termination provisions are put on the table during contract negotiations, for example, your input is valuable.

Volunteer to share your concerns and personal experiences that may help others make more informed choices.

You have more power as a union member than you may know. When you are aware of key contract provisions, you may be your own best advocate. Then, when a manager pulls out the contract to make changes or cuts, you will know where to find the answers — or who to call. And in some circumstances, you may be able to handle it on your own.

I have seen that approach work for some of our members. And it worked for me.

Catherine Brown is vice president, broadcasters.

A Moment with Joe Krebs:

YOU DON’T NEED IT UNTIL YOU NEED IT

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hen people ask me what’s the point of belonging to a union, I always answer with the thing that is most important to me: It is simply the right and the ability to bargain collectively over our wages and our working conditions. It is the leverage and the power we gain when we act as a group, when individual members come together and act as one, as a unit.

That collective action results in contracts that protect us and give us benefits. But those protections and those benefits often recede in our consciousness as we go about our daily work. If things are going well, it’s easy to ask, “Why do I really need a union?”

Then, the answer is, “You don’t need it until you need it.”

If you’re about to be disciplined or about to be demoted or fired, you need the union.

You need the often-unthought-of benefit of our union staff. You have access to our amazing broadcast staff of attorneys and negotiators.

They can help you through a disciplinary procedure to assure your rights are protected.

They can serve as a buffer between you and an angry manager. And, if necessary, they can try to negotiate a severance package or settlement agreement even if the company insists you are due nothing.

The bottom line is: Don’t ever try to handle this by yourself. You are paying dues to the union. In return, you get, not only the benefits of collective bargaining, but you also have the benefit of an extremely talented and dedicated staff who will fight for you.

It’s an added benefit. Use it.

Joe Krebs is chair, National Broadcast Steering Committee.

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A Message From

Chief Broadcast Officer Mary Cavallaro

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hile I have been representing broadcasters for almost 20 years, I have not earned a skin thick enough to withstand the emotions that surround a member losing his or her job, or the events leading up to that career event or, in some cases, series of events. This is an industry that is, in many ways, so rewarding for so many talented professionals and, yet, when an employer is “ready to move on,” it is unforgiving.

SAG-AFTRA staff spends countless hours counseling members who are going through career transition events such as a termination, a pay reduction, a reassignment or a retirement. It is perhaps the most difficult, and yet rewarding, thing that we do. This is a very public industry, and things that most professionals are able to go through in private can happen in a very public way. SAG-AFTRA representatives are familiar with the unfortunate scenarios that working broadcasters face every day and can provide consultation, be an advocate with an employer or, in some cases, simply serve as a sounding board.

We encourage anyone going through one of these career events to contact their local representative to seek out information. Don’t go it alone.

DON’T GO IT ALONE

MEMBER NEWS

>>> FROM PAGE 1

AL HART REMEMBERED That’s what happened to Chris Core, who worked for more than 30 years at a Washington, D.C.-area radio station until it was sold to a new owner. Core was let go before his contract expired, and the company deducted the remainder of his personal contract from the required severance, in violation of the contract. Core immediately contacted his union, which made sure he got the money he was owed.

“If you are fired, let SAG-AFTRA know right away,” Core said. “Be on guard to make sure your station or network lives up to contractual agreements. You cannot assume they will be fully compliant. And you cannot assume your agent, manager or lawyer is knowledgeable about the union contract. Call SAG-AFTRA. After all, that’s why you pay those dues.”

Sometimes, the employer chooses not to terminate you but wants to renew your contract at a significant reduction in your salary. This is one of the most difficult situations a broadcaster might face. You want to continue to work, you are not prepared for a job search and you may have a non-compete agreement that would require you to leave your current market in order to continue working in the industry. This scenario is one with which SAG-AFTRA staff is unfortunately very familiar. SAG-AFTRA members and their professional representatives should always consult with union staff regarding their options in these situations.

Like Core, veteran sports commentator Tim Brant faced a crisis when his station was sold to a new owner. The new employer tried to force Brant to renew his contract at a reduced rate and with fewer benefits — with no severance if he refused the offer. Brant made the

PHILLY MEMBERS HONOR LEGENDARY BROADCASTER

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n Philadelphia, nearly 150 members and guests attended the Philadelphia Local SAG Awards viewing party and were treated to a very special presentation.

Pat Ciarrocchi, a 30-plus-year veteran of CBS3, was presented with the Philadelphia Local Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes a broadcast member’s outstanding contributions. Ciarrocchi was introduced by consumer affairs reporter and shop steward Jim Donovan and her longtime producer and co-shop steward, Monica Avery.

right decision by choosing to call his union first.

“SAG-AFTRA not only protected my severance, but because they guided me through a very difficult process, I was able to walk away with my dignity and my money, and it was then I knew why I paid dues,” Brant said.

“The most important thing that you can do when faced with one of these employment events is to be armed with as much information and strategic advice as you can gather,” said SAG-AFTRA Chief Broadcast Officer Mary Cavallaro. “Understanding all of the moving pieces is critical: compensation, health and other benefits, and the ability to transition to another job. SAG-AFTRA staff is committed to providing members with the information they need to negotiate the best possible deal for their interests.”

When members need help, SAG-AFTRA has strong tools to ensure employers fulfill the contract provisions to which they have agreed — even if they would prefer not to.

Broadcaster David Burd discovered the power of the union in his time of need. “I worked for several years with my partner on a morning show at a very popular radio station in Washington, D.C. I wasn’t very happy about having to join the union. I never paid attention to [the union], never went to a meeting, and frankly, didn’t want to pay dues. I was wrong. When the day came that it happened to me, it was my union that came to the rescue,” Burd said.

“I was able to pay my bills, save my mortgage, and my family had health insurance for over a year until I found another job in radio. [The union has] had my back for over 28 years. Don’t tell me your dues aren’t worth it, because when it happens to you, it makes all the difference in the world.”

“At the local board level, we decided it was very important to reach out and make broadcasters a part of this event, even though the focus was obviously going to be on performers. By honoring someone as well known as Pat, it really connected our freelance and broadcast members and showed that we really are one union,” Local Board Secretary and Philadelphia Broadcast Steering Committee member Sam Clover said.

Legendary Bay Area broadcaster and longtime KCBS Radio anchor Al Hart passed away in January. During his 34-year career at KCBS, Hart delivered the news of the day, including major Bay Area stories such as the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and the 1991 Oakland Hills fire.

Hart eventually became an anchor at KPIX-TV.

KYW-AM SEND-OFF In December of 2015, friends, family and coworkers at KYW-AM (CBS) came together to celebrate over 100 years of news radio tenure with the retirement of SAG-AFTRA members Vince Hill, Mike Dunn, Robin Greer and Skip Fischer. The evening featured an audio tribute produced by shop steward Jim Melwert, with best wishes from current and past colleagues.

GOLDEN MIKE HONORS The Radio & Television News Association honored two Los Angeles broadcasters with its anchor Lifetime Achievement Awards: Colleen Williams (KNBC4), who has served as a journalist for more than 30 years, garnering countless awards and covering innumerable breaking news stories, and Mike Landa, who recently retired after 45 years on the job with KNX.

D.C. HONORS The D.C. City Council honored Glenn Harris for his 40 years of broadcast service and proclaimed Feb. 2 as Glenn Harris Day. Harris, a SAG-AFTRA member and D.C. native, retired in December, after 25 years hosting NewsChannel 8’s nightly Sports Talk show, the only live nightly sports call-in show in the D.C. area.

Retired broadcaster Pat Ciarrocchi, second from left, with her CBS3 colleagues, from left, Amanda Keith, Monica Avery, Susan Schiller and Jim Donovan.

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THE WEINGARTEN CARD. DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT! Don’t let a meeting with management get out of hand. If you’re called in to explain why something went wrong, stop and think about your Weingarten Rights. By presenting this card to management, you have a right to stop a meeting until your steward, assistant steward or a local rep arrives to accompany you.

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List of Contracts Approved by the Executive Committee Since Fall 2015 (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER):

ABC/ESPN Time Buy Agreement (National) CPM ENGINEERS (Chicago) KCBS-AM (San Francisco-Northern California) KGO-AM (San Francisco-Northern California) KGO-TV (San Francisco-Northern California) KMOV-TV (Missouri Valley) KRTH-FM (Los Angeles) KSFO-AM (San Francisco-Northern California) TOTAL TRAFFIC NETWORKS (Los Angeles/San Diego) TOTAL TRAFFIC NETWORKS (Philadelphia) TOTAL TRAFFIC NETWORKS (Seattle) THE UNION EDGE AM-FM (Ohio-Pittsburgh) WBAL-AM & WIYY-FM (Washington-Mid Atlantic) WCPO-TV (Ohio-Pittsburgh) WESTWOOD ONE RADIO (Washington-Mid Atlantic) WHDH-TV (New England) WMAQ-TV (Chicago) WVIT-TV (New England)