Saturday, March 19, 2016

SF Radio: KCBS Staff Votes To Unionize

Employees at all-news radio station KCBS 740 AM / KFRC106.9 FM in San Francisco have voted in favor of joining SAG-AFTRA.

Production assistants, writers and newsroom assistants will join the union with an existing bargaining unit of editors at the station. Other CBS bargaining units represented by the union include KPIX-TV and KLLC-FM, according to Variety.

Editor and shop steward Joe Rogers said, “Our writers, production assistants and newsroom assistants have shown a lot of courage and determination. Because of their vote for SAG-AFTRA, the entire KCBS news team now stands united at a time when the company is contemplating drastic changes in how this station gathers and reports the news.”

News of the unionization came three days after CBS announced plans to sell or spin off its radio assets in the coming year, acknowledging that the business has become slow-growth and a drain on resources that can be better directed to content production and digital endeavors.

Production assistant and producer Nick St. Charles said, “Volatility in the news business and skyrocketing living costs in the Bay Area make union representation essential. I’m glad to have SAG-AFTRA in my corner.”

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, air personalities, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals.

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