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Labor's Edge Articles by Steve Ross
5/7/13
IATSE, NABET-CWA and IBEW Unite for Justice at Fox TV Stations
Steve Ross
The International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-Communications Workers of America (NABET-CWA) are standing together at FOX TV stations in Chicago, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Los Angeles.
Negotiations have been dragging on for months -- and even years -- at WFLD, WNYW/WWOR, WTXF, WTTG/WDCA, and KTTV/KCOP, and are about to begin at WJBK. FOX management has insisted on turning back the clock on our wages, our jurisdiction, and our benefits.
3/19/13
Hey Fox 11! Union Workers Are Not Criminals
Steve Ross
“What do ex-cons and trade unions in California have in common?”
With those words, KTTV Fox 11 Vice-President and General Manager Kevin Hale begins his latest editorial criticizing California’s High Speed Rail Project, specifically a hiring policy that gives preferential treatment to disadvantaged workers.
“They are defining disadvantaged workers as former criminals and some union workers,” Hale says.
Mr. Hale is certainly entitled to his opinion about the bullet train, but when he starts lumping together criminals and union workers, I have to object. His true anti-union colors are showing with that distortion of the facts.
2/11/13
KTTV and KCOP Workers Say Turn Off Fox 11!
Steve Ross
Since May of 2011, the producers, editors, photographers and other NABET-CWA workers at KTTV and KCOP-TV in Los Angeles have been trying to negotiate a fair and reasonable contract with the owner of the stations, Fox Television – but the company has something else in mind.
Fox wants to end the standard 40-hour work week by putting NABET members on a seven and a half hour work day, and the management also wants to eliminate the paid meal period -- which has been an industry standard for decades. Cutting back employees to a 37.5 hour work week effectively amounts to a 6.25% wage cut.