KIRO radio employees seek to oust union

Wednesday, May 4, 2005

KIRO radio employees seek to oust union
Faction faults contract terms

By BILL VIRGIN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Employees at Seattle radio stations KIRO-AM and KTTH-AM have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to decertify the union that represents them in bargaining.

The petition drive was led by Lou Pate, a night talk host on KIRO-AM. Pate said yesterday the labor board has scheduled a hearing for May 12 but hasn't set a date for the election.

John Sandifer, executive director of the Seattle local of AFTRA, which represents workers at radio and television stations, said one issue the labor board will have to resolve is the size of the bargaining unit and whether sufficient signatures were submitted to call for an election. Pate says the bargaining unit has 48 members; Sandifer said his count is closer to 60.

Pate said the motivation for the decertification effort is dissatisfaction with contracts AFTRA has negotiated, particularly for those at the lower end of pay scales.

"For years and years the contracts were not even mildly negotiated, they were just rolled over," Pate said. "AFTRA had promised to look out for" employees in lower-pay positions. "In the last contract they just didn't do that. The contract is a dog."

The current contract for employees at KIRO-AM and KTTH-AM expires June 30, Pate said.

Pate said other Seattle stations owned by Entercom Communications Corp. operate without a union. "I've looked at my dues bill; they're taking an exorbitant amount," he said.

The decertification effort is not driven by anti-union sentiments, he added. "We don't feel AFTRA is a bad union; we just feel it's become too weak."

Sandifer said he's saddened by the filing of the petition but has been heartened by the show of support by other employees "who see the value of having a debate. We sort of welcome the debate."

Sandifer said the unit is characterized by having a number of highly paid members, who are on-air hosts, and others in lower-pay positions such as board operators, editors, desk assistants and producers. He said the latter group in particular has faced high initiation fees and the union has been working on ways to reduce them for entry-level positions.

He also said the union is being blamed because the employer doesn't provide health care for part-timers. Contract bargaining has been hampered, he added, by tough economic times in the broadcast industry.

Officials of Entercom, which operates seven stations in the Seattle market, weren't available for comment late yesterday. KIRO-AM offers news and local talk programs, including such hosts as Dave Ross and Dori Monson, while KTTH-AM carries Rush Limbaugh and other syndicated and local hosts.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com

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