Union organizing

[sinklair]

When Sinclair took over WEYI, the station’s photographers, Master Control operators. Newscast directors and others were represented by the UAW.

The union went away after “right to work” laws passed. Since that time, the GM who oversaw NBC (Becky Butcher) was let go. Sinclair limited raises to 1.5%... meaning cost of living has outpaced earnings.

Maybe it’s time to bring back the union to represent employees and advocate for raises, benefits, and working conditions.

However, Sinclair is known industry-wide for its union busting activities, including mandated training for all its managers. They have the size and experience to ship in scabs for striking employees across the country. And they threaten to ban forever any employee who strikes or refuses to cross a strike line.

[audiophile]

So your employees were union and the "1s" and "0s"?

[sinklair]

Not my employees... my coworkers.

They were union members when the UAW (not the station workers) dissolved the local.

Might be worth revisiting in light of ongoing dissatisfaction with corporate and station management over pay and other workplace issues.

Even discussing union issues makes the station’s HR Director want to pull her hair out!

[mr v]

If they were to unionize in Flint, do they go with a union that can offer local support, such as the Teamsters or UAW, or someone who knows broadcasting, such as SAG-AFTRA?

[sinklair]

UAW doesn’t have much interest in broadcast unions... one of the reasons they dropped the WEYI bargaining unit about five years ago.

AFTRA is probably a better fit. I believe they represent workers at other Sinclair stations too, so they know company tactics.

[sinklair]

A union to advocate for workers... or a General Manager who believes you don’t need to respect his workers... just throw a potluck (AKA require workers to bring in lunch for everyone else) and do a lame Family Feud.

“We spoke with 100 viewers at Genesee Valley Center and asked them how do you know you work for a really bad company”

5. You happen to be the token minority in the newsroom
4. You change your branding to the lamest idea in the room... something like “Mid-Michigan NOW” and actually believe it will improve ratings for the cellar dweller
3. Layoffs = more work for everyone else
2. You’re forced to smile when told after busting your butt for the past year, you’d only get a 1.5% raise
1. Your company is Sinclair Broadcast Group

[sinklair]

If you’re not making more money, morale is piss poor, and you continue to read how much the company and CEO are making off your hard work... yes, I think people will vote the union back in.

Not everybody will vote for unions to come back... but many would. Until management starts treating workers with respect, giving them a living wage, staff at appropriate levels, and assign reasonable workloads, (which won’t happen under the current GM), then things will only get worse on Pierson Road.

The GM doesn’t ever think he does anything wrong. He only blames others. How long does this buffoon keep his job? How many good people have to leave before he’s the only one left with his “yes” men/women?

People are already telling friends/job applicants to stay away from this toxic work culture. A union can’t make it worse... only better... since it will actually give workers a voice in decisions where we are currently being left out.

[sinklair]

Lovin’, I find your perspective on the inner workings of NBC 25 “interesting” since you’ve said in the past that you’ve never worked for WEYI and you’ve never been in broadcasting. How would you know why the union was “voted out” or the lack of prior pay increases?

You say leave and go work somewhere else. Why should I have to leave? IMHO I do a pretty darn good job. I have my reasons for wanting to work in Flint. I don’t find my expectations to have a workplace that values and pays its employees a fair wage as unreasonable.

I agree that unions may make the environment more combative and political. I’m ok with that. It can’t be a worse environment than we have right now. At least with a union, there’s a fair way for us to advocate for changes. Right now, the GM makes promises that he doesn’t live up to.

Bringing the union back might also get Sinclair’s attention to make some meaningful changes at the top.

[organman95]

Bringing the union back might also get Sinclair’s attention to make some meaningful changes at the top.

I'm going to say that is highly doubtful, but I've never been part of a union. I'm merely basing that off the discussions here.

Maybe you're right. And honestly, I hope you are right. From what has been said about the GM and others "up the chain" at WEYI, it does seem that anything that would bring about a change might be good.

[Dudley]

You’ll have your union rep sitting on their duff, saying they’re working on “union business” while you do all the work and when you bring something up to them they will say, “It’s not all about you. It’s about all of us. Besides, nothing I can do about it. Stop interrupting my sleep, er, union business.”

Gee lol101 you hit that nail right on the head!

[Herm]

Lovin’, I find your perspective on the inner workings of NBC 25 “interesting” since you’ve said in the past that you’ve never worked for WEYI and you’ve never been in broadcasting. How would you know why the union was “voted out” or the lack of prior pay increases?

This is a fair question.

They do bring up a few good points though.

The chances are greater that, if the union tries to make a comeback, Sinclair would just eliminate all positions.
I seriously doubt that management would see the error of their ways and correct them. The all mighty dollar is the only catalyst for that type of change.

[organman95]

Let’s recap, orgasmman. The place used to have a union. While the union was there, members said that they didn’t feel valued, felt underpaid, had horrible morale, and was in last place. Workers dissolved the union. Same environment. Now, someone is saying “Hey, I’ve got an original idea! Let’s unionize! Everything will improve!”

Wow. Just wow.

That was then. This is now. Different 'leadership' happening, if I'm understanding this correctly.

Oh, and my name isn't 'orgasmman.' I've let that go on for way too long. Knock it off.

[lilnut13]

Let’s recap, orgasmman. The place used to have a union. While the union was there, members said that they didn’t feel valued, felt underpaid, had horrible morale, and was in last place. Workers dissolved the union. Same environment. Now, someone is saying “Hey, I’ve got an original idea! Let’s unionize! Everything will improve!”

Wow. Just wow.

That was then. This is now. Different 'leadership' happening, if I'm understanding this correctly.

Oh, and my name isn't 'orgasmman.' I've let that go on for way too long. Knock it off.

Then just wait another day, my non-orgasmic friend! Management will change twice in that time!

@lovin' I highly doubt that waiting will change management. The GM is to far up Corporates ass for that to ever happen. They protect him at all costs and in turn he protects every other shit head manager on staff! That's why he's still there and the NBC previous GM was let go, along with every other previous NBC manger. All NBC staff members had no chance. They walked into a management staff that already hated them and the way they did every aspect of their jobs, no matter the department. I came from the other side of the building not the new dept....it was horrible from the start! I was not a union member, but damn-it, I would have jumped on it if I had the opportunity too!

[Turkeytop]

Both my wife and I grew up in exxtreme poverty. Indeed, the first few years together, we lived in poverty. I got my first break when I got a job in a Union shop, with decent wages and benefits and something called a pension plan.

Growing up in a poor, working class family, in Ontario, in the 1960s, there wasn't much opportunity for education beyond high school. My Union gave me that education and it didn't cost me a nickel.

Today I'm retired. We aren't wealthy, but we live in modest comfort. No working person should have to settle for less.

[sinklair]

Just to clarify: WEYI workers didn’t dissolve the union... the union shut down the local. It wasn’t a big enough bargaining unit for the UAW.

Most of the good managers who once advocated for workers are now gone, were fired/let go, retired, or just ran from the burning home. They were replaced by managers who won’t stand up to the GM.

So any chance of a well-meaning individual being able to move the bar in the current environment is simply non-existent... just the way the corporate lackey in charge (and his henchmen) like it.

Union representation may not fix all problems but it at least gives workers a platform for fair discussions.