100 TV Technical Employees Join IBEW (ow represents employees at all four network stations in Boston

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/04/14/100-tv-technical-employees-join-ibew/

by James Parks, Apr 14, 2008

While the top on-air story on Boston’s Fox 25 TV station today involves a Red Sox jersey buried and removed from the concrete at the new Yankee Stadium, the real story is going on behind the scenes. That’s where 100 workers who make the station run have overwhelmingly chosen to join a union.

More than 70 percent of the Fox 25 technical employees voted for Electrical Workers Local 1228 last week. The new union members are responsible for shooting, editing, producing and engineering local news and programming as well as the maintenance of the station’s equipment.

Says Andy Dubrovsky, Local 1228 business manager:

We are very happy to have helped these hard working employees form their own union. These workers are a young and dedicated group that deserves to enjoy the fruits of their labors in moving the station up in the market.

Although the station’s management conducted a campaign against the union, it agreed to honor the workers’ choice. In a blog post, the union’s lawyers say the station’s campaign, which included memos, staff meetings and one-on-one sessions, “did not appear to engage in any illegal efforts to suppress the workers’ rights.”

With the victory at Fox 25, Local 1228 now represents employees at all four network stations in Boston.