The employees at the Better Government Association in Chicago today voted unanimously to join SAG-AFTRA. The successful vote means the staff will join more than 160,000 media professionals in the union, paving the way for BGA employees to negotiate a first contract.
"We're glad to join the SAG-AFTRA family, especially going into the Labor Day holiday," BGA staff said in a statement. "With this move we see a bright future for the BGA rooted in independent and responsible journalism and policy work. We look forward to beginning good-faith negotiations at the earliest appropriate time - we hope management feels the same." The election was conducted by Region 13 of the National Labor Relations Board at the BGA office. "BGA employees deserve a say in their wages and working conditions, and by joining SAG-AFTRA, they have empowered themselves to have their voices heard," said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. "On behalf of all our members, welcome to the union." "As an organization with a long history of holding government accountable to the people it serves, the BGA is a well-respected media organization that provides a critical service to the community," said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director David White. "Joining SAG-AFTRA puts these employees in a position to negotiate a fair contract so they can continue to focus on what they do best: award-winning investigative journalism."Videos