WBUR Employees Vote To Recognize SAG-AFTRA As Their Union

Today, staff at WBUR in Boston voted overwhelmingly to recognize SAG-AFTRA as their union with 96 percent voting in favor. The election was conducted today by the National Labor Relations Board. The victory allows them to move forward to negotiate a first contract. The new bargaining unit will cover the public media professionals who create content for all areas of the station, including those working in the news department, on the digital team, on Here and Now, Radio Boston, On Point, Only a Game, on podcasts and in the production departments.

On behalf of our SAG-AFTRA membership, I want to welcome the media professionals at WBUR. SAG-AFTRA will support you in your fight for transparency, equity in compensation, a more diverse and inclusive workplace as well as protections for freelancers and temporary workers that make WBUR a vital public radio station, said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris.

Adds WBUR Digital Producer Ally Jarmanning, "We are thrilled to officially be recognized as a union at WBUR. Organizing has brought our staff closer together and we can't wait to get to work negotiating a contract that will be fair for all. We know together we can make WBUR an even better place, both for workers and listeners."

WBUR represents the latest in a series of organizing victories for public media professionals with SAG-AFTRA. In recent years, employees at KPCC in Pasadena, KPBS in San Diego, WBEZ in Chicago, KUOW in Seattle, Minnesota Public Radio, and digital and per diem employees at New York Public Radio have all unionized with SAG-AFTRA. SAG-AFTRA also represents public media professionals at National Public Radio (NPR) and several other public radio and television stations.

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at sagaftra.org.

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