union big mouth makes entercom management look enlightened and other sad tales

A new and somewhat bizarre situation has developed at KIRO and KTTH around the bottom-up labor dispute that erupted in May.

As we reported, Entercom employees led by overnight talker Lou Pate, (KIRO Mon-Fri, 1-5a) petitioned the NLRB to decertify (read bust) their union, AFTRA. When the employees votes were counted, it was a tie, with three votes in dispute.

The honey-tongued, conservative Pate learned his mellifluous chirping in his native Bronx, NY, (a birthplace he shares with KOMO TV's soft-spoken Ken Schram). He's the highest-rated KIRO talent, with ratings that make KIRO stars like Dave Ross and Hunky Dori look like Pike Street buskers playing music on paper cups. Problem is, of course, Pate's show is on at such a weird hour that only about 7 or 8 people actually have the chance to hear him--though it can be said that out of those 7 or 8, he usually gets at least 6 to listen. That's a way better share than anyone else gets at KIRO. Another plus for Pate: his undignified hours preclude BlatherWatch from applying our snotty, rancorous, vituperative and ignorant metrics to his show because we always seem to be doing something else at 4 in the morning. He's lucky--we hear we'd hate him.

When the NLRB examined the questioned votes, they disqualified two of them, leaving one--all that was needed to decide: union, yes; or union, no.

There's a week or so until the big announcement of the results, but in the interim, AFTRA Exec. Director John Sandifer sent an email first to Tim Haeck and then to all employees that identified the person whose vote will "decide" the election.

The vote in question was cast by none other than Michael Medved (KTTH m-f, 12-3p), the nationally syndicated neocon talker who broadcasts from Seattle.

Relatively few employees have been public about their feelings on the vote. Dave Ross (KIRO m-f, 3-6p) and Erin Hart have been openly pro-union as you'd expect from liberals of conscience; Lexus liberal Mike Webb (KIRO m-f, 9p-1a) has favored the union-busting, even as on-air he decries the "corporate masters," while blowing off his own right of collective bargaining.

Medved is one of those who made no public stance on the union. Now, of course, everyone will know how he voted--certainly a breech of his right to a secret ballot. He won't have really decided the vote,  but he'll undoubtedly be blamed by whoever loses. There could be retaliation from either side.

What a travesty--what could Sandifer have been thinking?

Employees on both sides of the main issue are angry about this violation of Medved's privacy.

 (Ironically, as a hardpan conservative, Medved argues frequently that constitutionally, the right of privacy is no right at all. For us, seeing how Medved votes will be interesting--he's a conservative, arguing recently that unions have passed their usefulness. On the other hand, he's been in AFTRA for over 25 years...)

"This is the kind of deal that made me ask 'what is this union good for anyway?' It doesn't seem to give a shit about its members," a KTTH producer told us.

We're pretty pro-union around the BlatherWatch work site, (so far we've resisted the union organizers ourselves) but we think this really sucks. Stay tuned.

Comments

[Lump]

"For us, seeing how Medved votes will be interesting--he's a conservative, arguing recently that unions have passed their usefulness. On the other hand, he's been in AFTRA for over 25 years..."

Isn't forced to be a member of a union a condition of employment? It sure was when I had to be a (former) member of the teamsters for my employment.

[John Sandifer]

Why didn't you check with me before this unfair posting? I would have been happy to tell you that the NLRB hearings officer identified Mike Medved as the one voter who will decide the election. My notification to Tim Haeck and the bargaining is my duty to them to keep employees informed. I too, believe its unfortunate that Michael's vote will be known. But he is not unique in this unit, everybody knows how every body voted, with perhaps two exceptions. Micheal will not win or lose this election for the union. There were 25 other people who will have done that. He is just the only one who is forced against his will to stand up and defend his vote. That requires some courage of his convictions. I think he is up to it. Other employees have already done that.

[Steph]

AFTRA negotiated a contract that a monkey could have negotiated. In fact, saying negotiated isn't even the right word. There was no negotiation.
AFTRA: We would like all these wonderful things for our wonderful members
ENTERCOM: No.
AFTRA: OK. We're sorry. I guess your right. Employees don't deserve health insurance, or any more than a 1% raise.

AFTRA is the reason I left KIRO. And guess what? I went to a company with no union, negotiated my own contract, making nearly twice as much as I made at KIRO.

You go LOU PATE!

[JorgXMckie]

I am currently a member of my third union. It is worse than useless, since it actually costs me (thru dues) more than I get from it (my contract was retroactively rolled into the union contract, and I lost both income and other valuable considerations. On top of that, they are constantly hectoring me to "support your fellow union members," most of whom could care less about my situation.

Thanks for less than nothing, AFT.

[Voxxy]

There is a difference between a right to privacy that does NOT exist in the Constitution and the right to a secret ballot that is contained in the NLRB regulations and labor statutes. Medved does have a right to a private ballot, which has been violated.