On Wednesday, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) conducted an election for the 53-person unit, which includes news photographers, editors, assignment desk personnel, reporters, meteorologists and anchors. The final vote tally was 35-17 in favor of the Union, with all but one of the eligible employees voting.
The petition for representation was filed by The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians–Communications Workers of America (NABET-CWA) on January 12th.
This was the second time that the NABET-CWA tried to organize at FOX CT, which until now was the only non-union TV news department in Hartford. The first election that was held in 2003 failed by one vote.
The officers of NABET-CWA Local 17, assisted by staff representative Carrie Biggs-Adams, supported the unit and helped the group form an ‘inside’ committee.
Biggs-Adams told the Hartford Courant "I think it's a pretty impressive testament to the desires of the people of the workplace, there were many efforts by management to convince workers to vote no, from e-mails to individual talks."
She added that Tribune Broadcasting "brought in the second-in-charge from Tribune from Chicago, they ran a full-court press."
Biggs-Adams also told The Courant that she will send a letter to Tribune asking to schedule negotiating sessions for the workers' first contract.
Neither Tribune Broadcasting or FOX CT released a statement on this matter.
FOX CT Employees Vote to Join Union
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