From: "Lyn Gerry" <redlyn at loop.com> Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2001 13:20:12 -0500
Friends,
Recently, Pacifica's AFTRA bargaining unit in Washington issued a statement rejecting the economic boycott of the network called for by the Pacifica Campaign. The statement, as well as a similar statement issued by the AFTRA bargaining unit of Los Angeles station KPFK, opposes the boycott on the basis that a financial shortfall could threaten union jobs.
Informed sources say the Washington statement was voted on by the entire bargaining unit of Pacifica National Programming this past Tuesday, March 20. Sources have also revealed that minutes before the vote was taken, a final draft of the approved union statement had already been emailed by Pacifica management's Patricia Guadalupe to at least one member of the bargaining unit.
Based on this sequence of events, it would appear to support accusations that the union is serving as a front for Pacifica management, and in this case, is being used to deflect attention from the corporatization of the network by exploiting pro-labor sentiments of Pacifica listeners. Critics say Pacifica management has a long history of busting unions throughout the network, most recently at WBAI in New York.
Patricia Guadelupe, who is also Director of Pacifica Network News, has publicly attacked the Pacifica campaign, and has worked aggressively to derail a Pacifica panel discussion this weekend in Los Angeles. AFTRA bargaining-unit members in Los Angeles, led by KPFK producer and Radio-Nation host Marc Cooper, have also joined forces with KPFK manager Mark Schubb, to pressure Ramona Ripston, head of the Southern California ACLU, into backing out as panel moderator. Other organizations have also been pressured to withdraw support and boycott the discussion.
Pacifica has been invited onto the panel numerous times to give the network's point of view. Pacifica has declined or not responded.
Lyn Gerry
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