It appears that two can play at the game of six-figure ad campaigns targeted at FCC nominees — in this case, the nomination of Gigi Sohn to fill the vacant Democratic (majority) seat. A week after a group called The One Country Project (OCP) said it had launched a six-figure ad campaign meant to keep Sohn off the commission, the Communications Workers of America Monday (April 25) said it had launched a six-figure campaign to make sure she did get the seat.
A number of unions have called on President Biden to name acting FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel to the permanent position, saying the commission is understaffed and has a lot of work to do that needs a full commission and a full-time chair. That came in a letter to the president citing her accomplishments and suggesting that there should be no further delay in naming a chair — and a third Democratic commissioner — given the big issues on the FCC’s plate.
Free Press and other groups challenge what they call the FCC’s dramatic reversal of media-ownership limits that pave way for media mergers, including Sinclair-Tribune.
They say the proposed merger if approved would “reduce viewpoint diversity and competition, harm localism and reduce jobs.”
The latest contract between the company and about 39,000 workers expired in August and so far, the unions and management say negations have been unsuccessful. The workers began a strike and set up picket lines at more than two dozen locations across the eastern U.S. starting at 6 a.m. today. The unions have said Verizon wants to freeze pensions, make layoffs easier and rely more on contract workers. The telecom giant has said there are health care issues that need to be addressed for retirees and current workers because medical costs have grown and the company also wants “greater flexibility” to manage its workers.
n June 23, James Dolan’s cable giant finally answers allegations that it strong-armed employees during a bruising, three-year tangle with the communication workers’ union.
Exclusives
The National Labor Relations Board can go ahead with its administrative trial this month on charges that Cablevision resorted to intimidation, bribery and harassment to stop some of its workers in the Bronx from joining the Communications Workers of America. Chief Justice John Roberts — who’s also the Circuit Justice for D.C. — turned down, without comment, Cablevision’s plea for him to stop the proceeding.
The management of noncommercial WGBH Boston said yesterday that it has presented its last proposal for a new agreement with its largest union, halting contract talks that began in August. The station and the Association of Employees of the Educational Foundation have been seeking a new three-year contract to replace an agreement that expired at the end of October. WGBH employs 850 people; Local 1300 represents 280 writers, editors, production workers, and marketing employees.
