Progress in WTAE/AFTRA negotiations

Fairness for WTAE, the group assisting WTAE-TV (4) airstaffers in getting a fair contract, is seeing progress in negotiations between station management and the AFTRA union. The group held a rally at the station in late January where 100 supporters delivered nearly 2000 signatures to Hearst management. “It appears the support of the community is doing what employees alone had a hard time accomplishing,” says a press release, “…moving Hearst management towards productive negotiations.”

WTAE General Manager Michael Hayes and Allegheny County Labor Council President Jack Shea met January 31 where Shea made it clear that he was not there to negotiate for AFTRA. Instead, Shea made it known that the Allegheny County unions, made up of 150,000 members and retirees, were closely following the negotiations. 

The first negotiations since before the Christmas holiday were recently held with a federal mediator present. The next session is scheduled for March.