FALL 2017 Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO Nonprofit Org 501 3rd St, NW, Washington, DC 20001 US Postage PAID Kelly Press, Inc. Electronic Service Requested NABETCWA News {www.nabetcwa.org} Printed in the U.S.A. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCAST EMPLOYEES & TECHNICIANS THE BROADCASTING AND CABLE TELEVISION WORKERS SECTOR OF THE COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA Labor Day 2017 he first Labor Day – held in 1882 – was the idea of the Central Labor TUnion of New York, which proposed a celebration honoring the American worker. Street parades and other celebrations were a way for the public to show its appreciation for the work of the trade and labor organizations. It became a Local 53 Vice President Joe federal holiday in 1894, when 30 states Ayala (left) and officially celebrated Labor. Secretary Louis Today, on the first Monday of September Gabriele (far each year, Labor Day is a statutory holiday Local 53 Vice President Joe Ayala and right) at Labor in all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Secretary Cheryl Bacon Day parade with and the U.S. territories, which continue the Ayala’s parade tradition (Pittsburgh’s parade is daughters considered one of the largest). NABET- Amanda and CWA locals in Detroit, Buffalo, Chicago, Cassandra and and Burbank shared their experiences of wife Rose this year’s holiday. Detroit “Rise Up Unions: Fight for Your Rights” Local 53 truck in Labor Day parade Forty members of the Detroit Metro (Photo credit: Louis Gabriele) Media Council/CWA joined the Detroit Labor Day March, whose theme was CWA Metromedia Council marchers take to the “Rise Up Unions: Fight for Your Rights.” street, incl. Local 43 President Dorethea Brown- Local 25 NABET-CWA Local 43 President Maxey (fourth from right). President/RVP 2 Roy Schrodt Dorethea Brown-Maxey and member Jack (at right) and Ballomo marched with the group on the Chicago Local 25 VP streets of downtown Detroit. They joined The Labor Day holiday in Chicago is rooted Bob Hellwitz thousands of fellow union members, Congresswoman Brenda L. Lawrence (MI-14) politicians and elected officials. Liz in the city’s Southside history. Congress and L43 President Dorethea Brown-Maxey Shuler, AFL-CIO Secretary/Treasurer, created Labor Day following the deadly (at right) also participated in this event. 1894 Pullman Strike in Pullman, Chicago. The city’s Labor community celebrated that history on the Saturday before Labor Day Buffalo during the Southeast Side Labor Day “Labor Unions Make America Great” Parade. NABET-CWA Local 41 members, RAB Meeting 2017 – Pittsburgh Local 25 President/RVP2 Roy Schrodt and wearing their red NABET-CWA shirts, Local 25 Vice President Bob Hellwitz marched with fellow union members and marched along with fellow CWA locals attended a Friends of Labor Festival that and many other unions from Western New took place afterward at Steelworkers Park. York in the Buffalo Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO Labor Day Parade in South Burbank Buffalo, NY. The parade’s theme this year was “Labor Unions Make America Great.” “Union Proud—Union Strong” G NABET-CWA Local 53 Vice President Joe R The large parade is followed by a picnic O sponsored by all of the participating Ayala and Local 53 Treasurer Louis . unions. The picnic includes food, live Gabriele participated in the Los Angeles/ A Long Beach Harbor Labor Coalition 38th W music, and entertainment for kids. This C year’s parade, which took marchers along a Annual Labor Day Parade. The parade — story T with the theme “Union Proud—Union E 1¼ mile route, included 5,000 marchers, on page B 2,500 spectators, and 2,000 picnickers, Strong” — brought together thousands of A union members and their families, as well N Schrodt reported. as state and local officials, for the march 3 down Avalon Boulevard in Wilmington, CA. W W W Page 1 • NABET NEWS • Fall 2017 NABET-CWA P RESIDENT ’ S Welcomes New P ERSPECTIVE Staff Representative ABET-CWA announced the hiring of Local 25 Steward Ronald Gabalski as The attacks on our industry and livelihood must stop Nthe union’s new Staff Representative. Gabalski, a NABET-CWA member for 26 years, fills the vacancy left by Lou Fallot’s hroughout the much but I’m watching in the public, sowing doubt about whether retirement in presidential morning and they have little George to believe what is being reported, September. Tcampaign, Stephanopoulos talking to Nikki they also put journalists at personal “I am pleased that Donald Trump Haley.” risk. When a person with as large a we had seven deeply made the “MSM” Trump then called out the “failing megaphone as the president, whose passionate and NABET-CWA dedicated applicants Sector President (Main Stream New York Times” and “pathetic” views are covered around the world, for this job Charlie Braico Media) his CNN, and called The Washington launches these types of attacks, it vacancy,” said punching bag. His Post a “lobbying tool for Amazon.” creates an extremely dangerous Sector President attacks have only increased after the He called journalists “liars” and atmosphere for journalists. I Charlie Braico. election, starting with his “sick people” who are “trying to take encourage our members to make “While I wish we questioning of reported inaugural could have hired all Ron Gabalski away our history and our heritage.” their safety a priority, and to report seven of these fine crowd size (backed up by photos), He told the crowd, “I really think any threats or dangerous situations people, NABET-CWA will be extremely and more recently, calling journalists they don't like our country.” they encounter while doing their well-served by Ron Gabalski for many “truly dishonest people” when his A Trump re-election campaign ad jobs. years to come.” public remarks over the deadly white unveiled the day after the Press freedom is a core democratic Gabalski began his career in 1988 as a nationalist protest in Charlottesville, Charlottesville rally showed the value that is written into the U.S. television news photographer for WKSN News in Jamestown, NY. From 1991-1994, VA, were met with near-universal faces of a dozen members of the constitution; it is our guaranteed he worked as a technician/photographer for disgust. By labeling unflattering news media, calling them “the right to search out and report the WICU-TV in Erie, PA, and, finally, as a stories “fake news” and launching enemy.” truth. We must remain vigilant, photojournalist/editor at WIVB-TV in attacks on individual journalists, the While covering Hurricane Harvey however, as these protections are Buffalo from 1994 to present. President of the United States of and the president’s first visit to challenged and mocked by the Gabalski was first elected as Steward at America is undermining one of the WICU-TV in 1994. After moving to Houston, CNN reporter Nick Valencia person who has been elected to Buffalo, he became the Chief Steward at key institutions of our democracy (@CNNValencia) tweeted: “I just preserve and protect these rights. WIVB-TV in 2000. Over the past 17 years, and putting journalists at personal walked on the tarmac to cover he has participated in six contract and professional risk. @realDonaldTrump’ visit to Corpus negotiations at WIVB, including the “I mean CNN is really bad, but and was heckled by a crowd historic lockout of half the bargaining unit ABC this morning,” Trump said at a shouting derogatory things. U.S. Press Freedom Tracker in 1999 and, in 2005, when the union negotiated a five-year agreement. Currently, “Unite the Right” rally in Phoenix, Unbelievable.” he is a member of the bargaining committee AZ on Aug. 22. "I don’t watch it Valencia and NABET-CWA On August 2, the Freedom of the that is in contract talks with WIVB’s new members are DOING THEIR JOBS. owner, Nexstar Media, which he explained, Press Foundation and more than 20 In the case of Valencia and others “has exposed me to situations that required press freedom organizations covering the hurricane, they are the use of seemingly every tool in the labor launched the U.S. Press Freedom movement’s tool box.” doing their jobs while also Tracker – a website dedicated to In addition to formal CWA and AFL-CIO performing a public service by documenting press freedom abuses training, Gabalski gained first-hand telling people how to get help, Official Publication of the across the United States. It experience when he shadowed NABET- Communications Workers of encouraging donations and, at times, CWA Staff Representative Eric Seggi America (AFL-CIO, CLC) currently shows that 19 journalists International Union Headquarters rescuing people from dangerous during bargaining with WJET-TV in Erie 501 3rd Street, N.W., have been arrested in the course of Washington, D.C. 20001-2797 situations. and accompanied Seggi and Staff Phone: (202) 434-1100 their work in 2017 and that at least Representative Bill Murray during an Just days later, during a second trip CWA News (ISSN 0007-9227) is 10 reporters are facing charges. In organizing effort in Rochester, NY. published quarterly Jan/Feb/March, to Houston, Trump praised the Coast In his new job, Gabalski said he hopes April/May/June, July/Aug/Sept, and Oct/Nov/Dec by 2017, at least four journalists have Communications Workers of America, 501 3rd Street, N.W., Guard for saving 11,000 people, “to use my years of ground-level experience been stopped at the border and 11 Washington, D.C. 20001-2797. Postage Paid at Washington, while also using the vast press and relevant specialized training as an D.C. and additional mailing offices have faced physical attacks. coverage to get in another dig at the activist and union leader in NABET-CWA to Postmaster: Send address changes to NABET-CWA NEWS, be an effective, full-time voice for our at 501 Third St.