Content staff in a new bargaining unit at WFAE in Charlotte, N.C., approved their first union contract, Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced Thursday.
“After a year and a half of organizing and bargaining, we’re celebrating new guarantees on pay, time off and promotions,” the bargaining committee said in a SAG-AFTRA press release. “We’ll also have a seat at the table as WFAE grows and evolves in the coming years.”
When staffers announced their intent to unionize in November 2022, the petition for recognition cited staff turnover and “poor communication and a lack of transparency from management.”
In addition to pay guarantees for full and part-time employees, the three-and-a-half year contract includes annual pay raises, added time off and new policies that will guide promotions, scheduling and remote work. The station also agreed to “regular reviews of compensation and diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring and departures, and mandatory posting of salary minimums on union job ads,” according to the release.
The bargaining unit includes hosts, reporters, announcers, producers and editors.
In a statement, WFAE CEO Ju-Don Marshall said the station “is happy to have successfully finalized our first collective bargaining agreement. The terms of this agreement reflect our long-held values, which include a commitment to ensuring that WFAE is a fair and equitable workplace, where our colleagues feel seen and heard. This agreement also ensures that these values become an enduring part of our organization, transcending individual leadership.”