Chicago Public Media’s Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists union has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the organization.
SAG-AFTRA claimed in the charge filed Monday with the National Labor Relations Board that CPM has been withholding information from the union.
“Since on or about March 30, 2024 and continuing the Employer has failed and refused to provide information demanded by the Union necessary for contract administration including information regarding headcount of the Employer and some financial data,” SAG-AFTRA said in the charge.
SAG-AFTRA has been seeking the information “to administer and enforce terms of its collective bargaining agreement in connection with recent reductions in force,” according to a SAG-AFTRA spokesperson. “The company’s actions violate their obligations under the law and that is why we have initiated this Unfair Labor Practice charge after ten years of representing WBEZ content creators.”
CPM announced in April that it cut 14 positions and would end the broadcast of Vocalo, its Urban Alternative station. CPM leaders said that revenue from sponsorship, advertising, subscriptions, membership and philanthropies is “not growing to support our mission.”
“We are disappointed by the filing of a charge,” a CPM spokesperson said in a statement provided to Current. “CPM has at all times complied with the Collective Bargaining Agreement between CPM and SAG-AFTRA and its obligations under federal labor law. It will defend itself against any allegations that claim otherwise.”
This article has been updated with a statement from CPM.