WLRN employees approve first union contract

Members of a WLRN bargaining unit have unanimously approved their first union contract with South Florida Public Media Group, the Miami-based station’s licensee.

The four-year contract, which went into effect July 1, covers reporters, hosts, anchors and producers, according to the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. 

The contract includes immediate raises for all union employees, with some seeing a more than 20% raise, according to SAG-AFTRA’s press release. It will provide clear promotion standards, doubling of paid parental leave, worker protections related to uses of AI and severance protections in case of layoffs. Employees will also receive a pay bump for filling in for a host or anchor who is in a higher employment classification. 

“We live in one of the most expensive markets in the country,” members of the bargaining committee noted in a joint statement. “Our first contract is a lifeline for us. It means that we can keep doing what we do with better pay, better work conditions and better benefits than we’ve ever had before. At a time when public media and the journalism industry as a whole are under increasing pressure, it’s more important than ever to have a seat at the table. We’re much stronger with our contract in effect, and we can focus on the important work that South Florida relies on.”

The contract also includes a Joint Labor-Management Committee for employees to discuss issues directly with management. 

“I’m proud of the teams who worked hard on achieving this milestone together,” Interim CEO Tom Hudson told Current in an email. “It ensures WLRN News remains one of the preeminent public media news organizations in the country. As the only pub media news operation to receive a Pulitzer nomination this year, WLRN is committed to serving its audiences with important local journalism that informs, engages and delights.”

When WLRN employees announced their intent to unionize with SAG-AFTRA in 2024, their letter to management ​​cited “serious concerns about unexpected firings, staff turnover, entry-level salaries too low for one of the country’s most expensive regions as well as a lack of transparency from management and clarity on employee expectations.”

“I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the dedicated professionals at WLRN for their incredible resolve in securing this landmark first contract,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, in the release. “These members have not only improved their own livelihoods but have also strengthened the future of public media in South Florida. This victory underscores the essential power of collective bargaining to protect human creativity and professional standards in an evolving media landscape.”