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KPFA Staffers No-Confidence Statement Gaining Signers: 65 Now Endorse Call For a Change
A statement of no-confidence in current management following the banning and arrest of unpaid programmer Nadra Foster has now been endorsed by 65 staffers.
KPFA Staffers Release No-Confidence Statement as Fall Fund Drive Begins ; Community Supporters Express Dismay at Use of Police
Berkeley, CA – Nine years have passed since Pacifica radio station KPFA, the seminal community radio outlet founded by pacifist Lew Hill in 1949, last had the police inside its doors to arrest its workers, but on August 20, 2008, the Berkeley police were again summoned to 1929 Martin Luther King Jr Way, and asked to eject programmer Nadra Foster, who had been allegedly banned for a disagreement involving usage of a copier.
Sixty-five of the station’s workers, paid and unpaid alike, have joined together to condemn what they describe as a growing atmosphere of intimidation, including increased security measures, restrictions on airing discussion of internal issues, the return of banning individuals from the premises, and the use of police force to address non-violent policy issues.
Several prominent members of the progressive community the station serves have decried the use of force, including authors Michael Parenti and Norman Solomon, devorah major, former SF poet laureate, Jack Heyman of the ILWU, Mills College professor Julia Sudbury and advocacy groups Critical Resistance, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children and Copwatch.
Project Censored Executive Director Peter Phillips commented "KPFA should only use outside police in the station when a serious life-threatening circumstance is evident or major crime is in progress. A progressive self-managed system of mutual respect and communication must take priority over outside force”.
After Pacifica Radio surmounted a major crisis in the late 1990’s that involved ousting a Board of Directors that planned to sell the stations, a subscriber-elected governance system was put into place, allowing listeners who pledge $25 annually to select the network’s directors. An attempt to replace the current interim manager, the station’s former development director, with a permanent hire was stymied last year and the hiring process is again underway.
Media Alliance director Tracy Rosenberg, an elected local board member, commented “It is way past time for KPFA, and Pacifica as a whole, to move away from discredited command and control tactics to manage its diverse workforce”.
The Unpaid Staff Organization, (UPSO) which from 1990-onwards organized the 160+ unpaid programmers, was de-recognized in August 2007, leaving the majority of the station’s producers and hosts with no avenue for internal appeal of disciplinary actions and/or loss of status.
Programmer Foster, who suffered a severe sprain and bruises during her arrest, is still facing five misdemeanor charges in Alameda County, including trespassing, resisting arrest and battery on an officer. Her pre-trial hearing was on September 22nd. Fellow staffers are trying to arrange a fundraiser to assist her with legal expenses stemming from the August 20th incident.
The Pacifica Radio network, one of the few national media outlets that features news, information and culture with a decidedly progressive slant, is said to be facing significant financial challenges in what is clearly a difficult economic environment for journalism.
###
STATEMENT OF NO CONFIDENCE
We, the undersigned paid and unpaid KPFA staff do not have confidence in the management of KPFA’s Interim General Manager Lemlem Rijio. Rijio's actions during the past 2 years have caused the alienation of a large of number of staff members, have created turmoil within the station and have resulted in her losing credibility with many staff members. Her shift of KPFA’s culture away from one of collaboration and mutual support helped create the climate leading to the tragic and unnecessary police arrest of unpaid staff member Nadra Foster. KPFA and Pacifica management’s transformation of a workplace dispute, internally resolvable through collaborative means, into a major police action violates KPFA’s mission to promote peaceful ways to solve conflicts. Moving toward a more restrictive work environment will distance the station further from grassroots communities that Pacifica aims to serve.
We look forward to the appointment of a new General Manager from the list of 11 candidates, prepared by KPFA’s Local Station Board, in order to bring comprehensive teamwork, support, and peace to the station. We agree with the nearly 80 staff members who signed a recent “Open Letter on New KPFA Leadership Attributes/Priorities” that it’s time for fresh leadership.
1.Shahram Aghamir, Producer, Voices of the Middle East and North Africa
2. Nick Alexander, KPFA Producer, Reporter
3. Naji Ali, Graduate First Voice Apprenticeship, Co-producer, Full Circle, Executive Producer/Host Crossing The Line: Life in Occupied Palestine.
4. Rosie Austin- First Voice Group 33
5. Nora Barrows-Friedman, Senior Producer & Co-host, Flashpoints
6. Amanda Bellerby, Producer, Flashpoints
7. Donna Bellorado, First Voice Graduate 2007, pending Lead Segment Editor
8. Khalil Bendib, Producer & Co-host, Voices of the Middle East & North Africa
9. Dennis Bernstein, Host, Senior Producer, Flashpoints
10. Allison Budner, First Voice Apprentice, Full Circle Producer
11. Erica Bridgeman, Engineer, Co-Producer, The Radio Chronicles
12. Greg Bridges, Host of Transitions on Traditions
13. Afrikahn Jahmal Dayvs, Producer/Host of BAJABA on JazzLine, substitute voice on KPFA
14. Darren J. de Leon, Producer/Co-Host Radio 2050
15. Angela Fautt-DeCastro- First Voice Group 33
16. Lisa Dettmer, KPFA Producer, Women's Magazine
17. Tara Dorabji, Co-Host La Onda Bajita
18. Doug Edwards, Programmer/Producer, Music of the World and Ear Thyme
19. Professor Samera Esmeir, Producer, Voices of the Middle East & North Africa
20. Anthony Fest, News Anchor
21. Rainjita Geesler, First Voice Co-Director, Co-Host Apex Express
22. Victoria Gutierrez, Co-host, Radio Zapatista (La Onda Bajita)
23. Francisco Herrera, Co-host and Producer, Flashpoints, La Onda Bajita
24. Yvette Hochberg-producer Women's magazine
25. Shuka Klanatari, Producer, Voices of the Middle East and North Africa.
26. Kayumanggi' Kaloy, KPFA DJ, API Specials Lead Producer, Apprenticeship Grad '89
27. Wildecy de Fatima Jury, Apprentice, graduated from Quilombo Group
28. Rahul C, Lagura, Asian=Pacific Islander Annual Specials, Producer
29. Adrienne Lauby, Producer/Host Pushing Limits
30. Fabian Chavez Martinez, Live Music Engineer
31. M. Mayzes, Producer/Engineer
32. David McBurnie, Producer, Music of the World
33. Miguel Molina, Executive Producer, La Onda Bajita; Roving Producer, Flashpoints
34. Jill Montgomery First Voice Apprentice, KPFA Board Operator
35. Tony Moses, KPFA Reggae Programmer (Since 1974)
36. Emmit A. Powell, DJ and Programmer, The Gospel Experience
37. Kate Rafael, Producer, Womens Magazine
38. Malihe Razazan, Producer, Voices of the Middle East and North Africa
39. Alejandro Reyes, Radio Zapatista (La Onda Bajita) and Mexico correspondent, Flashpoints.
40. Rosi Reyes, Host, Ritmo de las Americas
41. Art Sato, Host, Producer, In Your Ear
42. Jan Santos, Producer, Pushing Limits
43. Doyle Saylor Host, Producer Pushing Limits
44. Adália M. Selket , Brazilian Music Program Producer , 1st Voice Graduate
45. Nina Serrano, Co-producer La Raza Chronicles, Monthly Host/Producer, Open Book
46. Preeti Shekar, Producer, Womens Magazine
47. Ruthanne Shpiner, News Reporter, Host, Producer, Pushing Limits
48. Frank Sterling- First Voice Technical Fellow
49. Kirsten Thomas, Board Op/Producer, Morning Show/Democracy Now! Apprentice Alumnus
50. Walter Turner, Producer, Host of Africa Today
51. JR Valrey, Producer of POCC: Block Report Radio
52. Gabrielle Wilson, Producer, Co-Host of The Gospel Experience
53. Ali Zadeh, Voices of the Middle East & North Africa
54. Dr. Zeina Zaatari, Producer, Voices of the Middle East & North Africa
55. Carla West, Graduate, First Voice, News
56. Bonnie Faulkner – Host and producer, Guns and Butter
57. Daniel Nemser – Rado Zapatista, La Onda Bajita
58. Miguel Perez – La Onda Bajita, Vox Populi
59. Bonnie Bone – Engineer, Early Morning Music Host/Producer
60. Emiliano Echeverria – Radio Cuba Canta, at KPFA since 1968
61. Pedro Reyes – La Onda Bajita
62. Mary Berg – Host, A Musical Offering
63. Rafael Kadaris, Off the Chain Radio
64. Meg Dixit, News
65. Steve Hamilton, News
Berkeley, CA – Nine years have passed since Pacifica radio station KPFA, the seminal community radio outlet founded by pacifist Lew Hill in 1949, last had the police inside its doors to arrest its workers, but on August 20, 2008, the Berkeley police were again summoned to 1929 Martin Luther King Jr Way, and asked to eject programmer Nadra Foster, who had been allegedly banned for a disagreement involving usage of a copier.
Sixty-five of the station’s workers, paid and unpaid alike, have joined together to condemn what they describe as a growing atmosphere of intimidation, including increased security measures, restrictions on airing discussion of internal issues, the return of banning individuals from the premises, and the use of police force to address non-violent policy issues.
Several prominent members of the progressive community the station serves have decried the use of force, including authors Michael Parenti and Norman Solomon, devorah major, former SF poet laureate, Jack Heyman of the ILWU, Mills College professor Julia Sudbury and advocacy groups Critical Resistance, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children and Copwatch.
Project Censored Executive Director Peter Phillips commented "KPFA should only use outside police in the station when a serious life-threatening circumstance is evident or major crime is in progress. A progressive self-managed system of mutual respect and communication must take priority over outside force”.
After Pacifica Radio surmounted a major crisis in the late 1990’s that involved ousting a Board of Directors that planned to sell the stations, a subscriber-elected governance system was put into place, allowing listeners who pledge $25 annually to select the network’s directors. An attempt to replace the current interim manager, the station’s former development director, with a permanent hire was stymied last year and the hiring process is again underway.
Media Alliance director Tracy Rosenberg, an elected local board member, commented “It is way past time for KPFA, and Pacifica as a whole, to move away from discredited command and control tactics to manage its diverse workforce”.
The Unpaid Staff Organization, (UPSO) which from 1990-onwards organized the 160+ unpaid programmers, was de-recognized in August 2007, leaving the majority of the station’s producers and hosts with no avenue for internal appeal of disciplinary actions and/or loss of status.
Programmer Foster, who suffered a severe sprain and bruises during her arrest, is still facing five misdemeanor charges in Alameda County, including trespassing, resisting arrest and battery on an officer. Her pre-trial hearing was on September 22nd. Fellow staffers are trying to arrange a fundraiser to assist her with legal expenses stemming from the August 20th incident.
The Pacifica Radio network, one of the few national media outlets that features news, information and culture with a decidedly progressive slant, is said to be facing significant financial challenges in what is clearly a difficult economic environment for journalism.
###
STATEMENT OF NO CONFIDENCE
We, the undersigned paid and unpaid KPFA staff do not have confidence in the management of KPFA’s Interim General Manager Lemlem Rijio. Rijio's actions during the past 2 years have caused the alienation of a large of number of staff members, have created turmoil within the station and have resulted in her losing credibility with many staff members. Her shift of KPFA’s culture away from one of collaboration and mutual support helped create the climate leading to the tragic and unnecessary police arrest of unpaid staff member Nadra Foster. KPFA and Pacifica management’s transformation of a workplace dispute, internally resolvable through collaborative means, into a major police action violates KPFA’s mission to promote peaceful ways to solve conflicts. Moving toward a more restrictive work environment will distance the station further from grassroots communities that Pacifica aims to serve.
We look forward to the appointment of a new General Manager from the list of 11 candidates, prepared by KPFA’s Local Station Board, in order to bring comprehensive teamwork, support, and peace to the station. We agree with the nearly 80 staff members who signed a recent “Open Letter on New KPFA Leadership Attributes/Priorities” that it’s time for fresh leadership.
1.Shahram Aghamir, Producer, Voices of the Middle East and North Africa
2. Nick Alexander, KPFA Producer, Reporter
3. Naji Ali, Graduate First Voice Apprenticeship, Co-producer, Full Circle, Executive Producer/Host Crossing The Line: Life in Occupied Palestine.
4. Rosie Austin- First Voice Group 33
5. Nora Barrows-Friedman, Senior Producer & Co-host, Flashpoints
6. Amanda Bellerby, Producer, Flashpoints
7. Donna Bellorado, First Voice Graduate 2007, pending Lead Segment Editor
8. Khalil Bendib, Producer & Co-host, Voices of the Middle East & North Africa
9. Dennis Bernstein, Host, Senior Producer, Flashpoints
10. Allison Budner, First Voice Apprentice, Full Circle Producer
11. Erica Bridgeman, Engineer, Co-Producer, The Radio Chronicles
12. Greg Bridges, Host of Transitions on Traditions
13. Afrikahn Jahmal Dayvs, Producer/Host of BAJABA on JazzLine, substitute voice on KPFA
14. Darren J. de Leon, Producer/Co-Host Radio 2050
15. Angela Fautt-DeCastro- First Voice Group 33
16. Lisa Dettmer, KPFA Producer, Women's Magazine
17. Tara Dorabji, Co-Host La Onda Bajita
18. Doug Edwards, Programmer/Producer, Music of the World and Ear Thyme
19. Professor Samera Esmeir, Producer, Voices of the Middle East & North Africa
20. Anthony Fest, News Anchor
21. Rainjita Geesler, First Voice Co-Director, Co-Host Apex Express
22. Victoria Gutierrez, Co-host, Radio Zapatista (La Onda Bajita)
23. Francisco Herrera, Co-host and Producer, Flashpoints, La Onda Bajita
24. Yvette Hochberg-producer Women's magazine
25. Shuka Klanatari, Producer, Voices of the Middle East and North Africa.
26. Kayumanggi' Kaloy, KPFA DJ, API Specials Lead Producer, Apprenticeship Grad '89
27. Wildecy de Fatima Jury, Apprentice, graduated from Quilombo Group
28. Rahul C, Lagura, Asian=Pacific Islander Annual Specials, Producer
29. Adrienne Lauby, Producer/Host Pushing Limits
30. Fabian Chavez Martinez, Live Music Engineer
31. M. Mayzes, Producer/Engineer
32. David McBurnie, Producer, Music of the World
33. Miguel Molina, Executive Producer, La Onda Bajita; Roving Producer, Flashpoints
34. Jill Montgomery First Voice Apprentice, KPFA Board Operator
35. Tony Moses, KPFA Reggae Programmer (Since 1974)
36. Emmit A. Powell, DJ and Programmer, The Gospel Experience
37. Kate Rafael, Producer, Womens Magazine
38. Malihe Razazan, Producer, Voices of the Middle East and North Africa
39. Alejandro Reyes, Radio Zapatista (La Onda Bajita) and Mexico correspondent, Flashpoints.
40. Rosi Reyes, Host, Ritmo de las Americas
41. Art Sato, Host, Producer, In Your Ear
42. Jan Santos, Producer, Pushing Limits
43. Doyle Saylor Host, Producer Pushing Limits
44. Adália M. Selket , Brazilian Music Program Producer , 1st Voice Graduate
45. Nina Serrano, Co-producer La Raza Chronicles, Monthly Host/Producer, Open Book
46. Preeti Shekar, Producer, Womens Magazine
47. Ruthanne Shpiner, News Reporter, Host, Producer, Pushing Limits
48. Frank Sterling- First Voice Technical Fellow
49. Kirsten Thomas, Board Op/Producer, Morning Show/Democracy Now! Apprentice Alumnus
50. Walter Turner, Producer, Host of Africa Today
51. JR Valrey, Producer of POCC: Block Report Radio
52. Gabrielle Wilson, Producer, Co-Host of The Gospel Experience
53. Ali Zadeh, Voices of the Middle East & North Africa
54. Dr. Zeina Zaatari, Producer, Voices of the Middle East & North Africa
55. Carla West, Graduate, First Voice, News
56. Bonnie Faulkner – Host and producer, Guns and Butter
57. Daniel Nemser – Rado Zapatista, La Onda Bajita
58. Miguel Perez – La Onda Bajita, Vox Populi
59. Bonnie Bone – Engineer, Early Morning Music Host/Producer
60. Emiliano Echeverria – Radio Cuba Canta, at KPFA since 1968
61. Pedro Reyes – La Onda Bajita
62. Mary Berg – Host, A Musical Offering
63. Rafael Kadaris, Off the Chain Radio
64. Meg Dixit, News
65. Steve Hamilton, News
Add Your Comments
Comments
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Nadra was not arrested over the use of a copier, and the author certainly knows that. She was banned from the station for being hostile to another staff person and then returned to the station and refused to leave when asked. The polcie had to be called, she refused to be escorted peacefully and bit a police officer.
This has been gone over many times, including a staff wide meeting at KPFA that was set up expressly for that purpose.
I don't know what the poster hopes to gain by spreading this kind of false information on IndyBay. I can only assume he/she has some ulterior motive, but whether it's a vendetta against current management for problems yet unstated or they simply want to bring down the station altogether (and the network with it), I don't know.
This type of post is not productive and if the poster is truly concerned about the station rather than his/her own agenda, they should posting severely distorted views of the issue.
Respect the truth.
This has been gone over many times, including a staff wide meeting at KPFA that was set up expressly for that purpose.
I don't know what the poster hopes to gain by spreading this kind of false information on IndyBay. I can only assume he/she has some ulterior motive, but whether it's a vendetta against current management for problems yet unstated or they simply want to bring down the station altogether (and the network with it), I don't know.
This type of post is not productive and if the poster is truly concerned about the station rather than his/her own agenda, they should posting severely distorted views of the issue.
Respect the truth.
Now the KPFA management supporters and "concerned listeners" want the listeners to blame Nadra Foster for the police, arrest and the beating. As any union busting boss knows you create a confrontational situation and then blame the workers who are caught in the fire. The KPFA management team has refused to recognize the unpaid staff organization so there could be a transparent process for dealing with issues in the unpaid staff including disciplinary actions. Lemlem Rijio said she had "personality" problems with the leadership of UPSO. This created the atmosphere that led to this incident. This is not the only incident. There have been other arbitrary bannings of programmers without a hearing or any procedure.
One of the ways to punish the incompetence and actions of the management is to withhold donations and force a management change. They and their supporters have to take responsibility for how they management or mismanage the station and the network.
The "concerned listeners" took the position that Lemlem and company should be left alone to do the managing of the station. The "concerned listerners" now have the results of their policies with this latest incident. They are personally responsible for this brutal attack by their policies. Like the Democrats and Republicans who supported deregulation of the banks, telecom, energy, trucking and airlines their policies have come home to roost.
Supporters of KPFA and Pacifica need to withhold donations except to be members for voting purposes of KPFA and to organize to remove this crew from mismanaging the station.
This management mouthpiece and the "concerned listeners" grouping who blames the Nadra Foster for her the beating and arrest are only doing damage control for the very situation they have created.
One of the ways to punish the incompetence and actions of the management is to withhold donations and force a management change. They and their supporters have to take responsibility for how they management or mismanage the station and the network.
The "concerned listeners" took the position that Lemlem and company should be left alone to do the managing of the station. The "concerned listerners" now have the results of their policies with this latest incident. They are personally responsible for this brutal attack by their policies. Like the Democrats and Republicans who supported deregulation of the banks, telecom, energy, trucking and airlines their policies have come home to roost.
Supporters of KPFA and Pacifica need to withhold donations except to be members for voting purposes of KPFA and to organize to remove this crew from mismanaging the station.
This management mouthpiece and the "concerned listeners" grouping who blames the Nadra Foster for her the beating and arrest are only doing damage control for the very situation they have created.
Time to remove the management and staff and install a Worker's vanguard party of revolutionary intellectuals. Then let's purge the remaining staff who aren't loyal to the official party apparatus. We'll be fair. We'll have some show trials in which we shout accusations at them and demand that they confess their disloyalty. Then after the formalities, out they go. Time for rigid party discipline to bring everything under control and to make sure the bourgeois bosses never return. Let's be sure to add as much humiliation and name calling as possible so as to teach those counter-revolutionaries a lesson. Once the counter-revolutionaries are out, let's rewrite the bylaws making only loyal members of the worker's party eligible for staff positions at KPFA or listener membership. Long live the worker's party at KPFA. No dissent will be tolerated. This is the only way comrades.
Does "KPFA Staff Person" really think that 65+ staffers want to bring down the network? Why would they? What they want is to change the management.
Nadra Foster was harassed by a management staffer for making copies and she was upset by it. For this, she was allegedly banned from the premises, although she contested that judgement and many other staffers were never told about it. She returned to the station several times between the "banning" and the date the police were called, but apparently no one aware of the banning noticed. On August 20th, they did, and when she did not agree to leave the premises, the police were called to remove her by force.
Those are the facts. The people who signed the petition don't believe that workers should be banned over copy machine disputes or that the police should be called to enforce these "bannings". They would prefer a management that deals with disputes in a more constructive way than banning and calling law enforcement.
Plain and simple.
Listeners can support them if they wish by becoming voting members and voting out the management-supporting slate which is called Concerned Listeners. Many fought for a listener-elected board so the bad old days of banning and gagging and tight security would not be repeated. We have the ability to do something about it now. So use it.
Nadra Foster was harassed by a management staffer for making copies and she was upset by it. For this, she was allegedly banned from the premises, although she contested that judgement and many other staffers were never told about it. She returned to the station several times between the "banning" and the date the police were called, but apparently no one aware of the banning noticed. On August 20th, they did, and when she did not agree to leave the premises, the police were called to remove her by force.
Those are the facts. The people who signed the petition don't believe that workers should be banned over copy machine disputes or that the police should be called to enforce these "bannings". They would prefer a management that deals with disputes in a more constructive way than banning and calling law enforcement.
Plain and simple.
Listeners can support them if they wish by becoming voting members and voting out the management-supporting slate which is called Concerned Listeners. Many fought for a listener-elected board so the bad old days of banning and gagging and tight security would not be repeated. We have the ability to do something about it now. So use it.
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