KPFA's Union, CWA, Tells the Pacifica National Board to Stay Out of Staff Cuts

I wonder what happened when Flashpoint's Nora Barrows-Friedman had her hours cut in half in spite of her higher seniority ranking? Was action not taken because there was no protest - Nora's or the PNB's - when KPFA manager Lemlem Rijio cut her hours (resulting in her having to quit and find another job)?
-- Mara

Many KPFA workers have taken hours cuts due to the financial shortfall. They still have their jobs, at reduced hours. They should be thanked for their dedication. Nora could have stayed, like they are doing, but she chose to quit.

Reductions in hours are not the same as a layoff. Nor is it the same as targetting workers for exercising their free speech rights, which is KPFA/Pacifica board members Tracy Rosenberg, Joe Wanzala, and Shahram Aghamir appear to be advocating.

That's called a political purge.

For more, see http://www.kpfaworker.org

Nora Barrows-Friedman wasn't a supporter of the CL faction.

Many people thought that Flashpoints was targeted for a disproportionate staff cut for political reasons. This is something that actually happened, whereas in the case of the threat to the Morning Show and news department, all we really have is a rumor put out by the people who say they are being targeted. Have they published the text of the "misdirected e-mail"? If not I doubt whether it's out of concern for confidentiality, considering all they've said on the air.

Nadra Foster long time volontaire, use the phone to arrange been picked up. They call the police on her for using kpfa ressource. Nora Barrow Friedman got her hours unilaterally cut without union representation in spite of their dedication and talent and seniority in what its seems to be a personnal agenda from the ex manager. Teikert conned kpfa of 375 000 dollars +interests by letting a check expired in a drawer but still has his job.

Perhaps the CL'ers don't think they won this year's election. This must be their Plan B.

There is no "misdirected" email. That is why it hasn't been produced.

That quote is also from the battles of the nineties. Concerned Listeners/Save KPFA are also trying to invoke another comparison to themselves and the true fighters for KPFA.

In terms of the CWA local, they are in their pockets and for all the nice verbiage, in fact, there is no interest on the part of CWA to follow the seniority list for the layoffs.

Before the rank & file, and the public, buy the latest fabrications - hook, line and sinker - by to so-called "kpfaworker" that represents a small but dominant faction: the 'secret list' is actually the Union Seniority list.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: KPFA Staff Announcements
Date: Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 12:01 PM
Subject: [KPFA Staff] KPFA BUDGET & LAYOFFS
To: KPFA-Paid, KPFA-Staff,
Cc: Arlene Engelhardt, George Reiter


Greetings All,

I am very concerned about the recent events that have taken place both in the station ,with the LSB /PNB ,and across the KPFA airwaves !
Let me be very clear about my position about the layoffs and budget matters:

All KPFA personnel decisions will be made by the ED,iGM,Asst. iGM & HRD.

No final decisions have been made about the KPFA budget or layoffs

KPFA staff & unpaid staff please maintain your integrity, dignity, & professionalism at all times

It is inappropriate to defame, denigrate, or slander staff, volunteers and or LSB / PNB members ON AIR OR OFF THE AIR (KPFA candidate forums).

****IF THIS CONTINUES THERE WILL BE CORRECTIVE ACTION
IT IS IMPERATIVE TO STOP THE KPFA CIVIL WAR TODAY!


--
Regards,
Ahmad J. Anderson
Pacifica Foundation
Director,Human Resources / iGM KPFA
Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley,Ca 94704
(O) 510-849-2590 ext 204

___________________________________________

KPFA (and Pacifica) is not a dictatorship, unlike the capitalist corporations the (business-oriented) unions have to deal with. It has a democratic election, the one we are in the middle of. The people who allegedly wrote the email (if one exists at all) are all members of the highest governing body of the Foundation. The contract is (in effect) between them and the union. They should have the right to comment on everything that is within their purview. This phony scandal is created by an entrenched bureaucracy to get rid of participatory democracy.

----Original message----
From: George Reiter
Date: Mon, Oct 4, 2010
Subject: KPFA LAYOFFS

The PNB passed this motion unanimously in executive session on Sunday, Oct 3

The PNB fully supports the Pacifica Executive Director in the difficult task of balancing the KPFA budget utilizing the staff cuts recommended by the executive director in accordance with principles she has enunciated, of respect for seniority, recognition of skill sets and maintaining the programming grid to the extent possible.
George Reiter
Chair, Pacifica National Board

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"We have always tried to avoid any interference in KPFA/Pacifica governance matters".

Yeah right.

http://www.concernedlisteners.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=4

Here we go again ms. huggins ,grown up , union representatif pro concerned listener, caught red handed lying to us .Damn that stuff.In the culture i been raised lying is shamefull. It is hard for us real progressive with integrity to support whats is happening to kpfa . I really love flashpoints , Dennis is a giant compared to this arrivists, who took over the station but i found difficult to pledge any money to flashpoint since this money will go to support their lame npr white shit type of programs while flashpoint budget will be further cut . Its a difficult dilema and i wonder what to do?

- or there could be no Flashpoints, no community station, to save.
It's not just rhetoric; this faction is in the midst of a concerted effort to take over the station and NPRize it, with major funders, foundation grants, etc.
Send in your money, stay in the fight!