Contract negotiations between news production assistants and management at all-news station KFWB-AM (980) have slowed to a crawl, following the employees’ decision to authorize a strike.
Disputes over salary and job-security issues have stalled the effort to work out a first-ever contract for the L.A. station’s NPAs, who voted last year to join the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
The station’s six full-time NPAs and a handful of part-time workers support the on-air news staff, doing everything from compiling data to setting up live remotes.
“It is my understanding that there won’t be any negotiations this month,” KFWB General Manager Roger Nadel said last week, adding that management had offered four meeting dates.
Seven months after negotiations began, employees earlier this month authorized a strike vote, citing an inadequate wage offer and lack of disclosure by station management.
AFTRA recently filed a complaint against KFWB with the National Labor Relations Board and plans to seek a strike sanction from the AFL-CIO, said union spokeswoman Rebecca Henry.
Station officials declined to comment on their offer and the complaint.
Room for Mechanization
A Los Angeles Times subsidiary has signed a 10-year lease for a large Irwindale facility in a move that will help the newspaper make the switch from manual to mechanical insertion of pre-printed advertising.
The $16.3-million agreement provides a 324,520-square-foot space at the Irwindale Business Center for California Community News, which provides the Times with services ranging from distribution to printing.
The mechanization of pre-print operations has been in the works for some time and has led to some previously announced job reductions, said Times spokesman David Garcia.
The Return of Visotcky
L.A. broadcasting veteran Bob Visotcky has returned to area radio, taking on the posts of vice president and general manager of two local Spanish-language stations.
After a stint with an Internet broadcaster up north, Visotcky recently joined Spanish Broadcasting System Inc.’s KLAX-FM (97.9) and KXOL-FM (96.3).
His experience in radio includes heading the effort to bring a “Jammin’ Oldies” format to what was formerly known as “Mega 100” here in L.A.
Claudia Peschiutta can be reached at 323-549-5225 ext. 229 or cpeschiutta@ labusinessjournal.com
