I've just returned from the Spring Delegate Assembly of United University Professions, Local 2190, AFT, which is the SUNY academic and professional union and the largest higher education union in the country, with over 21,000 members. The following motion, almost identical to the Central Labor Council's April 19th resolution, was passed without opposition at the Delegate Assembly:

Resolution in support of banned and fired WBAI workers
United University Professions
Albany, New York, May 12, 2001

WHEREAS, Pacifica radio has been a voice of community-based radio in the United States for over 50 years; and

WHEREAS, WBAI-FM has been a voice of community activism in the New York metropolitan area for over 40 years; and

WHEREAS, over the holiday weekend of December 22-25, 2000 the Pacifica Foundation, owners of WBAI-FM in New York City and four other radio stations in the United States, fired and banned various members of UE Local 404 without just cause and without the due process guaranteed them in the existing collective bargaining agreement between the parties; and

WHEREAS, over the aforementioned holiday weekend the Pacifica Foundation changed the locks on the doors of the station and has restricted access to WBAI-FM, New York's listener-sponsored community radio station; and

WHEREAS, precious dollars raised from listeners are being used by the Pacifica Foundation to engage the services of union-busting consultants and law firms, rather than on programming;

WHEREAS, Amy Goodman, a member of AFTRA and UE Local 404 and winner of the Polk Award, the host of the award-winning Pacifica Radio program "Democracy Now!" has been summarily banned in violation of the UE contract from all local programming by WBAI management; and

WHEREAS, the Pacifica Foundation and WBAI management have instituted a gag rule barring on-air discussion with the listeners about the ongoing crisis at Pacifica; and

WHEREAS, WBAI management interrupted and threw off the air the Hon. Major Owens, Member of Congress, while he was being interviewed by Ken Nash, and

WHEREAS, Ken Nash, a member of District Council 37, AFSCME, and Mimi Rosenberg, a member of the International Union, UAW, who are both members of UE Local 404 at WBAI-FM and co-producers of the long-running "Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report" have been banned from WBAI; and

WHEREAS, "Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report," WBAI's only regular labor-oriented program, has been cancelled; and

WHEREAS, free speech, the voice of labor, working men and women and progressive politics must not be squelched,

RESOLVED, that United University Professions calls on the Pacifica Foundation and WBAI-FM management to:

1. rehire the fired members of UE Local 404;

2. lift the banning of all other members of UE Local 404;

3. stop wasting precious listener money on union-busting consultants and attorneys;

4. reinstate "Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report," with producers and hosts Ken Nash and Mimi Rosenberg; and

5. lift the gag rule which stifles free speech and freedom of expression.

(end of resolution)

UUP also voted to donate $200 to the Save Pacifica Campaign.

In solidarity,
Martha Livingston