Sanders, Clinton Send Letters Of Support For WMUR Union Workers
Source: NH Labor News
Democratic Presidential Candidates stand up for WMUR workers who are losing their pensions as punishment for joining a Union IBEW Local 1228 calls for WMUR to be removed from any participation in December 19 Democratic Presidential Debate
Manchester, NH — WMUR Channel 9 studio staff Directors and Production Technicians formed a Union to improve their wages and working conditions at the Hearst Corporation owned station. The Station is demanding these workers lose their pension simply because they formed a Union. There are already 12 other WMUR employees in a Hearst Union Pension Plan that these workers could be moved into, but WMUR and Hearst refuses. They insist on taking away the pensions of the people who put on their daily news shows every day of the year, some of them working for the station for 20 years or more.
“The Hearst Corporation makes millions and millions of dollars on political advertising at WMUR, yet they are trying to steal the pensions of the workers who make the product that generates the ad revenues. This behavior is disgusting and the purest form of corporate greed I have seen”, said New Hampshire AFL-CIO President Glenn Brackett.
IBEW Local 1228 reached out to the Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton campaigns to support the cause of these workers, and both responded with letters to WMUR Station Manager Jeff Bartlett. Local 1228 Business Manager Fletcher Fischer said that “We want to thank both the Clinton and Sanders campaigns for their support so far, and look forward to their continued efforts to help our workers hold onto what they already have. We are simply asking for status quo pension conditions. For these talented, dedicated and loyal workers, this is a giant slap in the face.”
The union is in talks with the Democratic National Committee to alert them to both the pension situation and the candidates’ positions of support. The Union is asking for the candidates and the Democratic Party to intervene with ABC to remove WMUR from sponsoring or having any other involvement with the debate, including pre and post-debate interviews.
Both letters below. The NH Labor News is run by DUer Matt Murray.
About NH Labor News
The New Hampshire Labor News is a group of NH Workers who believe that we need to protect ourselves against the attacks on workers. We are proud union members who are working to preserve the middle class. The NHLN talks mostly about news and politics from NH. We also talk about national issues that effect working men and women here in the Granite State.
Read more: http://nhlabornews.com/2015/12/sanders-clinton-send-letters-of-support-for-wmur-union-workers/
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