PBS NewsHour Recognizes SAG-AFTRA

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Staffers had voted to unionize

Judy Woodruff of PBS NewsHour
’PBS NewsHour‘ anchor Judy Woodruff (Image credit: PBS)

PBS NewsHour Productions says it has officially recognized SAG-AFTRA/NewsHour Union, saying it supports the rights of its employees to have union representation.

NewsHour Productions had already said it intended to voluntarily recognize the unit once the employees voted Thursday to be represented.

"We welcome this newly formed group as represented by SAG-AFTRA and look forward to working together on a collective bargaining agreement," said Mary Stewart, VP, external affairs, for WETA Washington, of which NewsHour Productions is a wholly owned subsidiary.

Also: NewsHour Employees Want to Unionize

According to the organizing committee, morale has been low due to turnover and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the nationwide racial reckoning. They said losing experienced hands, particularly staffers of color, has left more work and longer hours for fewer people, including on its expanded digital footprint. ■

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.