Editorial staff at Charlotte’s WFAE (90.7 FM) have voted to unionize with SAG-AFTRA, becoming the first public radio station in the Carolinas to do so.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the station’s organizing committee said editorial workers have helped make Charlotte’s NPR member station a destination for local news and information, and that their efforts meant the station had to foster a nurturing and safe environment for its employees.
“We deserve a seat at the table in making big decisions about the station’s future and in negotiating our wages, salaries and working conditions,” the organizing committee said.
More than 70% of WFAE’s editorial staff signed a petition to unionize, according to a SAG-AFTRA spokesperson.
“The fact that more than 70% of WFAE’s content creators signed the petition to form a union in North Carolina, one of the most challenging states in the nation for union organizing, signals a sea change,” Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the national executive director of SAG-AFTRA, said on Wednesday. “The pro-union, pro-worker movement is strong and can’t be contained by traditional thinking about where unions can and cannot succeed.”
Over the last three years, WFAE has grown its content staff to include a dedicated team for stories based on race and equity. A new community engagement center is being developed for the station and is due to open in Charlotte’s Uptown district soon.
“It’s an exciting and critical moment — we truly love WFAE and are proud to work here,” the organizing committee said. “We want to ensure its continued success, and we believe a long-term investment in staff will improve morale and reduce staff turnover. We encourage WFAE management to recognize our union. We look forward to beginning the collective bargaining process and building a stronger future together for employees present and future.”
