Hunger Strike at KFTV in Fresno

March 19th, 2000 - DAY 31 of the Hunger Strike

        Saturday March 18th the 30th day of the Hunger Strike at KFTV

Channel 21 Fresno saw a 2nd day of negotiations and at 6pm the

presentation by the company of a final offer.  The Union Negotiating

Committee decided that, although dissatisfied with many areas of the

offer, it would be presented to the membership for a vote.  The

membership meeting and a full explanation in Spanish of the offer

including wage increases followed at 6:30pm.   The Federal Mediator sat

in on the presentation of the offer to the membership.  In the secret

ballot vote that followed the discussion, the contract was rejected in

an UNANIMOUS VOTE OF 14 to Reject and 0 to Accept (4 members were not

present to vote).

        Among the issues which caused the rejection vote were: lack of

job security and geographical jurisdiction to continue to do their work

for the station, no meal period for the Master Control Operators (the

offer contained $7 instead), the removal of one existing floating

holiday (apparently in retribution for voting for union representation),

non-union freelancers, limited public appearance fees instead of

overtime for Reporters and Anchors (who had been required to appear free

prior to the arrival of the Union), Upgrading language that would pay

only 25¢ per hour for upgrading to Show Director, Unit Seniority in the

event of layoff, and the wage offer - which though improved (Hunger

Striker Reina Cardenas was offered only a 5% increase - equal to that

denied her in annual increases not given last year) was still deemed

inadequate by many members at the meeting.     

        In a related development which only came to light today, on

Saturday morning March 11th, General Manager Maria Gutierrez brought

Anna Sanchez, the Fresno Witch into the KFTV Channel 21 building.  The

herbs burned by Sanchez and management personnel set-off the fire alarm,

necessitating a call to surprised Union members in Master Control to

reset the alarm and help clear the smoke from the facility.  The

ceremony was not part of any television taping, and apparently didn't

work since the contract was rejected by a vote of 14 no to 0 yes, and

the hunger strike continues.

        The Federal Mediator, Rudy Medina, conveyed the rejection by

phone to the KFTV General Manager Maria Gutierrez.  He also spent over

an hour discussing with the Union Negotiating Committee (who are the 3

remaining original Hunger Strikers) reasons why they should end their 30

day long HUNGER STRIKE.  The Union committee, offended at the content of

the Company offer, decided to continue the Hunger Strike, which today

Fresno Hunger Strike 3/19/00 enters its second month, having begun on

February 18th in anticipation of the Fresno visit  February 24th of

Henry Cisneros, President of Univision to speak to the Valley Business

Conference 2000.  When Cisneros refused to meet with his employees, the

Hunger Strike and viewer boycott grew to include a news source boycott

with the Union actively following news crews in the field and both

asking people not to give interviews and holding signs in the background

of the news stories asking viewers to turn-off the station.  This week,

the Union also actively began asking advertisers to pull their ads from

the station until the contract dispute is resolved.  Three advertisers

(all car dealers) have thus far pulled their spots, contact will begin

this week with the national advertisers who buy time on the Number One

Rated Station.  Ad Agencies have reported to the Union that the station

has doubled its ad prices in the last year.  1999 Corporate profits are

reported at $77 Million, Univision stock opened at $70 in July when

negotiations began and after reaching a high of $112 in January closed

at $95 on Friday.  KFTV is rated #1 in Fresno English and Spanish

Viewing Ratings.

        Unwilling to respect the act of conscience of those who have not

eaten (consuming only fruit, vegetable juices and water) since February

18th, station management persists in circulating rumors that the hunger

strikers are secretly eating.  Angered also at the comment by station

General Manager, Maria Gutierrez, in the March 15th New York Times that

the hunger strike is a melodramatic gesture and that "This is a

garden-variety labor dispute in connection with a first contract" - the

NABET-CWA group has dedicated a Maria Gutierrez "Garden-Variety Labor

Dispute KFTV" Garden in front of Channel 21. 

        The current 5 Hunger Strikers are: Reina Cardenas-Reporter

currently making $25,300 offered $26,520, Martin Castellano - Master

Control Operator currently making $21,481 after 10 years with the

station and offered $26,520, Carrie Biggs-Adams - Union Negotiator for

NABET-CWA,  Angel Noriega - Committee of the Poor, and community member

who joined the Hunger Strike to replace Fermin Chavez - Anchor currently

paid $32,500 and offered $36,036 who had to leave the hunger strike on

March 10th on orders of his cardiologist, and Tami Van Dyne from Hotel

Employees and Restaurant Employees Union who joined in solidarity March

17th.

        Negotiations will resume on Friday March 23rd & 24th in Fresno

at the Piccadilly Inn Airport.  Union Negotiator and Hunger Striker

Carrie Biggs-Adams can be reached  at: (818) 349-4057 home or cellular

(818) 516-4151.   For more information call the hunger strikers  %

Martin Castellano cellular (559) 307-4841. 

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