Date sent: Fri, 17 Oct 1997
From: Esty Dinur <edinur@facstaff.wisc.edu>

Below is a copy of the letter that WORT recently sent to Pacifica in response to the changed language in the contract regarding "disclaimers". We have not yet received a response.

October 7, 1997

Ms. Gail Christian
Pacifica National Programming
3729 Cahuenga Blvd., West
North Hollywood, CA 91604

Dear Ms. Christian:

Enclosed please find a signed copy of the revised language for the Pacifica Program/Satellite Equipment agreement with WORT-FM. WORT is not currently airing, nor have we ever aired "disclaimers" with any Pacifica program. Nor is it our intent to do so in the future. We may, however, continue airing informational statements with some regularity in order to provide our listeners with information they have repeatedly requested. The current informational statement asks listeners for input on this matter, the response has been definitive (approximately ninety to one)in favor of continuing to air these statements.

Attached is the text of the four different informational statements that WORT has read daily since September of 1996, just prior to airing Pacifica Radio News. We would appreciate any input you wish to provide on the content of these statements, to help inform future texts. I also appreciate your offer during our telephone call to provide a Pacifica spokesperson to appear on a future WORT call-in program or programs on these issues.

Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions.

Sincerely,

Jan Levine Thal
President
WORT Board of Directors

Informational Statements:

WORT began running informational statements before Pacifica Network News in September, 1996. WORT made this decision because of specific changes that started happening within the network without feedback from the community Pacifica serves. WORT would like to hear an open dialogue on Pacifica's problems, difficulties, reasons for changing current policy, on a broader scale with community radio stations across the country.

Aired from 9/96 through 12/96...

For your information, Pacifica is currently engaged in a labor dispute with its unionized workers. It has hired a consulting firm which the AFL-CIO has listed as a union buster. Pacifica has filed a motion with the National Labor Relations Board which would exclude 90% of the union members. The workers have accused Pacifica of union busting. Pacifica denies this. For more information, call the United Electrical Workers at (412) 471-8919 and/or the Pacifica Foundaiton at (818) 506-1077.

Aired from 1/97 through 2/97...

Pacifica Network News is produced by a unionized work force with a contract but the Pacifica Foundation is currently in a labor dispute with unionized workers at WBAI/New York and KPFK/Los Angeles. Pacifica is no longer using a union busting consulting firm for it's contract negotiations with the United Electrical Workers.

Pacifica has said they will negoitiate with the UE in good faith with the goal of having a fair contract with it's unionized workers but Pacifica has not withdrawn it's attempt to exclude 90% of the workers from union protection or other contract proposals that the workers do not consider fair or equitable. WORT will continue to monitor the situation.

Aired from 2/97 through 7/97...

On February 12th, the National Labor Relations Board, acting on a complaint by the United Electrical Workers, ruled that Pacifica's New York station, WBAI, must include unpaide volunteers in the union's collective bargaining unit, as they were previously included in the unit.

UE had charged that WBAI, under orders from Pacifica, had tried to weaken the union by removing 90 percent of its bargaining unit. Pacifica contends that it remains a pro-union, pro-worker organization and that they continue to negotiate in good faith with New York employees to arrive at a fair contract for all parties. The Pacifica News Team belong to a separate union and are not involved in this labor dispute. No resolution has been reached.

WORT will continue to provide updates on the situation.

Aired from 7/97 through present (9/97)...

The agenda for Pacifica's Board of Directors mid-June meeting was expected to include discussion of a resolution modifying Pacifica's by-laws which for the first time, would give the Pacifica National Board majority control of the it's composition. At the meeting, concerned citizens discovered that the board had already passed this resolution in a meeting earlier in the year. [this sentence revised 9/97]

Z Magazine ran an article in its June edition by David Adelson, a Local Advisory Board member at Pacifica's Los Angeles station. He feels that this action is indicative of a new direction at Pacifica.

Pacifica has asked WORT to stop running these informational statements before the Pacifica broadcast. Please call the station with your opinion on whether you want this information with the newscast or if you'd prefer to get the information elsewhere. The number at the station is 608-256-2001.

WORT-FM Listener-Sponsored Community Radio
118 S. Bedford St.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone (608)256-2001/2695
FAX (608)256-3704
e-mail <wort@terracom.net>
URL <http://www.netphoria.com/wort>

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****************************************************
Esty Dinur
edinur@facstaff.wisc.edu