WPFW Programmers Score a Victory to Bring New Energy Onto the Local Station Board

Online, March 26, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Popular programmer Miyuki Williams who hosts 'Sunday Kind of Love' will fill the programmers seat on the LSB . Elise Bryant, a retired educator who taught at the National Labor College and served the Michigan Trade Union community for 18 years and Michael Byfield a former Research Chemist with a track record of shepherding businesses into 'the black' and a passion for community organizing will represent the community.

Coming on the heels of a highly successful gala at the French Embassy Saturday in celebration of the station's 35th Anniversary, Wednesday's LSB victory was a second dose of encouragement to programmers many of whom remain frustrated over the lack of vision and leadership demonstrated by the current General Manager John Hughes.

' The Fete de la WPFW was the brainchild of Katea Stitt, host of 'Freedom Songs' and the Music and Cultural Affairs Coordinator who worked tirelessly to make that evening the delightful occasion that it turned out to be and she did this despite the fact that her salary along with six other union employees at the station have been reduced to three quarters pay for over a year' said longtime programmer Verna Avery-Brown. 'Not only does John lack vision for the station but he refuses to take leadership in restoring the salaries of his union staff to fulltime and he refuses to pay the bonuses and cost of living increases entitled to them under their AFTRA contract. In a not so veiled threat Katea who is also the shop steward was told they may have to lay some people off in order to cover the nine thousand dollars worth of bonuses. That's absurd.

During what appeared to be a highly choreographed, show of unity on the part of the newly formed PFW Programmers Association, a litany of concerns were directed at the General Manager regarding everything from anti labor practices to failure to secure a new
location for the station which is currently operating on a lease which expires in eight months. A critical account of Hughes' demotion and subsequent firing of Interim Program Director Bob Daughtry issued by former Technical and Operations Director Ramon Grimaldi described the action as 'a cheap shell game' and noted that in the history of the station no programmer has ever been indefinitely suspended even one who has sued the station and remains on the air to this day.

The practices of the General Manager have come under scrutiny by a number of labor professionals in the community and Saturday March 17th, the President of the Local Council of the AFL-CIO Josylan Williams will address at a private meeting the over 100 programmers who make up the WPFW family.

For more information or comments please contact the PFW Programmers Association at 301-681-4327.