NLRB Judge Rules Against CNN, Which Will Appeal
Board concluded that CNN violated labor laws, discriminated against workers in Wash. and N.Y.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/24/2008 12:25:00 PM
A judge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has concluded that CNN America violated labor laws and discriminated against workers in Washington and New York, engaging in "widespread amd egregious misconduct" and "demonstrating a flagrant and general disregard for the employees' fundamenal rights.” The judge instructed it to take a series of steps to remedy the situation.
That is according to a copy of the decision by administrative law judge Arthur Amchan and posted on the NLRB Web site Monda.
Union NABET-CWA called it a "huge decision," requiring the reinstatement of over 100 workers, plus back pay and retraining if necessary. CNN said in a statement that it disagreed with the decision, that it had not violated labor laws, and, since it is appealing, the decision is not enforceable.
"In April 2007, the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint against CNN, based on alleged unfair labor practice charges filed by the National Association of Broadcast Employees & Technicians, otherwise known as NABET." said CNN in a statement. "The case stems from CNN’s decision to end its relationship with Team Video Services, an outside vendor to its New York and Washington bureaus, and instead reconfigure its operations and staff its bureaus with CNN employees." TVS’s employees were represented by NABET. CNN's were not.
CNN said it "disagrees with the recommended decision and denies that it violated the National Labor Relations Act. CNN plans to appeal this decision to the full NLRB. Because an appeal will be filed, the Judge's recommended decision is not enforceable and is not binding."
NABET-CWA saw it differently: “We were very pleased with this decision," said J. Carl Mayers, president of NABET-CWA Local 31/Local 52031, in a statement. "It is a great victory for all union workers and would not have been possible without the hard work and courage of the members that were terminated by CNN as well as those that remained and never gave up hope.”
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CNN: MISTREATMENT AND DEATH OF EMPLOYEES
Salvadoran journalist Mario Vela passes away 12 days after being dismissed by CNN.
AGACAMT denounces the hostile attitude of CNN towards employees on disability.
Jose Ramon Cotti, Puerto Rican journalist dismissed by CNN, remains in a hospital after months of pain.
Atlanta. - Salvadoran journalist Mario Vela passed away 12 days after CNN dismissed him. The company fired this worker despite the knowledge of the seriousness of his illness. Mr. Vela had been agonizing for several months in Washington after his doctors declared there was no hope to save his life. Mario Vela and his family underwent the pressure imposed by CNN in his last days when receiving a document in which their rights of denunciation were questioned and conditioned to the signing of a humiliating severance package. CNN served notice to Mr. Vela via mail explaining that he no longer was to have his disability benefits and the medical insurance from the company. 

Mario Vela who passed away at age 34, was named by the mayor of Washington DC “the journalist of the year of 2007†recognition who was emphasized by his support to the Hispanic community and towards the under-privileged. With more than 10 years of experience Mario Vela was news director of Mega Communications and Radio Capital 730 in DC. Vela worked for Channel 30 of Univisión and Radio World in Maryland. AGACAMT wants to bring to the world’s attention other serious cases of labor harassment and mistreatment at CNN as in 2003 the local press of Atlanta related this network with the depression of a journalist who committed suicide. (see original editorial of the Mundo Hispanico about former news director Abel Dimant). The complaints of labor abuses and irregularities had been communicated to Mr. Jim Walton, the President of CNN, but there are no answers neither solutions to protect the victims. AGACAMT denounces that “this it is not the unique case of a journalist dismissed by CNN in a serious conditionâ€.
News anchor Jose Ramon Cotti remains in a hospital in Georgia after several months of pain. The Puerto Rican journalist also was dismissed by CNN while on disability awaiting a delicate heart operation. CNN brought Mr. Cotti and his wife to Atlanta from New York 9 years ago and the company has now totally forgotten this family, not even making a phone call to inquire about its employee’s condition after double bypass surgery and leg amputation and also after Mrs. Cotti’s hospitalization with health problems including stress related condition. This prestigious New York radio journalist, recipient of Several prizes including two awards from ACE. (Award of creative excellence) is just another one of the numerous victims of the dramatic crisis that shakes CNN.
pich - 4/24/2009 11:39:21 PM EDT -
Garbage. CNN purposely broke the contract, made us re-apply for our jobs knowingly hiring back only 49% of the force so they could bust the union and hire on kids to work for half the average staffer or freelancer was making. It was all a big master plan and I hope the Obama admin makes them pay DEARLY. With all the support he's recieved from unions, they must be really stupid.
the gringo gentile - 11/24/2008 8:07:00 PM EST
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