NABET-CWA 31 to Picket Howard University Convocation & Football Game

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Howard University trustees in town this week for the school’s 145th Opening Convocation will be greeted by picketing NABET-CWA members. The local has been picketing WHUT Channel 32 – Howard’s PBS TV station – for weeks over the July firing of four of the unit’s six members ("'Howard Four' Campaign Heats Up," UC 8/23/2012). NABET-CWA 31 met in bargaining with a Federal Mediator at WHUT yesterday but report that “Unfortunately nothing has moved the station off their insistence on subcontracting expansion, and restoring three lower-paid classifications to the contract with no progression or credit for prior experience.” The local plans to picket the Convocation on Friday from 10a-1p as well as Saturday’s football game against Savannah State  from 11a-2p. “They say ‘Let market forces take care of wages’ but we say ‘WHUT We Expect Better!’" says NABET-CWA 31 president-elect Rich McDermott. - photo of picket in front of WHUT TV on 8/16/2012 by Chris Garlock