Our friends at ftvlive.com report that KOMO talent is trying to decertify SGA-AFTRA. Also have a story from Publicola.
https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2026/8/13/komo-talent-vote-on-union-representation
Here's the vote tally from NLRB.
Case Number: 19-RD-390809
Date Filed: 07/16/2026
Status: Open
Location: Seattle, WA
Region Assigned: Region 19, Seattle, Washington
Tally Issued Date:08/12/2026
Status:Open
No. of Eligible Voters:22
Void Ballots:0
Total Ballots Counted:16
Challenged Ballots:0
Votes for Labor Union:7
Tally Type:Initial
Ballot Type:Single Labor Organization
Unit ID:A
Votes Against:9
Challenges Determinative:No
Labor Union:Screen Actors Guild- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)
Union to Certify:Screen Actors Guild- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)
Here's more from Publicola:
On August 12, the reporters, anchors, and other on-air staff at KOMO TV, a station owned by the conservative media company Sinclair, are scheduled vote on a proposal to leave their union, the Screenwriters Guild/ American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The action, known as a decertification petition, was filed with the National Labor Relations Board last month, with reporter Jeremy Harris submitting the paperwork.
The group of KOMO staffers who want to leave the union is represented by the National Right to Work Foundation, a national anti-union organization.
It would be easy enough to characterize Sinclair staffers as anti-union activists politically aligned with their bosses and a controversial national anti-labor group. KOMO’s anchors and high-profile “talent,” including vocal Katie Wilson critic Chris Daniels and “Seattle Is Dying” creator Eric Johnson, who’s now retired, skew conservative.
But the issues at play in KOMO’s union debate seem a bit more complicated. On-air reporters and editors typically negotiate their own individual contracts with management, rather than working through the union, and the minimum union guarantee for reporters is reportedly in the mid-five figures—far below what most on-air reporters and anchors actually make. The group already gets its health care through Sinclair, rather than the union. Union dues cost money. All of that has prompted a robust internal debate at KOMO about whether union representation is worth it.
Holding a decertification vote requires a petition signed by at least 30 percent of represented staff; the KOMO petition reportedly received more than 60 percent support.
Patrick Semmens, a spokesman for the NRWF, said the KOMO staffers reached out to the group for legal representation. Semmens didn’t offer specific details about why KOMO’s reporters and anchors wanted to de-unionize, but said typical reasons include the union’s responsiveness—”sometimes they aren’t around except when it comes time to pay dues”—the cost of dues, and political objections to unionization.
No one from the anchors’ and reporters’ group was authorized to speak with PubliCola on the record. SAG-AFTRA’s local representative did not respond to a call and email Thursday
My sources confirm that the union is AWOL and does nothing except collect dues.
So it would seem based on your sources Wayne that the reporters/anchors aren't exactly getting their bang for the dues buck with the union so to me it is not a surprise they'd look to decertify. Likely a reason this is getting a lot of outside play is because KOMO is owned by Sinclair and folks are trying to link the two things but I'm not seeing it here.
ReplyDeleteNot driven by Sinclair. It appears that the union has failed its membership on pay issues, like minimums, and doesn't give back anything for the high dues required. Photogs also working to decertify their union.
ReplyDeleteYup
DeleteAnd now this:
Deletehttps://x.com/jasonrantz/status/1289726406121779200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1289726406121779200%7Ctwgr%5Ee3eb35c1d5251bf87a7463d48209e682faa68079%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fseattlered.com%2Funcategorized%2Frantz-union-seattle-reporters-defund-police%2F2067343
KOMO employees nearly tossed the union about five years ago for the same concerns, but at that time voted to keep them. The union had the last five years to prove their worth, but did not. Positions continue to be eliminated, additional programming and online duties continue to get added, and pay does not keep up with the times or increased workload. The union did not seem interested in getting appropriate compensation for the employees, but did not miss an email, phone call or letter demanding compensation for themselves.
ReplyDelete“And now this” that Rantz tweet is more than 6 years old!
ReplyDeleteA history lesson with background
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't sound like this union was accomplishing anything productive for the KOMO team. So it is probably for the best that it is dissolved. I hope this serves as a warning to other unions in this region that they need to serve the people they are supposed to represent and do good by them. Otherwise, they could end up dissolved as well.
ReplyDeleteI believe it’s the same union, SAG AFTRA, in place at King and KIRO. Wonder if there is any talk at either shop of following KOMO’s lead, or if they instead feel the union is serving them well in exchange for the dues.
DeleteSimilarly, what about editing and photographer unions here? Are they getting their members proper pay for this HCOL city?
KOMO photogs in IATSE. About a year ago KIRO photogs went public with their contract issued, including at a Seahawks game.
DeleteKING has a pension through their SAG-AFTRA contract.
DeleteThat pension may only be for the longer tenured employees, but not the newer ones. Not fully sure, but it sound right.
DeleteNope. It applies to everyone.
DeleteThank you that clarification. Appreciate it!
DeleteA solid pension sounds like a good reason to stay unionized. I wonder why SAG AFTRA never negotiated for the same at KOMO? Do they have a pension for the union members at KIRO?
ReplyDeleteI don't know why KOMO doesn't have one, and I don't believe KIRO has one either. Again, at KING, it may just be for the grandfathered in long-timers.
DeleteNegotiations require buy in from both parties. So union representatives can demand it all they want, but if management refuses to entertain the idea, then management refuses to entertain the idea. Improvements in contracts require buy in and forcefulness from all of the employees to accomplish gains and fight off givebacks. There's tons of stories for decades now of unions demanding pensions and employers refusing to agree to that. So if KOMO and KIRO management steadfastly refused to agree to a pension, which isn't surprising for a company like Sinclair or a hedge fund like CMG, it's basically impossible to obtain.
DeleteThe KING pension on the other hand applies to all SAG-AFTRA represented employees, not just limited to long-timers.
Cox had a pension at KIRO years ago for all station employees, union or not. Don’t know about today.
DeleteWhat is the value of a union in tv news then, if the union can ask for things and just be met with a resounding “no” from the big broadcasting companies? Why can teachers unionize and get better hours and better pay, but unionized tv station employees can’t?
DeleteTeachers have more leverage because they teach our children. But the word negotiation is not in the vocabulary of TV station owners. One way street.
DeleteDelegation is more likely the word. Negotiations are more like a tennis volley.
DeleteThe KOMO union was around for 4 or 5 decades, long before Sinclair took over. Fisher must’ve been the one to turn that down if it was ever brought up in bargaining.
ReplyDeleteThe modern big broadcasting conglomerates aren’t likely to okay a pension these days, including notoriously cheap Tegna.