Texas Public Radio News Content Creators Announce Intent to Unionize

This week, employees of Texas Public Radio in San Antonio delivered a petition to management announcing their intent to form a union with SAG-AFTRA. 

The petition was signed by a majority of eligible employees who report and produce news, both on-air and online.

“We are deeply proud to work for a public radio station that provides accessible, award-winning news coverage and community events to our diverse South Texas community. We believe the content we create reflects the diversity and culture that makes South Texas unique, and we believe a union organized with SAG-AFTRA will safeguard our organization’s future success,” organizing committee members said in the petition delivered to TPR leadership.

“Texas Public Radio recently announced a compensation market adjustment for all staff, which resulted in significant raises for many of us. We greatly appreciate those raises, however our reasons for wanting to unionize go beyond a raise,” said a member of the Texas Public Radio Union Organizing Committee. “We want a seat at the table where decisions are made, clear policies, and structure that supports employees and helps them succeed, and a commitment to diversity and equity. We also want to ensure salaries are equitable, sustainable and fair for all TPR employees – union and nonunion – now and in the future.”

“We also look forward to meeting and working with our new CEO. Our desire to unionize is simply a recognition that TPR can be even better than it is now when its employees have a greater hand in shaping it,” the member of the organizing committee said.

“SAG-AFTRA is thrilled to welcome Texas Public Radio employees into the union. They are committed to serving their community, and they know that the best way to do that is when the workers who cover that community on a daily basis have meaningful input into the station’s direction,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.

The employees have asked TPR to voluntarily recognize their union, as provided for under federal law. Once the union is recognized, Texas Public Radio will become the first unionized public radio station in Texas. SAG-AFTRA has a strong history of representing public media organizations across the country, including employees at NPR, LAist, WFAE, WBEZ, WNYC and WBUR.

About SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at SAGAFTRA.org.