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N A T I O N A L A S S O C I A T I O N O F B R O A D C A S T E M P L O Y E E S & T E C H N I C I A N ST H E B R O A D C A S T I N G A N D C A B L E T E L E V I S I O N W O R K E R S S E C T O R O F T H E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S W O R K E R S O F A M E R I C A

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Printed in the U.S.A.

NABETCWA News

VOLUME 66, #1 • SPRING 2017

The Network Negotiating Committee(NNC) and representatives fromABC/Disney resumed contract

negotiations in New York City onJanuary 30. During the week of face-to-face talks, the Union amplified toCompany representatives the manyconcerns expressed by members atNABET-CWA meetings held in NewYork, Washington, Chicago and Californiaduring December and January.The Company had initially proposed

severe cuts to the “Opportunity to Eat”payments, but moderated that proposal basedon reports from around the country that themembership expressed strong opposition tothe proposed reduction. The Union is stillfighting a Company proposal designed toeliminate Night Shift Differential forrepresented employees at ABC-ownedtelevision stations. Discussions continuedregarding the impact of the Company’s planto transfer NABET-CWA work from theNetwork Distribution Center in Los Angelesto a non-union Disney cable facility.The Union made significant progress on

two critical provisions for Daily Hires: a paidsick leave structure and enhancements to the“Payment in Lieu of Benefits” provision. TheNNC also is pressing hard to achieve short-turnaround pay for certain groups of DailyHires, as well as improvements to the “Travel-Only Day” stipend. In addition, the partiesexchanged proposals focused on improvingthe retroactive “Pop-Up” formula for theaccrual rate in the ABC-NABET RetirementTrust. To date, the parties have reachedtentative agreement in dozens of areas.Critical issues remain affecting

Newswriters at KABC-TV, WLS-TV, andKGO-TV. NABET-CWA is seeking to gain“Pay Seniority” rights for Daily HireNewswriters in California, which wouldguarantee higher wages based on how longthese Newswriters have worked at thestations. In return, the Company is proposinga new two-tier wage scale – with lower ratesfor new employees. Future progressions tothe top wage scale would be at the solediscretion of management.For the first time in these negotiations,

ABC presented a wage proposal (1.5% ineach year of the contract) and the Unioncountered with a 3% per year wage increase.Full updated copies of NABET-CWA and

ABC proposals are posted on the websites ofLocals 16, 31, 41 and 51.

TALKS AT ABC RESUME IN NEW YEARNNC members include Local 16 PresidentArthur Mazzacca; Local 31 TreasurerMaurice Thomas; RVP-4 DonFarnham; and, Local 51 ExecutiveBoard member Jennifer Olney. Alsoattending the negotiations areSector Vice President Lou Marinaro;Local 16 Vice President James Nolan;

Local 31 President Rich McDermott;

Local 41 President Don Villar; Local 51President Kevin Wilson; and, Assistant to theSector President Jodi Fabrizio-Clontz. For thefirst time, NABET-CWA attorney RalphPhillips has joined the NNC for bargaining. The next round of talks is scheduled for

March 6-8 in New York City. The currentNABET-CWA/ABC Master Agreementexpires on March 31, 2017.

JUDI CHARTIERNAMED NABET-CWAGENERAL COUNSEL

NABET-CWASectorPresident

Charlie Braicoannounced thatSector LegalCounsel Judiann“Judi” Chartierwas promoted tothe position ofNABET-CWAGeneral Counsel

on January 11. Chartier has worked withNABET-CWA since being hired at CWAas a Staff Attorney in 2011.“In her service to the Sector and to

CWA, she has demonstrated herself to be askillful attorney, a diligent litigator and alabor activist – fully committed to ourSector, its Locals, CWA and the labormovement as a whole,” said Braico. “Hermeticulous work on scores of cases hasbeen nothing short of impressive.”Chartier replaces long-time Sector

General Counsel Steve Sturm, whoretired on December 31 after more than46 years with the Union.Prior to joining the Sector office,

Chartier served for four years as outsidecounsel to the Sector and NABET-CWALocal 41 in Chicago while working forthe law firm of Katz, Friedman, Eagle,Eisenstein, Johnson and Bareck, whereshe assisted with a mix of general laborand employment law, includingcollective bargaining, arbitrationpreparation and litigation, as well asNLRB filings and related litigation. Chartier worked with Local 41

President Emeritus Ray Taylor on theNBCU “Content Producer” case. In2009, NABET-CWA filed several unfair

(Continued on page 6)

Judi Chartier

On February 17, Arbitrator MarkBurstein sided with NABET-CWA inits grievance on behalf of KMEX-

TV/Channel 34 (Univision) trafficcoordinators whose jobs were transferred toUnivision’s company-wide “hub” in NewJersey. The arbitrator restored the work to thebargaining unit in Los Angeles and orderedKMEX to make the grievants whole. “This is big victory for the Union,” said

Local 53 President Steve Ross, whoexplained that the arbitrator’s ruling meantthat jurisdiction over these jobs belonged tothe Union.In its grievance filing, NABET-CWA

alleged that the employer violated thecollective bargaining agreement (CBA)when it transferred the exclusive bargainingunit work of the KMEX Traffic Departmentto non-unit employees in Vineland, NewJersey. The 2014 transfer cost the jobs oftwo Staff KMEX employees – Ana Lunaand Nancy Morataya – and two Daily Hires.This ruling comes just two months after a

December 5 judgment that also found thestation’s hubbing of its Master Control workto Houston violated NABET-CWA’sjurisdiction under the CBA. Twelve peoplewere affected by the closure of MasterControl; the Daily Hires were let go, andthose that were Staff were transferred toother NABET-CWA positions at the station.The decision orders that the work berestored.“This is precedent-setting for the industry

in that companies’ attempts to unilaterallymove jobs on the basis of geographic scopehave twice been ruled improper by twodifferent arbitrators,” said Local 53Grievance Chair Leroy Jackson. “Our

KMEX-TV ordered to restore bargainingunit work in Los Angeles

members contribute dues for the primarypurpose of defending their contracts. AtKMEX, our Grievance Committee aims to doour best in achieving this goal, withoutstanding support of Local 53, the NABET-CWA Sector and CWA Headquarters. We areproud to have been able to successfully defendour jurisdictional rights.”Since last year, Local 53 has had three

affirmative rulings related to covered workmoving out of the Union’s jurisdiction. Agrievance filed against KTTV found that it wasin violation of the NABET-CWA contract when itmoved jobs to its hub in Las Vegas.“The companies fight you tooth and nail, so

the only way to defend the contract is to file agrievance,” said Ross. As the largest local inNABET-CWA, Local 53 has the means todefend its contracts, but smaller locals don’talways have that recourse. The situation willonly get worse if more right to work laws areimplemented around the country. The parties are negotiating the grievants’

return to work. The Company has resisted thearbitrators’ ruling, and the Union isaggressively pursuing these awards.After a January hearing, NABET-CWA is

waiting on yet another arbitration decision overKMEX producer/director/editor (PDE)upgrades. Employeescurrently are doing thePDE job without theupgrade pay, Ross said, butthey are keeping track ofthe work in anticipation ofa possible award in theUnion’s favor.

GrievanceCommittee left toright in picture: JohnSoltero; SalvadorSolorio; LeroyJackson, GrievanceChairman; SteveRoss, L. 53President; Joe Ayala,L. 53 Vice President;and Roy Crumpton.

L ocal 43 President DoretheaBrown-Maxey hosted atwo-hour radio show on

WDTK – 101.5 FM/1400 AM– in Ferndale, Michigan. TheDecember 18 live radiobroadcast for union members –unionmembersradio.com – alsofeatured James Dennis, VicePresident of CWA Local 4100;Attorney Richard Mack, Jr. ofMiller Cohen, PLC; and RickBlocker, President of the MetroDetroit AFL-CIO, who tookcalls from listeners.“I invited my fellow unionists

on the show so they could explain thelegalities of it all,”Brown-Maxey explained.“I thought it was helpful for people to hear itfrom them directly about labor law andworkers rights, in order to get a full picture ofwhat its like and what it should be like for aworking class person in America to berespected, protected and to make a decentliving.”The content of the show was left to

Brown-Maxey’s discretion. “It was awonderful opportunity for our Union andlocal to get our message and purpose out tounion members and folks in the communitywho have little idea about who we are andwhat we do.”Listeners called in with questions about

right-to-work laws and what unions can dofor working class people. Michigan becamea right-to-work state in March of 2013. Asof January 7, 2017, when Kentucky passedits own law, there are 27 states with right-to-work laws in the United States.

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2017 started off with a bang – a bang over the head for thelabor movement and working families. Just 12 days afterDonald Trump was inaugurated President of the United

States, Republicans in Congress re-introduced a national right-to-work bill that would significantly hinder unions’ ability torepresent workers rights and, at the same time, negatively impactworker’s wages. This legislation came on the heels of Trump’snomination of Andrew Puzder, a millionaire fast-food CEO whoopposes minimum wage increases and trumpets the value ofrobots over humans, as Secretary of Labor. Nationwide workerprotests put the spotlight on Puzder’s contempt for workingpeople and forced him to withdraw his nomination a day beforehis confirmation

hearings. I hope that these attacks onworking families right out of the gatewill encourage our members to becomeengaged participants in their future andthe future of our Union.During the campaign, Trump said

he is “100 percent” in favor of right-to-work laws. Such a law would repeal the requirement that employees pay dues tothe union, entitling employees to the benefits of a union – negotiations, grievancehandling and organizing – without paying the cost. In states with these right-to-worklaws, workers are less likely to be in a union and are paid less (average hourly wagesare as much as 15.8 percent higher in non-RTW states).1 Employees in these statesalso are less likely to receive health insurance or pensions from their employers.Since Election Day, Kentucky and Missouri legislatures have already passed RTWbills and Colorado, Connecticut and Maine are considering such laws.This is not just an issue for union members; it is an issue for all workers as there is

a relationship between declining union membership and lower incomes for everyone.Unions set a standard for compensation and benefits that compels employers to offersimilar wages and benefits to its workers. This legislation has nothing to do withworkers’ rights and everything to do withkilling unions by defunding them. Trump’s nomination of Andrew Puzder

(CEO of CKE Restaurants, whichincludes the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’schains) demonstrated a frighteningdisdain for workers. Puzder, who makesmore in one day than a typical fast foodworker makes in one year,2 consistentlyopposed increases to the federal minimumwage and updates to overtime rules. Healso famously extolled the virtues ofreplacing workers with machines:“They’re always polite, they alwaysupsell, they never take a vacation, theynever show up late, there’s never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex, or racediscrimination case.”3

His withdrawal displayed what thepower of workers coming together withother activists can do. The weeks ofrallies, Congressional testimony, calls and social media efforts, under the hashtags#NotOurLaborSec and #Fightfor15, should give us all hope that working people stillhave a say in our democracy.The new Labor Secretary nominee – R. Alexander Acosta – sat on the National

Labor Relations Board under George W. Bush, which may provide insight into howhe will uphold the Department of Labor’s mission “To foster, promote, and developthe welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States;improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; andassure work-related benefits and rights.” Or, how the Department of Labor plans toraise the pay of America’s workforce, especially the working poor – an issue thatresonates with the majority of Americans.One thing that the new Administration’s direct attacks on workers and their

families have shown is that they will not go unchallenged. If we are to have anychance of improving our lives and the lives of others, we must become more fullyengaged and involved – at the bargaining table, in mobilizations and through politicalaction. Without unity, we have no chance of convincing corporations to raise ourwages or expand job opportunities. Through solidarity, however, we can prevail.

1 Economic Policy Institute, “’Right-to-Work’ States Still Have Lower Wages,” April 22, 2015

2 TalkPoverty.com3 Business Insider, March 16, 2016

P R E S I D E N T ’ SP E R S P E C T I V E

NABET-CWA Sector President Charlie Braico

“Unions set a standard forcompensation and benefits thatcompels employers to offer similarwages and benefits to its workers.”

On January 6, William “Bill” Murraycelebrated 20 years as a NABET-CWAStaff Representative, negotiating

contracts, handling grievances, arbitrationsand other workplace issues for Unionmembers in the northeastern United States. Murray started out as a commercial

producer for WICZ-TV in Binghamton, N.Y.,where he also served as a Union Shop Stewardand NABET-CWA Local 26 President for nineyears. Dealing with some difficult struggles atthe Local gave him the experience necessaryto work for the Sector. In 1997, NABET-CWAPresident Emeritus John Clark hired him as aNABET-CWA Staff Representative.“We went through a lot with the Company

and had to run mobilization campaigns in1992 and 1995,” said Murray. “Thankfully, Ihad wonderful mentors in Don Jernigan, EdSpillett and Mike Tiglio, who gave meincredible guidance for this job.” Murray has been instrumental in gaining

victories at the bargaining table and in thelegislative arena, staving off budget cuts toPBS stations, including those in Albany(WMHT-TV) and Binghamton (WSKG-TV). In 2004, proposed budget cuts topublic broadcasting by the New York StateLegislature would have threatened WSKGand other PBS stations across the state.Effective lobbying in Albany by Local 26,with help from Locals 21, 25 and the Sector,resulted in those budget cuts being

Staff Representative Bill MurrayCelebrates 20 Years with Sector

withdrawn, and savedthe jobs of virtuallyeveryone working atthe station, includingmanagement. He noted an especially gratifying “David

v. Goliath” story – a 2007 contract win by14 members at PBS station WITF radio andTV in Harrisburg, PA. The memberswithstood threats of jurisdiction changes, aswell as job and wage cuts to win a contractthat preserved job security and requiredmanagement to fill vacant jobs. “They really stood their ground against

management. Any time the members arevictorious, I’m happy,”Murray said. “I’mvery proud of all of my locals.”Murray developed the first NABET-CWA

website, and said he really enjoys workingwith the current Sector staff. “It’s a nice milestone. It’s a lot of years,”

he said of his 20th anniversary.Murray, who hails from Scranton, PA,

lives in Binghamton with his wife of 31years, Kate Murray, who is the Secretary ofNABET-CWA Local 26 and the presidentof the Broome County Federation of Labor,AFL-CIO. They have a daughter Molly, andtwo sons, Marty and Devin. Bill and Kateare strong supporters of the local labor,political and mental health communities inBroome and Tioga counties in New York, aswell as the Broome County Arts Council.

Local 43 President Brings Union Message to Radio

The show also gave Local 43 anopportunity to shed light on its contracttalks with WDIV-TV (Graham MediaGroup). Negotiations with the companybegan on December 14, and there havebeen a total of six negotiating sessions sofar. The contract expired on December 9, sothe unit is currently working without acontract. “When I went on the air, we’d just gotten

through two days of talks, so I wanted to getthat out there and give people a well-rounded understanding about the fight ofworking class people,” Brown-Maxey said.With the appointment of several billionairesto the new president’s cabinet, Brown-Maxey feels that those in charge are moreout of touch with the average working classperson than ever before. “They could makeit better by bringing in jobs, but I’mskeptical that that is their real purpose,” shesaid. “Trump said he was going to bringjobs back. I hope that they are good paying,union jobs – the type of jobs that folks canmake a living on and support their families– and not more Walmart jobs.”Educating the younger generation is

especially important, she said, becausemany don’t understand that the benefitsthey receive at work — good workingconditions, overtime, healthcare and regulardays off — are the result of labor’s pastbattles and not due to corporate generosity. “I’m hoping that people will someday

realize the need for Unions, but I just hopethat it’s not so far down the road that wecan’t climb back up,” Brown-Maxey said ofthe decline in union membership and right-

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(front to back): James Dennis VP CWA local 4100, Attorney RichardMack, Jr. of Miller Cohen, PLC, Local 43 President Dorethea Brown-Maxey, Rick Blocker, President Metro Detroit AFL-CIO, and radiohost Kim Mandley (standing) in the WDTK radio studio.

“We must seize this moment and get our message out and do what we do bestand start a movement. Power concedes nothing without a demand!”– Dorethea Brown-Maxey, NABET-CWA Local 43 President

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Dozens of NABET-CWA members and friendscame out to celebrate RVP2 Fred “Freddie”Saburro’s 90th birthday last month in New

York. The surprise dinner event coincided with theUnion’s Sector Executive Council meeting. “I was so surprised,” Saburro, a NABET-CWA

member for 63 years, said. “It was wonderful, adelightful affair. There were so many people Ihadn’t seen in years. I’m so pleased that they did it,and so pleased that I was around to have it done.”Among the attendees were former Sector Vice

President Bob Beaulac, CWA Retiree CoordinatorBill Freeda, former Local 17 President Tom Lang,representatives from NABET-CWA Locals 21, 25,212, 11 and 16, as well as Francis Nolan, wife ofprevious NABET President Jim Nolan, Sr. NABET-CWA Staff Representative Bill Murray may havetipped him off to the festivities, however, whenSaburro caught a glimpse of Murray on the hotelelevator. “I wondered, what the hell is he doinghere?” Saburro said.In addition to the dinner, Saburro was feted with

three birthday cakes and a custom purple 90thbirthday tee shirt. He was the 13th child and the“baby” – born to his parents on Friday, Feb. 13, adate sandwiched between Abraham Lincoln’sbirthday and Valentine’s Day, making him “honestand loveable – the complete man,” he mused.He was just four when his mother died, and all of

his brothers and sisters have passed (though onebrother lived to be 100). He has lived inSchenectady, N.Y., his whole life, except for a stintin the Navy during WWII. Saburro left home at 17with his entire baseball team – 14 young men –who joined the Navy together the same day. Theywere stationed in different places, but all returnedhome safely from the war.Saburro became a member of NABET Local 21

on Dec. 7, 1953, when he landed a job as a cameraoperator at WRGB-TV, the world’s first televisionstation. Local 21, the first non-network local in theUnion, had 55 members at the time. Saburroquickly became involved as a Shop Steward in1954. He soon was elected Vice President of theLocal and became Local President in 1955, aposition he retained for nearly 25 years. He wasaround when NABET – then an international union– was separated between Canada and the UnitedStates during the 1974 Convention in Atlanta. Heserved as chairman of the Constitution Committeein 1974 and has since served on many of theUnion’s most prestigious committees. In December1979, he ran for Regional Vice President of Region2 and has served 14 terms since. Saburro ended histelevision career at WRGB in February 1989 as alighting director.In tribute to his longevity and loyalty to the

Union, Local 21 named its annual summertimeClambake after him. The long-running event takesplace in Latham, N.Y., each year, just after LaborDay, so that members from Capital Region stationsWMHT, WNYT and WRGB can share timetogether.Saburro and his wife Ida – who have been

married nearly 45 years – have 10 children, 12grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. In reflecting on his long life and his years with

NABET-CWA, Saburro offered: “Maybe the partywas more than a birthday party, maybe it was away to finally say goodbye.”Using his favorite sign-off, we say, “Remember

who loves you, Freddie” – all of us at NABET-CWA.

Nadine Schrodt, Local 25President Roy Schrodt, andRVP 1 and Local 11Treasurer Cristina Silver

Left toRight: Local11 AdminSecretaryCarrolDeolal,Local 11SecretaryCatherineRodriguez,

Asst. to the President Jodi Fabrizio-Clontz, SectorSecretary Kristen Helmstetter, Sector SecretaryNikisha Lango and Fred Saburro

Fred Saburro, Pete Cattuci,Paul Anderson, JamesNolan, and PresidentEmeritus John S. Clark

Gene Klump, Fred Saburro (second from left),Herb Stephen and others

Fred Saburro and Frances Nolan

Local 42 President/RVP6 Bill Wachenschwanzand Fred Saburro

The Nolan Family - Mary, Kathleen, Frances, FredSaburro in the center Back Row: Local 16 VIcePresident Jim Nolan, Eileen and Patty

Some of the NABET-CWA Local 211 Officers with NABET-CWA RVP2Fred Saburro at the 2016 Clambake.

Left to Right: Local 16 Admin. Secretary Patty Hildebrandt,Local 11 Admin Secretary Carrol Deolal, Local 11 SecretaryCatherine Rodriguez, Sector Secretary Kristen Helmstetter,Sector Secretary Nikisha Lango

Fred Saburro with Local 212commemorative tee shirt

Local 16 President Art Mazzaccaand Fred Saburro

Pat Beaulac, former Sector Vice President BobBeaulac, Former Local 17 President Tom Lang

Local 21 President Duffer Kendrick, Jr. , Local 21 TreasurerPatrick Tubiolo, Local 21 Vice President Paul Spadafora,and Fred Saburro

Fred Saburro and Local 21 PresidentDuffer Kendrick, Jr.

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Photos by Jodi Fabrizio-Clontz

After breaking down and pullingcables, Haefeli’s day wrapped uparound 8 p.m., earlier than pastinaugurations, he noted, since heusually works late into the night at theinaugural balls. The other noteddifference was the weather – thewarmest he’s worked (Ronald Reagan’sfirst inaugural in 1981 is the warmeston record: 55 degrees at noon). According to Haefeli, their coverage

ran smoothly, thanks in part to the skillof the NABET-CWA crews from NewYork who have extensive experiencepulling off special events for GoodMorning America in Times Square eachweek: “These NABET-CWA guys fromNew York really knew what they weredoing. Everyone was pretty happy andthere were no real problems,” he said oftheir team’s coverage.

In 2017, Haefeli’s inauguration prepbegan the Sunday before at the networktrailer on Capitol Hill, where the ABC crew– including about 25 NABET-CWAmembers from Washington, D.C. and NewYork – plus reporters and producers – spentthe next five days setting up andrehearsing. Prior to their arrival, technicalcrews ran cables between the platformsand production trucks.Inauguration Day itself started at 3:15

a.m., when the bus picked the ABC crewsup from their hotel and tookthem to their location on theHill. Haefeli ran camera fora Special Edition of GoodMorning America and wasstationed on the presstower at the Capitol.Thankfully, theforecasted deluge ofrain never came to passas they were told theycouldn’t use umbrellasor, for that matter, anythingstamped with their mediaoutlet’s name on it(including mic flags).

GMA was on the air from 7:00 a.m. until 4p.m., with live reports and cut-ins fromvarious reporter locations in D.C.

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T H E 5 8 T H P R E S I D E N T I A LI N A U G U R A T I O N

– January 20, 2017

MSNBC crew workingin the studio tent onroof of 400 NorthCapitol Street withNBC reporter Katy Tur(Photo credit: Local 31President RichMcDermott)

Inaugural stage at U.S. Capitol from press tower View of press tower and Inaugural stage Media wait in Rayburn House Office Buildingto get onto Capitol grounds

Brian Haefeli, ABC(Photo credit: Local31 President RichMcDermott)

Joe Shalhoup, NBC Audio Engineer (Photocredit: Local 31 President Rich McDermott)

Though the presidential campaign andelection were anything but ordinarythis time around, news coverage of the

inauguration of the 45th president of theUnited States mostly adhered to norms.NABET-CWA members from various newsoutlets worked on Capitol Hill, the paraderoute and the evening inaugural balls.Members of the press “pool” – NBC, ABC,CBS, CNN and Fox News – split up theseresponsibilities on Inauguration Day,tracking President Donald Trump’s movesthrough the traditions and rituals of ournation’s transfer of power. Coverage of the inauguration spread

across all media platforms, offering TV,radio and online audiences in the UnitedStates and around the world a view of theday’s events. Viewers were able to livestream from more news organizations thanever before, including NBC News, CBSNews, Telemundo, C-SPAN, BloombergPolitics, USA Today, YouTube and TheWashington Post.This was the eighth inauguration for ABC

cameraman Brian Haefeli, who has been aNABET-CWA member since 1986, when hestarted his career at CNN. He’s also workedat NBC and FOX before becoming a DailyHire with ABC. His first inauguration wasGeorge H.W. Bush, when his parents camedown and sat on the front lawn of theCapitol. In those days, security wasminimal, with no metal detectors or fences.

to-work trends. “People in unions areworking class people who have the nerve tofight for what is right and what we deserve.”Brown-Maxey, who came from a union

family, hoped to connect with the radioaudience as a regular, working class personand help them realize that if they don’t owna company, they’re just like her – workingfor someone else. “I want people to realizethat our work, health, and well-being isworth something.” She hopes that working people can come

together to try and improve each other’slives and build solidarity in the workplaceand in the community.

The show’s producers called the show“fantastic” and invited Brown-Maxey tocome back anytime, saying, “If you haveanything you want to say, you can certainlycount on us to get the message out.”

You may hear the entire episode at:Hour1:https://www.podbean.com/media/player/embed/postId/PB65B949JA7R9

Hour 2:https://www.podbean.com/media/player/embed/postId/PB65B947BDSIW

Local 43 President Brings Union Message to Radio(Continued from page 2)

On February 20, 2017, the television newsindustry and our Union lost a news legendwith the passing of former NBC News

cameraman Shelly Fielman. Fielman worked as aWhite House cameraman for 50 years before hisretirement in January 2014.His first day on the job was November 22, 1963,

the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated inDallas. He was immediately sent to Dallas as anaudio engineer to cover the story, only to witnessLee Harvey Oswald’s death two days later whileassigned to Dallas Police Headquarters as part ofNBC’s live coverage. Eighteen years into his careeras a photojournalist, Fielman again captured amoment that made history, the assassinationattempt on President Ronald Reagan outside theHilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.In 1981, Fielman was one of six network cameramen to receive a special Emmy award

for filming the assassination attempt on Reagan. The White House News PhotographersAssociation presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.“His footage of the attempted assassination of President Reagan will be viewed by all

present and future Americans. He keeps us visually educated with his camera work,” saidNABET-CWA Local 31 President Rich McDermott. “NABET-CWA Local 31 salutes himand thanks him for his service to our Union and to America.”Prior to working for NBC, Fielman served his country as a U.S. Air Force bombardier

communications operator.

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T H E W O M E N ’ S M A R C HO N W A S H I N G T O N

CWA marchers outside ofCWA headquarters

The day after the presidentialinauguration, more than 500,000demonstrators in Washington, D.C. and

millions more gathered in cities worldwide(600 individual marches across sevencontinents) in solidarity with the Women’sMarch on Washington. The march organizer’smission and vision was for people “to standtogether in solidarity with our partners andchildren for the protection of our rights, oursafety, our health, and our families –recognizing that our vibrant and diversecommunities are the strength of our country.” CWA was a leading partner of the march.

More than 1,000 CWAers came by busfrom North Carolina, southern Virginia,New Jersey and New York. As buses rolledinto CWA headquarters, CWA PresidentChris Shelton, Secretary-Treasurer SaraSteffens, and AFA-CWA President SaraNelson greeted the riders.The march’s success was beyond anyone’s

expectations, as most pre-march estimatespredicted attendance of around 200,000people. The sea of pink-knit hats bearingmany unique, heartfelt, and often hilarious,hand-written signs included all ages, racesand genders. The “march” itself turned outto be more of a “stand-in-place” rally due tothe crowd’s size, which stretched from theCapitol to the White House and sprawledthrough several streets in between. The march and potential movement are

guided by principles that follow MartinLuther King’s philosophy of nonviolenceand defined by the belief that women’srights are human rights. According to TheHill newspaper, which quoted the D.C.Homeland Security Director, no arrestswere made during the march, despite themassive crowds.In order to build on the enormous energy

from the march, organizers are working insmall groups in neighborhoods around theworld to define next steps. “First wemarched, now we huddle” is the mantra

Marchers inWashington(Photo credit:Connor Loube)

NABET-CWA Drone Training: 2nd class completes training, first NABET-CWA drone pilot licensed

Photo, top right (left to right):Bob Mancuso, Joe Rohm,

Andre Nacov(in front), Sabres Unit Steward Dan Neaverth, Danylo Paszkowsky, Jeff Helmick, Local 25President Roy Schrodt, Local 25 Vice President Bob Hellwitz, and Dart Drones Instructor Colin Romberger(Photo credit: Ron Gabalski)

CWA displays its supportof Washington Women’sMarch. (Photo credit: JodiFabrizio-Clontz)

behind the 10 Actions for the First 100Days campaign to “win back the countryand the world we want.” In February, thegroup posted an announcement viaFacebook and Twitter, which stated,“General Strike: A Day Without a Woman –date to be announced,” along with thecomment, “The will of the people willstand.”The group’s website –

www.womensmarch.com – providesinformation and resources for finding agroup in your area for gathering andplanning.

CONGRATULATIONS! Local 25 Member GarySchaut is our first Drone School student to takeand pass the sUAS Airman Knowledge Test.

Gary is the first of what we expect will be manyLocal 25 members licensed by the FAA as sUASPilots. Thank you again to CWA NETT Academy andDARTdrones FlightSchool for working withour members to shapethem into qualified‘Drone Pilots.’” – Local25/WIVB Chief StewardRon Gabalski.

“

– January 21, 2017

Gary Schauttakes pilots test.

Retired NBC Cameraman Shelly Fielman, 80, Dies

Fielman with his Emmy award

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Page 6 • NABET NEWS • Spring 2017

NABET-CWA Local 411members setting up for aproduction at the local PBSstation on Feb. 8, 2017.(Photo credit: L. 411President Joe Kaczynski)

Local 411/Minneapolis

A R O U N D N A B E T - C W A

On January 12, NABET-CWA-represented AssignmentDesk Editor Christopher Reaves returned to his job atKOIN-TV in Portland, Oregon. Thrilled to have himback on the assignment desk, Reaves’ NABET-CWAbrothers and sisters greeted him with a “WelcomeBack, Christopher!” cake. Reaves was fired inOctober 2015, and in December 2016, arbitratorHoward Gaba entirely overruled the Company. Hisaward ruled that KOIN-TV had wrongfully dischargedhim and ordered him back to work with 16 monthsback pay, including compensation for all lostbenefits. Local Portland attorney Gene Mechanicrepresented Local 51. (Photo credit: Ellen Hansen)

NABET-CWA members prepping live coverage of the CaliforniaPrimary from Election Central at Golden Hall on June 7, 2016.(Photo credit: L54)

Local 51/Portland

Local 54/San Diego

Joe Carzoli (right) and DevinEggleston (below), ABCmembers, work the Bullsvs. Timberwolves game onDec. 13, 2016, at theUnited Center in Chicago.(Photo credit: Dan Moreno)

Paul Krugman (above)and Mark Emmons(right), ABC members,work the Bulls vs.Timberwolves game onDec. 13 at the UnitedCenter in Chicago.(Photo credit: Dan Moreno)

Local 41/ Chicago

Judi Chartier(Continued from page 1)

labor practice charges and a unit clarification petitionwith the National Labor Relations Board claiming thatNBCU’s Content Producers were performing NABET-CWA-represented functions and that the Union’sMaster Agreement with NBCU should cover all suchworkers. Under Chartier’s counsel, NABET-CWAprevailed on its unit clarification petition, and theBoard granted summary judgment against NBC on asignificant ULP Complaint.“Of all the people you’d want to go through this

rather protracted period of time, it’s Judi,”Taylor said.“She really understands the law and our contractualrelationship with companies. Judi is a very capable,talented and dedicated attorney.”Chartier’s other prior legal experience includes

serving as Assistant General Counsel to UNITE-HERE,as well as working at law firms representing private andpublic sector workers in New Jersey. Born in Brooklyn,N.Y., Chartier grew up in New Jersey and attended lawschool at the University of Richmond in Virginia.Inspired by her mother, who was a union-

represented cafeteria worker in a New Jersey publicschool, Chartier said she knew early on that shewanted to work in the labor movement. Aftergraduating from law school, Chartier first worked asan organizer through the AFL-CIO’s OrganizingInstitute, where she was a member of one of its firstgraduating classes in 1991.“Being an organizer made me a better union

lawyer,” Chartier explained. “The more interactionwe have with members, the better we understandwhat needs to be done and how we can help.”

Before her promotion to General Counsel, Chartier splither time between NABET-CWA and CWA, where sheworked on airline employee issues and campaigns. AsNABET-CWA General Counsel, she will perform morework for the Sector, including helping with training,education and advising the Sector Executive Council. Heroffice will remain in CWA’s Legal Department, where sheexpressed appreciation for their camaraderie and support.Large or small, Chartier said she likes to think that

each case she has worked on had an impact on the Union.Much of her work at NABET-CWA today is ensuring thatthe Union’s jurisdiction – constantly under technologicalattack – is maintained and members’ work is not lost dueto other circumstances. Chartier currently is assisting NABET-CWA Staff

Representative Eric Seggi with a large organizingcampaign at the National Captioning Institute, whichfired three employees who supported the Union. TheNLRB recently told Chartier that it found merit inNABET-CWA’s charges against the company and hasindicated that it would issue complaints for theirwrongful terminations. “Organizing is very important for our Union,”

Chartier said. “We need to be looking outside to seewho we can bring into the NABET-CWA familybecause the larger we are, the stronger we are, andthe better we are for our members.”Chartier said she has NABET-CWA to thank for

more than her job; she met her husband, formerLocal 44 President Daniel Tackett, who wasemployed at WCPO in Cincinnati, when she attendedher first Regional Advisory Board meeting. “Thanksto this Union, I got a great job and a husband,”Chartier said.

Page 7 • NABET NEWS • Spring 2017

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WIVB-TV – Buffalo, NY (Local 25)Talks began for a successor agreement on February 23-24. Nexstar President Tim Busch ispresiding over negotiations. The current contract expires on March 26, 2017. The FCC recentlyapproved the sale of Media General to Nexstar Media Group for $4.6 billion. It’s the secondownership change in three years: Media General bought WIVB and WNLO from LIN Media in2014. NEXSTAR is now the second-largest television broadcaster in the country, with 171 stationsin 100 markets.

WTNH-TV – New Haven, CT (Local 14)Negotiations for a successor agreement for the 12 Producers and Directors continued under theauspices of a federal mediator. The previous contract expired on January 31. The Technicianscontract, which expires shortly, was included in the latest round of talks in February. Accordingto NABET-CWA Staff Representative Lou Fallot, it is expected that Nexstar President Tim Buschwill take over negotiations for the Company. The bargaining committee includes Local 14President Joe D’Addese, Secretary-Treasurer Jim Bagley, and Fallot.

WTIC-TV – Hartford, CT (Local 17)Ongoing talks have led to breakthroughs on seniority, severance, jurisdiction, discharge/disciplinegrievance and arbitration, according to NABET-CWA Staff Representative Bill Murray, who is part ofthe bargaining committee. The talks, which began a couple of years ago, will move to economicsnext. Murray is hopeful that they’ll reach a deal soon.

WDIV-TV – Detroit, MI (Local 43)The two sides bargained for four days in January, without resolution on a contract for 30Technical Directors, Master Control, Maintenance, Editing and Receive Operations workers.There are a number of open issues regarding jurisdiction, seniority, dues check-off, right-to-work, and management rights. The parties are attempting to schedule additional bargainingdates. The bargaining committee includes Local 43 President Dorethea Brown-Maxey, JackBellomo, Madalyn Lee, Paul Muczynski, Mark Baur, and James Wegehaupt.

WJLA-TV – Washington, D.C. (Local 31)A federal mediator presided over another round of bargaining in late January for the unit of 55Photographers, Editors, Master Control and Studio Technicians. Very little progress was madeand the next round of talks is scheduled for late March. Mobilization has begun at the stationand members have been sending emails to Human Resources Vice President Don Thompson,voicing their concern and objections to the company’s proposals. In the meantime, stationowner Sinclair Broadcasting announced the layoff of approximately 20 employees, including two

I N D E P E N D E N T R E P O R Tpeople in the bargaining unit. The Local has filed grievances over the manner in which thelayoffs were handled. The bargaining committee includes Local 31 President Rich McDermott,Alton Morris, Rich Guastadisegni, and NABET-CWA Staff Representative Lou Fallot.

WJRT-TV – Flint, MI (Local 46)The Company finalized its master control relocation on January 7, which impacted fouremployees. On March 9, the two sides will begin negotiations on a successor agreement for the25-member unit of Maintenance, Studio Production, and Graphics employees.

KTCA-TV – Minneapolis, MN (Local 411)Contract talks for the 40-member unit ofStudio and Field Production andVideographers were held in January andFebruary with little progress. The employerinsists on assigning non-unit web/digitalemployees to perform field work forbroadcasting, and has taken the positionthat SLR cameras, which record HD video,are not under the Union’s jurisdiction. According to NABET-CWA Staff Representative Eric Seggi,members have been using these cameras for years. The bargaining committee includes Local411 President Joe Kaczynski, Mike Phillips, Terry Grey, Clayton Henderson and Seggi.

KTTV-TV – Burbank, CA (Local 53)The KTTV/KCOP Engineering Negotiations Committeeignited its mobilization after recent talks failed to yieldprogress. Over the course of two days – Nov. 19 and Dec.3 – members picketed at the station’s advertisers,including Living Spaces, Monrovia, Toyota of Pasadena,and Norm Reeves Honda in West Covina, Penske Toyotain West Covina on Nov. 19; and Keyes Toyota in Van Nuys,Galpin Honda in San Fernando and Living Spaces inPanorama City on Dec. 3. The parties last met with theCompany for two days in September 2016. This was thefirst meeting between the Company and the newly

elected bargaining committee. At that time, the Company refused to consider the Committee’sproposals, telling them that it would not change its previous positions. The bargaining committeeincludes Keith Hendriks (Chair), Brian Wallace, David Arvizu and Larry Farmer.

Local 53 in Los Angeles steps upmobilization to get a fair and decentcontract at FOX11 in L.A. (Photo credit:Louis Gabriele)

Staff Representative Eric Seggi, Clayton Henderson,Mike Phillips. (Photo credit: Joe Kaczynski)

STAY INFORMED. MAKEYOURVOICEHEARD. WEMAYWELL BEIN FORTHE FIGHTOFOUR FINANCIALAND PROFESSIONAL LIVES.

My Fellow Daily Hires:

Well, we can’t say you weren’t warned. The Trump Administration has takencontrol of the national agenda, and organized labor (especially the DHcommunity) is in BIG TROUBLE. While Mr. Trump campaigned as the savior of

working people, his appointees are all millionaire (if not billionaire) business people withrecords showing they have no use for organized labor/consumer rights and oppose mostof the programs and benefits we have won and are working to improve.This information comes from their own statements and previousactions and is not a Kellyanne Conway “alternative fact.”Here’s what we face:1. A couple of days before we went to press,

Republicans in the House of Representativesintroduced a bill to establish a National Right-to-Worklaw. In short, if approved and signed by President Trump(highly likely), it would eliminate mandatory unionmembership – so-called closed shops – and the requirement that allwho benefit from a contract pay union dues. That action would cripple many, if not all,union operations. So what?? Well, without dues, there is no money to pay for unionservices, from contract negotiating, grievance and arbitration to training programs. Withno money and no union activity, we're back to minimum wage workers with no voice atall. And remember, your salaries and benefits and working conditions are NOT due to

D A I L Y H I R E C O R N E R

the largess of the companies we work for. Currently, 27 states have individual right-to-work laws that could be overturned by future legislatures and governors down the road.A national law, however, would be much harder to get rid of.2. Mr. Trump’s first nominee for Labor Secretary, Andrew Puzder, has little use for

labor unions, labor law, or much of anything benefiting working people. Puzder’s recordis easy to find. 3. This week, Mr. Trump promoted the Republican member of the National Labor

Relations Board to Acting Chairman. He also has two other vacancies to fill. The newchairman has stated that the NLRB needs to back off on regulating business. And Mr.Trump’s next picks will likely embrace the same philosophy. The NLRB has been the

one place we have been able to get some serious relief from unfaircorporate treatment. The Trump NLRB will not be a friend to

working people.So what do we do? First: stay informed. Keep upwith presidential appointments, congressionalaction, AND labor and consumer matters in yourown legislatures as well. You need to be up-to-dateon what we, as working folks, face. Second: if you

haven’t yet, use that iPad, phone, laptop, or eventypewriter to make your voice heard by your representatives.

It takes as little time as surfing the net. Most lawmakers have“comments” sections on their websites, so it’s easy to tell them what you think and whatyou want. Your voice DOES count, especially if the lawmaker gets several thousandmessages with the same concern. Also, take a few minutes to send a message of support

By: Larry Barr, Daily Hire, NBC-TV

(Continued on page 8)

Indifference is our biggest enemy right now,so take an interest in the business, takeaction when you can, and Keep the Faith.

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Page 8 • NABET NEWS • Spring 2017

Official Publication of theCommunications Workers ofAmerica (AFL-CIO, CLC)International Union Headquarters501 3rd Street, N.W.,Washington, D.C. 20001-2797Phone: (202) 434-1100

CWA News (ISSN 0007-9227) is published quarterly Jan/Feb/March,

April/May/June, July/Aug/Sept, and Oct/Nov/Dec byCommunications Workers of America, 501 3rd Street, N.W.,Washington, D.C. 20001-2797. Periodical Postage Paid atWashington, D.C. and additional mailing offices

Postmaster: Send address changes to NABET NEWS at 501 Third St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001-2797. Phone: 202-434-1254 E-mail: nabet-cwa@cwa-union.orgDistributed to all active and retired NABET-CWA members.This issue contains no paid advertising.

Please send news items to:NABET Newsc/o Jill GallagherFreelance Public Relations and Editorial Services9819 Haverhill Drive, Kensington, MD 20895Phone/Fax: 301-933-1415E-mail: gatorjfgal@comcast.net

Editor: Jill GallagherLayout:Chadick + Kimball

Sector Officers

Charles Braico, Sector PresidentLouis Marinaro, Sector Vice President

Regional Vice PresidentsRegion 1 - Cristina SilverRegion 2 - Fred W. SaburroRegion 3 - Maurice “Moe” ThomasRegion 4 - Donald R. Farnham, Jr.Region 5 - James “Suds” SudweeksRegion 6 - William Wachenschwanz

“America Is A Stupid Country”

America is a stupid country.”Those arenot my words, brothers and sisters. Iam quoting Bill Maher from a July

2009 interview with Wolf Blitzer, whichaired on CNN. Maher is a political satirist,so I take much of what he says with a gooddeal of skepticism. Even when I agree withhis basic premise, I am frequentlyuncomfortable with many of his statedviews, so when he said, “America is astupid country,” I just laughed it off (as I domany of his comments).At least, that was what I did until Election

Day 2016, when his statement may haveproven to be true. It never occurred to methat Donald Trump could ever becomePresident of the United States of America. Ihave come to realize that people, eveneducated people, will believe whatever theywant to believe andbecause of that,they frequentlyvote against theirown interests.Americans need tounderstand thatelections haveconsequences.Donald Trump hasvowed to repealthe AffordableCare Act (ACA), commonly known as“Obamacare.”Since this a column is about retiree

issues, let us examine some of the changesthat will occur to Medicare if and when theAffordable Care Act is repealed. Medicare recipients will have to pay for

their annual “wellness visit.” (That’s theone you’re not allowed to refer to as an“annual checkup.”) Remember the preventive services you

received at no cost: flu shots,colonoscopies, mammograms, diabetes

...................After the Show

somehow, we haven’t seen any of theprovisions of that new law yet. In fact, wehaven’t seen any of the proposed law at all.President Trump said the repeal of the ACAand the effective date of the new law wouldbe almost simultaneous. If you believe that,please contact me and I can give you a greatdeal on purchasing the George WashingtonBridge!Brothers and sisters, there are powerful

forces in this country that would likenothing better than to eliminate Medicareand Social Security as we know them. Thiselection put those powerful forces one stepcloser to accomplishing their goal. To thoseof you who say, “HEY, THEY CAN’T DOTHAT,” I reply, “OH YES THEY CAN!!!”To my brothers and sisters who cast their

votes based on social issues, or their concernthey would lose their Second Amendmentrights, I ask you to compare that with losingSocial Security and Medicare in theircurrent, much-appreciated form. Speaker Ryan has named his new version

of Medicare “A Better Way.” Better forwhom? Ryan’s plan calls for “premium

by Bill FreedaNABET-CWA National Coordinator and President of the Media Sector, CWA Retired Members Council

support.” What that means is that you willreceive a voucher from the federalgovernment, which enables you to go intothe “marketplace” and purchase your ownindividual Medicare plan. Let’s examinethis a little closer. Is this premium supportindexed for healthcare inflation for futureyears? Will you even be able to purchase aplan comparable to what you receive fromtraditional Medicare for the amount of thevoucher? Will insurance companies, in theirinfinite wisdom and well-known generosity,insure you at all? After all, the older youget, the more likely you will actually needmedical care. So why would insurancecompanies want to insure “old, sick people”with affordable and effective insurance? Inshort, they probably wouldn’t.Brothers and sisters, we have to realize as

a retiree and senior citizen, we can nolonger elect our officials based solely onparty. In fact, I think retirees and seniorcitizens should form our own party, a partywhose goals and focus would be to protectwhat we have earned during our longworking lives.One of the saddest and more ironic

stories of this past election concerns coalminers. Our new president promised that hewould bring back coal mining. That is notlikely, but if the ACA is repealed, which islikely, families of coal miners who died ofblack lung disease will lose a governmentpayment that had been included in theACA. What makes this story even moreironic is that coal-mining regions voted forPresident Trump 80% to 20%. Theirreasoning was that they wanted to send amessage to the “elite” in this country. Well,they certainly did that, and now they arepaying a price for that message. Let us return to the title of my column. In

a recent conversation, a colleague of minewas told that they did not need Obamacarebecause they have the Affordable Care Act.Of course, they are one in the same. SO,BILL MAHER WAS RIGHT.Finally, nothing would make me happier

than to write a future column entitled, “I WASWRONG” instead of “I TOLD YOU SO.”

screenings, etc.? They will no longer becost-free if the ACA is repealed. Currently, Medicare Part D recipients

receive a 50% discount on their brand nameprescription medications while caught in theinfamous “donut hole,” or coverage gap.Upon repeal of the ACA, they will pay fullprice for those medications. Let us talk moreabout the donut hole. Since the ACA was

passed in 2011, thedonut hole has beengradually reduced andis scheduled todisappear completelyin 2020. If the ACA isrepealed, the donuthole will notdisappear, andperhaps it will goback to what it wasbefore 2011. (Cue the

applause from the pharmaceutical andmedical insurance industries!)Let us now turn our attention to some non-

Medicare provisions of the ACA that will belost. Currently, if you are pre-Medicare,members of your family cannot be deniedhealth insurance coverage due to pre-existingconditions: GONE!!!Having your childrencovered on your health insurance until theyare 26? That’s GONE too.Oh, I know House Speaker Paul Ryan and

President Trump say they will retain some ofthese provisions in their “new law,” but

Save the Date

“

NABET-CWA Brothers & SistersIf anyone can provide me withmaterial regarding retirees or retireeissues, I would be happy to includethem in future NABET News columns.

Annual Regional Advisory BoardMeeting for Regions 2 and 6Officers of Regions 2 and 6 will meetAugust 5-6, 2017, in Pittsburgh, PA.Please submit proposed agenda itemsand discussion points to StaffRepresentative William Murray:wmurray@cwa-union.org

76th CWA ConventionCWA will host its biennial conventionAugust 7-8, 2017 in Pittsburgh, PA

to lawmakers on our side of the issues. Itlets them know they are on the correct path.Third: participate in small (or large)demonstrations supporting our goals.“Shirt” days at work are a good start. I don'tmean to sound overly dramatic, but we maywell be in for the fight of our financial andprofessional lives.

The future of health care (and the“Affordable Care Act”) remains a mysteryfor now, but 2017 FlexPlan coverage andbenefits are in place and will not beaffected this year. 2018 benefits and costswill be worked out later this year. SeanDugan, our FlexPlan administrator remindsus all that if you have any questions, callmember services at (888)FLEX-401K(Mon- Fri./10:30AM-8:00PM, ET). For DHmembers with Company coverage(Comcast, ABC), contact your planadministrators with questions. If you cannotget an answer, please let your LocalNABET office know.One of our companies’ favorite words at the

bargaining table is “flexibility.” It can bemaddening as companies use it to try to cutjurisdiction, pay or penalties. But, it’s also agood word for us Daily Hires. In just the lastfew years, the technical changes we've seenhave been mind-boggling. As our jobs movefrom copper to IP and beyond, it is imperativethat we all continue to update our own skills.For Daily Hires, it is critical. The good news isthere are lots of free or low-cost ways to updatethose skills and learn new ones. Check withyour Local office about the lynda.com trainingprograms. Another good resource is tradeassociation meetings and conventions. Many ofthose (NAB, Cine-Gear, SMPTE etc,) offer

free passes to their exhibit halls where you cansee and learn about new technology and getconnected with training. Two excellent websitesare TheBroadcastBridge.com andStudentFilmmakers.com, which have verygood information and links to other websites.There also are a number of free print or onlinetrade publications such as TVTECHNOLOGY that can keep you up-to-date.Finally, as we go to print, our NABET/CWA

sisters and brothers at ABC/Disney arelocked in some very tense contractnegotiations. We may be called upon to helpour ABC NABET-CWA Daily Hires andStaff get the Mouse's attention throughShirt Days, informational picketing, orother forms of communication. If thathappens, please, please offer a hand andsome time in support. This is a new worldand all of us need to work together. Groupaction can make an important difference.The cartoonist Walt Kelly (POGO)popularized a great line: “We has met theenemy and he is US!” Indifference is ourbiggest enemy right now, so take an interestin the business, take action when you can,and Keep the Faith.

Fraternally,Larry BarrNABET-CWADHMAIL@gmail.com

Daily Hire Corner(Continued from page 7)

“To my brothers and sisters who casttheir votes based on social issues, ortheir concern they would lose theirSecond Amendment rights, I ask youto compare that with losing SocialSecurity and Medicare in their current,much-appreciated form.”