Anchors and reporters at Sinclair’s local television station in Seattle narrowly voted to break from SAG-AFTRA for their union representation, the company said in a statement on Monday.
The 9-7 vote took place last week, and came after KOMO-TV (Channel 4, ABC) employees filed a decertification petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) last month. Most employees signed a petition to hold the vote, according to a representative of the covered employees.
On-air talent were covered by SAG-AFTRA, which handled employment-related negotiations and bargaining with Sinclair. It wasn’t clear if Sinclair employees were in the process of selecting another union to represent them.
“Sinclair strives to be the employer of choice in every market we serve, and we believe this decision reflects the trust and strong working relationship we have built with our employees,” a spokesperson for the broadcaster said in a statement on Monday. “Our employees are the heart of our company, and we value their commitment, contributions and dedication to serving the Seattle community.”
Sinclair acquired KOMO in 2013 through its broader purchase of Fisher Communications. The station is co-owned with local CW Network affiliate KUNS (Channel 51).
