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Union representatives ask council to back petition seeking reinstatement of fired station workers
Summary
A union representative told the council that workers at local Nexstar-owned stations voted to unionize in 2024, were certified by the NLRB in January 2025 and claim the station later fired seven employees including organizers; the representative asked the council to accept a petition calling for reinstatement and bargaining for a first contract. Council members accepted the petition and some indicated willingness to sign, but took no formal endorsement vote.
A union representative appearing during public comment told the Town Council that employees in the news production and creative services department at local stations voted to unionize in September 2024 and were certified by the National Labor Relations Board in January 2025. The speaker said management at Nexstar Media Group subsequently terminated seven employees, including known union activists, and that the union has filed legal claims; he asked the council to endorse a petition calling for reinstatement and bargaining for a first contract.
"Terminating workers without bargaining after they've exercised their rights to vote in union representation is illegal and simply it is union busting," the representative said, and presented a written letter the council could sign or accept as a show of community support.
Council members discussed whether they could sign the petition. The chair suggested the council could accept the letter and some members indicated they were willing to sign; the council did not hold a formal vote endorsing the petition at the meeting. The union speaker said federal remedies are delayed in part because the NLRB has had quorum problems, and that lawsuits against Nexstar are pending.
The union asked the council to return the signed petition or to indicate public support; the council accepted the letter for members to review and said staff and members would consider how to proceed without taking an immediate official position.
Copies of the petition left with the council listed the stations and called on "Nexstar Media Group and station management at WHT, WTBW, ABC25 and CW7" to reinstate the seven workers and bargain a fair first contract, the union letter stated.
