The 400 National Public Radio employees negotiating for a new contract voted to ask their union's national board for permission to hold a strike vote while talks with the network continue.
If the board of Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists agrees to the request Saturday, a strike vote by members of the bargaining unit can happen as soon as that day, said Becky Sullivan, a producer for NPR's "All Things Considered" who is a union member. A strike authorization vote doesn't mean that the union will strike, but it does give union leaders leverage in contract negotiations.
The contract with the SAG-AFTRA-represented employees of the nonprofit national radio service based in Washington expired June 30. A two-week extension that was given to continue negotiations with the help of a federal mediator was scheduled to end at midnight Friday.
SAG-AFTRA has said NPR management is seeking lower minimum salaries for new hires and more flexibility in allowing union work to be contracted out to its 600 member stations, most of which use employees who are not covered by the bargaining unit.
Sullivan said progress is being made on the negotiations, which continued Friday, but there were still significant differences on the major issues.
In a statement, an NPR representative said it is looking for a deal that will "make this organization economically sustainable for the long-term _ and, importantly, enable NPR to invest more resources in expanding audiences, adding newsroom staff to meet that growth and support current staff, and innovating its multi-platform journalism."
If there is a strike, managers at NPR will be faced with how to keep their programs on the air. The union's membership includes the hosts of "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered." In previous labor standoffs involving radio and TV talent, managers have taken over hosting duties themselves.
