KEYT Workers Vote to Join a Union

This article was underwritten in part by the Mickey Flacks Journalism Fund for Social Justice, a proud, innovative supporter of local news. To make a contribution go to sbcan.org/journalism_fund.

Last week, videographers, editors, multimedia journalists, directors, and producers at KEYT News in Santa Barbara voted to join Local 600, the International Cinematographers Guild, a union that represents 13 other broadcast news stations nationwide.

Gene Silva, a videographer at KEYT, said the vote was 17 to 13 in favor of joining the union and that a major issue was employee pay. “I’ve been working there for three years,” Silva said. “I’ve won two Golden Mic [Awards], I have one Emmy nomination, and I make 50 cents above minimum wage.”