KOMO Talent Vote on Union Representation

On-air staff at KOMO in Seattle went to the polls this week to vote on whether to ditch their union, SAG-AFTRA.

The decertification attempt at the Seattle station was set in motion after a petition backed by over 60 percent of represented newsroom staff was submitted to the National Labor Relations Board, with legal assistance provided by the anti-union National Right to Work Foundation.

While reporters and anchors at the station often negotiate individual talent contracts well above union minimums—leading some inside the building to question the value of paying union dues.

Getting rid of SAG-AFTRA would be a huge win for conservative broadcaster Sinclair. Ditching union representation would hand Sinclair management far greater control over newsroom working conditions, pay structures, and contract terms without the burden of organized labor pushback.

Ballots are being tallied, and you can bet corporate executives in Maryland are pulling hard for a union-free newsroom in the Emerald City.