L-A Radio: SAG-AFTRA Settles With SBS' KLAX, KXOL

SAG-AFTRA has reached a settlement worth nearly $500,000 with Spanish Broadcasting System for firing eight employees in retaliation for union activities.

The firings took place in March at two Los Angeles Spanish-language music stations, La Raza KLAX 97.9 FM and KXOL Mega 96.3 FM. The employees had voted in August, 2016, to join the union.

Felix Castillo, who is on the air as “DJ Mr. Boro,” said, “I feel completely vindicated, happy and strong that the fight was worth every second, every tear and every drop of sweat. We have a lot of work to do. We have to achieve industry wide changes but I am very happy that SBS Los Angeles was the first step and I am looking forward to being a part of the lasting change in the radio industry.”

According to Variety, the union said Tuesday that attorneys for both sides negotiated on the courthouse steps while an imminent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) trial and threat of a federal court injunction loomed over SBS. In October, the NLRB issued a formal complaint against SBS after finding merit to unfair labor practice charges filed by the union against the media company.

SAG-AFTRA said that the employees will receive full backpay, interest, and expenses through Jan. 14, 2018, and that SBS offered the choice of reinstatement or significant front pay to all eight employees with most choosing to return to work their former positions at SBS. SBS has agreed that by mid-January, it will provide to SAG-AFTRA an economic proposal, including specific dollar figures for wages and fees to be paid to bargaining unit members.