Recall campaign crosses halfway point: add your signature today!

Since SaveKPFA launched a petition drive to recall Pacifica National Board treasurer Tracy Rosenberg just two weeks ago, the response has been tremendous. Over 200 people have mailed their signed petitions in, and activists are circulating petitions at neighborhood events. | SIGN & MAIL THE PETITION HERE (PDF)

Recall Tracy Rosenberg
CLICK IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD & SIGN PETITION

Some SaveKPFA supporters have even come up with more innovative techniques. Listener Barrie Ann Mason writes: “I copied a pile of the petitions, keep them in my car, and slip them onto the windshields of parked cars with KPFA bumper stickers.”

There’s also been some ancillary benefit for KPFA: donations have been coming in from people who want to make sure their membership is current so their petition signature counts. Since the recall campaign launched, over 30 people have pledged more than $2300 at kpfa.org.

It will take over 400 signatures from current KPFA listener-members to force a recall election, so if you haven’t yet done so, mail in your signed petition (PDF) today. If you are not sure about your membership status, go here to donate at least $25 to directly KPFA. You can find details about the recall campaign here, or go straight to the recall petition itself here (this is a PDF; simply open and print — you must have Adobe Reader (free) on your computer — if you have any problems, contact us and we’ll mail you a paper copy.)

Rosenberg responds
In online responses to the recall petition, Tracy Rosenberg has advanced the position that because KPFA raised slightly more pledge money overall than the year before, killing the Morning Show was a good move. Of course, she doesn’t mention the fact that since Pacifica management re-programmed KPFA’s mornings, pledging from 6-10 AM has dropped by six-figure sums.

There are two reasons that KPFA’s overall fundraising hasn’t dropped. First, some programs, most notably Letters and Politics and the Evening News, have dramatically increased their fundraising. Second, over the course of six months, interim management increased the number of days KPFA spent in fund drives by nearly two weeks, which is hardly something to be proud of.

RETURN KPFA TO LOCAL CONTROL: SUPPORT THE RECALL

How it works
To initiate the recall, we’ll need over 400 valid signatures from current KPFA listener-members. You are a member if you have donated $25 or more to KPFA in the past year.

1) If you aren’t already a KPFA member, become one so your signature counts. If you haven’t given for a while, renew your membership. Give at least $25 dollars if you’re an individual, $50 if you’re a couple. Make a donation securely at KPFA’s online donation page.

2) Download and print the recall petition HERE.

3) Sign and mail your petition to SaveKPFA, PO Box 3263 Berkeley, CA 94703.

Become a SaveKPFA organizer
Petitions with a single signature are welcome, but if you’re willing to spend a little time to gather signatures from other KPFA members or hold a house meeting, that’s even better. Fill out this form, and we’ll do our best to connect you with like-minded supporters in your area.

Questions? Write us at votesavekpfa@gmail.com or see our Frequently Asked Questions about the recall campaign.

Aimee Allison’s arbitration

After management removed the Morning Show and laid off co-hosts Brian Edwards-Tiekert and Aimee Allison, the union representing KPFA’s paid staff, the Communications Workers of America, filed grievances. Edwards-Tiekert was soon restored with back pay, though to a position in KPFA’s newsroom rather than to the Morning Show.

Allison, who had less seniority than Edwards-Tiekert, took her case to arbitration with the union’s help. The decision, issued this week, upheld Pacifica’s layoff. That doesn’t mean Aimee can’t be brought back. She still has the right, under KPFA’s union contract, to be reinstated as work becomes available. SaveKPFA supporters have pledged the money necessary to make such a reinstatement possible, but rather than work with us, Pacifica chose to spend over $70,000 on anti-union attorneys to fight Aimee’s return. That’s why efforts like the recall election are so important — they’re our best chance of changing Pacifica’s leadership.

“Casting out a young, talented programmer like Aimee — when other options are available, and when the listening community has come forward to help — is simply stupid management,” said Pamela Drake, a member of KPFA’s board.

Spread the word: KPFA is looking for a new manager

Current KPFA manager Andrew Phillips is just an interim appointment by Pacifica’s Arlene Engelhardt. KPFA’s elected Local Station Board gets to choose the finalist pool for the permanent GM hire. If you know anyone who’s qualified, please encourage them to apply. The job description is here.

Phillips gave a surprise on-air “report to the listeners” last week, and was confronted with many critical questions from callers. One caller suggested the $70,000 that KPFA has paid to anti-union lawyers should be deducted from the salaries of managers. Ira in Oakland summed up many listeners’ feelings, saying “it disturbs me to no end that the station that I’ve been contributing to for 30 years doesn’t even allow free and open discussion on the air of the issues.”| 3 MIN AUDIO CLIP