BBG Watch Commentary
The independent NGO Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB – cusib.org) has welcomed the news that the illegally fired employees of the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ (BBG) Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) Radio and TV Marti have just received some partial payments for the back pay they are owed.
Former BBG Governor Ambassador Victor Ashe and CUSIB Advisory Board member, who championed for their cause during his tenure at the BBG, declared: “At long last something is being paid out. I could not be more pleased that justice is occurring.”
CUSIB Executive Director Ann Noonan stated that “CUSIB recognizes the dedication of Local 1812’s President Tim Shamble, who also serves as a Member of our Advisory Board. His efforts and those of the union pushed for these results.”
CUSIB Director Ted Lipien said: “I’m grateful to former BBG Governors, Ambassador Victor Ashe and Susan McCue, current BBG members, especially Chairman Shell and Michael Meehan, for helping to put an end to this injustice. I’m hopeful that the BBG Board and CEO designate Andy Lack will continue management reforms to make sure that International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) officials will never again engage in conduct that has diminished impact of U.S. international media outreach.”
Lipien observed that Radio and TV Marti newsroom in Miami was almost completely empty and partially dark even while Broadcasting Board of Governors board meeting was being held in an adjoining room, and yet agency executives have been dragging their feet on returning these OCB journalists to work.
The Voice of America (VOA) newsroom in Washington is likewise largely empty and partially dark most of the time, especially after business hours and on weekends, but also during the day on weekdays. IBB and VOA management has greatly expanded the number of bureaucratic positions, as IBB executives and lawyers fought hard to prevent illegally RIFed Radio and TV Marti journalists from regaining their jobs.
Even numerous legal losses did not stop the management from attempting to prevent justice. It took combined efforts of RIFed OCB journalists, their union, CUSIB and the new BBG Board under Chairman Shell to send a message to IBB bureaucrats, some of whom have already been removed from making management decisions, to stop their mistreatment of Radio and TV Marti RIFed broadcasters, but the final resolution, which would include giving back these journalists their jobs, has not been yet achieved. Hopefully, this will happen soon.
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CUSIB PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
November 19, 2014
CUSIB Applauds Breakthrough in the BBG’s 5-year Log Jam for Radio and TV Marti Workers
The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB – cusib.org) has learned that the illegally fired employees of the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ (BBG) Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB) have just received some partial payments for the back pay they are owed. According to a ruling by a Federal Arbitrator, these Radio and TV Marti workers had been illegally dismissed in 2009 through management-imposed Reductions in Force (RIFs).
Former BBG Governor Ambassador Victor Ashe, who championed for their cause during his tenure at the BBG, declared: “At long last something is being paid out. I could not be more pleased that justice is occurring.”
CUSIB Executive Director Ann Noonan stated: “CUSIB recognizes the dedication of Local 1812’s President Tim Shamble, who also serves as a Member of our Advisory Board. His efforts and those of the union pushed for these results. We are encouraged that BBG Chair Jeff Shell and BBG Governor Michael Meehan have made sincere efforts during these past few months to right this wrong. Although we are sure that the illegally fired Radio and TV Marti journalists and workers who have suffered enormous hardships are thankful for the partial financial relief that they are due, we will continue to raise our voices on their behalf until they receive the balance of their back pay and reinstatement.”
CUSIB Director Ted Lipien said: “Having observed that Radio and TV Marti newsroom in Miami was almost completely empty and partially dark even while Broadcasting Board of Governors board meeting was being held in an adjoining room, these brave OCB journalists should be immediately returned to work to stop the waste of taxpayers’ money and to help bring more uncensored news to the people of Cuba who desperately need to be better informed. I’m grateful to former BBG Governors, Ambassador Victor Ashe and Susan McCue, current BBG members, especially Chairman Shell and Michael Meehan, for helping to put an end to this injustice. I’m hopeful that the BBG Board and CEO designate Andy Lack will continue management reforms to make sure that International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) officials will never again engage in conduct that has diminished impact of U.S. international media outreach. These past management practices have brought incredible suffering to many BBG-employed journalists. They have placed IBB, Voice of America (VOA) and OCB among worst-managed and worst places to work for in the federal government, according to numerous Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Federal Employee Viewpoint Surveys (FEVS). This latest encouraging development for OCB journalists should signal the beginning of the end of mismanagement at this government agency which is so enormously important and critical for the United States.”
For further information, please contact:
Ann Noonan, co-founder and Executive Director
Tel. 646-251-6069Ted Lipien, co-founder and Director
Tel. 415-793-1642The Committee for U.S. International Broadcasting (CUSIB – cusib.org) is an independent, nongovernmental organization which supports free flow of uncensored news from the United States to countries without free media.
