break-up Pacifica

Video of KPFA peeps supporting WBAI: Pacifica solidarians reject the breakers’ move

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Today, a small group declared their support for WBAI, standing outside the Pacifica building housing KPFA, in Berkeley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyRrgN7JP08 (35:58)

This video was made by the Labor Video Project. They also published another one today, on Monday’s home invasion station invasion. Steve Zeltzer spoke with Chair Carolyn McIntyre & Vice-Chair Michael White of the WBAI Local Station Board, & station manager Berthold Reimers. (Carolyn was misdescribed in early court documents as a “McGuire”.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyamU2dvvtU (11:56)

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It’s important to note that the action by IED Vernile violates the union agreement, according to Becky Hayes from Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television & Radio Artists, SAG-AFTRA:

From: Becky Hayes

Sent: Monday, October 7, 2019 5:52 PM

SAG-AFTRA demands to bargain over the effects of WBAI and Pacifica’s decisions to cease assigning work to SAG-AFTRA members employed at WBAI, effectively laying them off as of today’s date. We request to meet at the earliest availability.

In addition, in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, SAG-AFTRA demands immediate payment of the following for all covered bargaining unit members:

• Four (4) weeks’ notice pay under Article XVI(A)(4)

• Severance of one day of pay per month of service (up to a max of 125 days) under Article XVI(A)(5)

• Payout all accrued and unused time, including, but not limited to, vacation, comp time, etc.

• Payment of any and all other monies owing to each SAG-AFTRA member in connection with his or her employment.

We would also like to highlight other applicable sections of the contract including Article XVI(A)(7) which provide that the Company “shall recall all employees on layoff within the previous eighteen months” “before hiring new employees” to perform the work covered by the collective bargaining agreement.

The demands above are on behalf of any and all covered employees, including, but not limited to, Michael Haskins, Reggie Johnson, Max Schmidt, Shawn Rhodes, Leonard Lopate, Jesse Lent, Ilana Levinson, Juliana Forlano, Graceon Challenger, Barry Brooks, Andrea Katz, and Ian Foster.

Additionally, we believe the Company has already violated Article XVI(A)(1) by failing to inform the Union at least four weeks in advance before the layoff took place, thereby depriving us of the opportunity to “economic alternatives to the proposed layoffs,” of any nature.

Finally, please see the attached information request [not included], made in connection with the above demands.

Best,

Becky Hayes

Broadcast Manager and Labor Counsel

After invasion, “found the station office in shambles” – sworn testimony

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Evidence of the breaker authoritarians on the march – for some, the right sort of authoritarians, obviously, the well-meaning ones, the righteous ones.

The court depository for this case, so continually updated (12 deposits Monday, six yesterday) – just do the NY State Supreme Court’s ‘captcha’ to reach it: http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/iscroll/SQLData.jsp?IndexNo=159745-2019

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Respondent has refused to take any action to allow WBAI back on the air [page 2, my emphases]

Both this & the title quote, made “under penalty of perjury”, come from Arthur Schwartz. In this Pacifica case, he’s counsel & co-petitioner (the right sort of petition), & this was in his declaration to the NY State Supreme Court, Tu8Oct, p. 2, filed 6.28pm ET: https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentDisplayServlet?documentId=MismQ7u0AA82W5_PLUS_vdNPK7w==&system=prod

Schwartz also swore that,

Pacifica Foundation […] dismantled all of its [WBAI’s] computers and broadcasting equipment, removed the Emergency Alert System from its office (a device required to be operating if a station is going to broadcast), eliminated the WBAI General Manager’s ability to access the WBAI bank accounts, and disconnected the WBAI credit card processing account [pp. 1-2, my emphases]

The staff of WBAI re-entered the WBAI studios at 388 Atlantic Avenue, in Brooklyn, New York, shortly thereafter [10pm ET, Monday, with judge’s permission] and found the station office in shambles [p. 2, my emphases]

During the course of October 8, 2019, Respondent has refused to cooperate in restoring WBAI’s ability to broadcast. Instead, the station’s FM station (99.5 FM) and its website (wbai.org) are broadcasting a feed from something called ‘Pacifica Across America.’ [p. 2, my emphases]

Schwartz then spoke emphatically, & unequivocally:

By acting in this manner, Respondent is acting in contempt of Judge Nervo’s TRO. Respondent has refused to take any action to allow WBAI back on the air [p. 2, my emphases; Temporary Restraining Order]

That bears repeating, don’t you think?

Respondent has refused to take any action to allow WBAI back on the air

Schwartz drew the obvious conclusion:

Respondent, because of its behavior, should be held in contempt [p. 2]

Schwartz also, & remember this is late Tuesday afternoon, asked “the Court to direct:

a. Durst Broadcasting, LLC, which I represent hosts the WBAI broadcast antenna at 4Times Square, to restore control of the broadcast antenna to the WBAI Local Station Board of Directors and its Station Manager Berthold Reimers;

b. Hostgater.com, LLC, which I represent hosts WBAI.org, to restore control of the WBAI.org domain to the WBAI Local Station Board of Directors and its Station Manager Berthold Reimers;

c. JP Morgan Chase Bank, which I represent is the bank which receives contributions from WBAI listeners,to restore control of the following bank accounts tothe WBAI Local Station Board of Directors and its Station Manager Berthold Reimers: Account No. 117875510[,] Account No. 359801138[,] Account No. ending in 3449[,] Account No. ending in 4991; and

d. Google, Inc., which I represent hosts WBAI’s email account,to restore control of WBAI’s Gmail account ending in @wbai.org to the WBAI Local Station Board of Directors and its Station Manager Berthold Reimers [pp. 2-3]

Oh, dear, sworn testimony, made “under penalty of perjury”. Sworn testimony declaring that Pacifica’s IED is throwing IED’s, not just at the court but at the Pacifica members, Pacifica staff, & Pacifica listeners. IED Vernile is behaving as IEW Vernile, Interim Executive Wrecker.

Plus all the charitable funds – the members’ subs & the listeners’ donations – paying for all this mayhem & repeated court appearances.

Question is, in the spirit of accountability, transparency, & decency, who were the bright sparks within the Pacifica National Board who thought this wrecker was the right guy to have until 31Jan2020, when his six-month contract expires?

Who’s going to stand up & take responsibility for letting this IED into ‘the Pacifica fam’?

~💗~ Che Memorial Day ~💗~

Tracy Rosenberg: IED Vernile had turned up with “Foundation board members”

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Former Pacifica Treasurer, Tracy Rosenberg, had her take today on what’s happened, & happening, ‘Supreme Court of New York Stops Pacifica’s Attack on WBAI’. She claims that IED ‘Venal’ Vernile turned up at WBAI with (unnamed) Pacifica directors:

In the morning, a crew of Pacifica Foundation board members led by brand new IED John Vernile, locked out the staff at WBAI-FM in New York and then fired them all, told the landlord to rent the space to someone else, and started piping in content from the West Coast over mid-Manhattan [my emphases]

https://mega.nz/#!67QkWSqL!yAPb4N8dPJjKQPs2t5u_eP5dTCqnSh2qbPbeV35Dgh0 (this, unfortunately, lacks live links; got a proper one?)

Accountability requires that these Pacifica directors are named. Perhaps it will take the court proceedings of F18Oct – unless they’re such proud breakers they’ll come clean. It’s been reported that one of them was Bill Crosier, having flown in on Sunday. He’s a former IED & current PNB Secretary, besides being a KPFT listener delegate in Houston.

No expense spared – just keep those charitable contributions rolling in, folks, doesn’t matter whether they’re membership subs or listener donations. The main thing is just keep funding the planned chaos so break-up happens almost organically, in the greenest way possible.

Tracy also notes that WBAI are currently in fund-drive! They’re bigger wreckers than I thought!

The lockout interrupted a fund drive in process that would normally book around $300,000 [my emphases]

Ms Rosenberg has had a blog, https://pacificainexile.org/, since July2015. Regrettably, there have been few posts since Feb2018, when Pacifica was getting ready to borrow $3.7m from the Foundation for the Jewish Community, FJC. I made a few comments there, & tried early last year to get on her mailing list, & I’m still waiting. I tried again the other week, so yes, I live in hope.

It seems that at the mo there’s a lag between a newsletter article & it being posted at Pacifica in Exile. Given circumstances, it makes sense to post the latest one here, today. Hopefully, Tracy will soon put me on her list.

Success! Judge grants restraining order until F18Oct against Dictator Vernile & Breakers Co., M7Oct2019. 3 of 3

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[Please use this convenient folder to read all available docs on the attempted coup by Vernile & the other breakers against Pacifica, with WBAI as the current main target: https://mega.nz/#F!OuwyiKxY!wFtGGKGkG2R9x3A65uX4Gg]

Second of the two-page judgment by Judge Nervo, granting a restraining order against Pacifica Foundation, Inc. (unfortunately, there had to be separate posts as the software only allows one large image):

https://mega.nz/#!K6Qx2CAB!KAr_9KxEIDSw73clbaTaOEFLcQhCpsz1tCPH7vSuju4

See what happens when pseudo-progressives try to streamroller their way through? Remember, Dictator Vernile & Breakers Co. have never presented an evidenced argument to smash WBAI by reducing it to a relay transmitter. No doubt Interim Chief Financial Officer Tamra Swiderski will compile some figures into a dossier to give to the judge. These concocted figures must be challenged by a certified public accountant, not least because ICFO Swiderski recently told the PNB Finance Cttee that Pacifica lacks current statements, both management & financial, for any station & therefore for the Foundation as a whole. Pacifica must also be requested to provide all the data, so including supporting evidence, used in compiling these figures. The contrived nature of the figures must be exposed.

It’s no less than unfortunate that it takes a capitalist court to begin a process of enforcing the transparency, & accountability, that the pseudo-progressives dominating Pacifica have proved so inept in achieving.

They have perpetuated an obdurate & deep secrecy culture that has disabled Pacifica & helped bring it to this point. This must change.

Success! Judge grants restraining order until F18Oct against Dictator Vernile & Breakers Co., M7Oct2019. 2 of 3

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[Please use this convenient folder to read all available docs on the attempted coup by Vernile & the other breakers against Pacifica, with WBAI as the current main target: https://mega.nz/#F!OuwyiKxY!wFtGGKGkG2R9x3A65uX4Gg]

First of the two-page judgment by Judge Nervo, granting a restraining order against Pacifica Foundation, Inc. (unfortunately, there had to be separate posts as the software only allows one large image):

https://mega.nz/#!PuJ32AqJ!vPwJkbZzbdbeQrJicBwGrBbLF3Der6Db-F-pjuAk-GY

See what happens when pseudo-progressives try to streamroller their way through? Remember, Dictator Vernile & Breakers Co. have never presented an evidenced argument to smash WBAI by reducing it to a relay transmitter. No doubt Interim Chief Financial Officer Tamra Swiderski will compile some figures into a dossier to give to the judge. These concocted figures must be challenged by a certified public accountant, not least because ICFO Swiderski recently told the PNB Finance Cttee that Pacifica lacks current statements, both management & financial, for any station & therefore for the Foundation as a whole. Pacifica must also be requested to provide all the data, so including supporting evidence, used in compiling these figures. The contrived nature of the figures must be exposed.

It’s no less than unfortunate that it takes a capitalist court to begin a process of enforcing the transparency, & accountability, that the pseudo-progressives dominating Pacifica have proved so inept in achieving.

They have perpetuated an obdurate & deep secrecy culture that has disabled Pacifica & helped bring it to this point. This must change.

Success! Judge grants restraining order until F18Oct against Dictator Vernile & Breakers Co., M7Oct2019. 1 of 3

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[Please use this folder to read all available docs on the attempted coup by Vernile & the other breakers against Pacifica, with WBAI as the current main target: https://mega.nz/#F!OuwyiKxY!wFtGGKGkG2R9x3A65uX4Gg]

General Manager Berthold Reimers email to staff, with copy of the restraining order attached, 10.38pm, M7Oct2019 (unfortunately, there had to be separate posts here as the software only allows one large image; copy of the restraining order appears as the next two posts): https://mega.nz/#!XyBFCIKD!TIwlGLtGdJA9BJVRIWWhn3gLy5UaMNNWAsCRrb72K6A

Vernile and breakers propagandise pseudo-plan in “peaceful, informed dialogue”. M7Oct2019 letter

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Dictator Vernile & Breakers Co. excel themselves with hypocritical pseudo-plan

https://mega.nz/#!z7InSKYK!BVqLEaFnU8-fFHqTLD7g-duBDHR7jaLLlJewdfKf8vM

Last weekend I showed that Vernile & McCoy go back in the day, the late ’90s in San Francisco, at Gavin Report, the music radio trade weekly. https://pacificaradiowatch.home.blog/2019/10/06/john-vernile-prince-harry-and-charlotte-church-qm-and-quincy-mccoy-qm/

Two peas in a pod.

Pacifica listeners, unbeknownst to them, have been funding for weeks a coup, paying the wages of authoritarians, paying for security guards, paying for a secret plan, an action that is the very antithesis of what Pacifica stands for.

Bulldozering through the break up of Pacifica . . . “peaceful, informed dialogue” . . . the hypocrisy of dictators.

The rational response to this nonsense by the 11 anti-breaker directors on the Pacifica National Board:

• today, the 11 anti-breaker directors on the Pacifica National Board must issue an open letter condemning the unauthorised move by Vernile & his associates, such as the station manager of KPFA in the Bay Area, Quincy McCoy; &

• declare that all those involved will be fired for acting beyond their powers, not least in using members’ subscriptions & listeners’ donations to defy all that Pacifica stands for.

The rational response to this nonsense by the anti-breaker delegates on the three Local Station Boards that have their monthly meeting tomorrow, WBAI in New York, WPFW in DC, KPFT in Houston:

• the anti-breaker delegates must move a motion in support of the letter of the anti-breaker directors;

• demand the firing of Dictator Vernile; &

• reverse his authoritarian action.

WBAI staff all laid off: meeting called this Saturday, 1pm ET

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“Emergency Session: The entire staff of WBAI has just been laid off. This an emergency meeting to discuss this situation” (my emphases), posted 5.06pm ET at the Pacifica Calendar & Meeting Achive.

https://kpftx.org/pacalendar/cal_show1.php?eventdate=20191012

As noted in the ‘Coup at WBAI!’ post, the WBAI Local Station Board meets this Wednesday, 7.30pm ET.

https://kpftx.org/pacalendar/cal_show1.php?eventdate=20191009