[P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none"][SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"]the union boycott announcement stated that the AFL-CIO is “assisting the workers in their campaign to fight the anti-union tactics of CEO Robert Johnson.†[BR][BR][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none"][SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"]The National Labor Relations Board has censured Johnson for his actions in the â€negotiations†with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]Meanwhile he fired 14 employees who wanted to join the Writers Guild.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]Eventually he was found guilty of unfair labor practices and had to â€make whole†those fired.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]They chose not to return to BET and of course, there is no union for the writers at that company. [?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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[P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none"][SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"][o
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[P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none"][SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"]You don’t have to be in a labor union to know that Johnson only follows the rules when it suits him unless compelled to act otherwise.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]A founding partner of BET had to sue him to get her share of the profits when she decided to leave the company.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]Eventually he settled for $1.8 million.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]â€No big deal, it happens all the time,†you might say until you find out that this particular [SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"]partner is Johnson’s sister. [BR][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; mso-pagination: none; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align=center][FONT size=2][/FONT][/P][SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"][o
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[P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none"][SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"]BET is a diversified entertainment company whose core business is centered at their Washington, DC-based national cable television programming service, Black Entertainment Television, which employs 436.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]Spin-offs include Action Pay-Per-View, BET On Jazz: The Cable Jazz Network, BET Movies/Starz3, an ethnic shoppers’ channel and apparel line, a restaurant called BET Soundstage, and the BET and Emerge magazines. [o
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[P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none"][SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"]Staff technicians and other BET workers are paid lower wages than those in comparable positions in the Washington area, work irregular and sporadic work schedules and suffer under the threat of unlimited job suspensions.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]In the summer of 1993, they voted in IBEW Local 1200, and did so again about a year later, but
the company has refused to negotiate a first contract.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]Contact Local 1200. [o
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[P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none"][SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"]Although no alternate African-American-oriented cable service exists, cable viewers can request other pay-per-view cable and/or satellite services in the case of Action & Starz3, depending on what is available in their local areas.[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]Alternate magazine:[SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"] [/SPAN]Black Enterprise Magazine. [BR][o
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][/SPAN][BR]To this day BET remains on the boycott list because of Johnson's refusal to bargain with the union represented employees.[BR]
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