Pacifica National Board Already Decided — Bequest Should Have Been Sent to Pacifica!

Posted on November 19, 2015 by Webworker1

By: UCR Candidate Sharon Adams

Our opponents have been claiming that United For Community Radio “cost KPFA $400,000“, implying that KPFA was actually entitled to a $400,000 bequest. Of course, that is the exact issue — KPFA was not entitled to the $400,000 bequest — the Pacifica Foundation was entitled to this bequest. Our opponents inappropriately decided, WITHOUT CONSULTING PACIFICA, that this bequest was intended solely for KPFA. The reason we know that KPFA was not entitled to the $400,000 bequest is because the Pacifica National Board (PNB) has determined that the bequest was actually supposed to go to Pacifica.

The PNB’s decision is supported by the evidence. First and foremost, both the bequest and the check were specifically made out to “Pacifica Foundation Radio”. There was no mention of KPFA in the bequest documents.

And, even assuming there was ambiguity in the identification of Pacifica Foundation Radio, the proper response would have been to contact the PNB to mutually discuss and decide how to deal with the bequest. It was our opponents failure to ask Pacifica that is at the heart of this matter. To the extent that our opponents felt there *was* ambiguity, they should have checked with the Pacifica National Board.

Interim Executive Director (and SaveKPFA candidate) Margy Wilkinson later apologized for this failure to disclose — after the fact and when the bequest funds were already comfortably residing in the KPFA bank account. It really would not have been that difficult to send this information to Pacifica prior to depositing the check in the KPFA bank account.

~Screen shot of kpfa.org website

As the image above shows, it is quite easy to make a bequest that is for KPFA, and the KPFA website provides clear instructions on how to do this. Of course, Pacifica must be mentioned in the bequest instructions because Pacifica is the parent organization of KPFA. Significantly, the KPFA website makes clear that the phrase “for the benefit of KPFA” or “fbo KPFA” must be added. This is not difficult to do, and is standard operating procedure for attorneys working in estate planning who are trained to make clear and unambiguous bequests.

Now that our opponents have been exposed, they start the mudslinging, with personal attacks on UCR candidate Janet Kobren who found the documents showing that the bequest was intended for the Pacifica Foundation. However, Janet Kobren was simply doing her duty as a board member and secretary of the PNB. This is in stark contrast to other KPFA members on the PNB, Brian Edwards-Tieckert and Margy Wilkinson. They have shown that they are willing to “Save” KPFA — at the expense of the entire Pacifica network.

United for Community Radio is not into assigning blame. UCR wants to ensure that the entire Pacifica network remains strong, including KPFA and its sister stations. UCR’s opponents must stop cannibalizing Pacifica to allegedly “Save” KPFA.

Vote for the entire UCR slate in the KPFA Local Station Board election.

RESCUE KPFA from Save KPFA

For another perspective on the bequest, read Frank Sterling’s article here about how We Are All One!
Frank Sterling is KPFA’s Technical Director of First Voice Media program.

Joe Hill’s Last Will, 100 Years Later

Posted on November 16, 2015 by webweaver2

by Bob English

I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
Alive as you or me …

Swedish-American labor organizer, poet and songwriter Joe Hill was executed 100 years ago on Nov 19, 1915. Born Joel Emmanuel Hagglund, Oct 7, 1879, he emigrated to the US in 1902. Working on the West Coast as a migrant laborer in 1910, he joined the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), the “Wobblies,” a radical union of immigrants (subjected to the anti-immigrant hysteria of that period), founded on the principle of One Big Industrial Union for all workers.

Traveling widely and organizing workers under the IWW, Joe Hill was wildly popular and visible as a speaker, writer of satirical poems, political and union songs (based on tunes of the times), which he performed at IWW strikes and rallies.

Would you have freedom from Wage slavery…
Would you from mis’ry and hunger be free…

Come, all ye workers, from every land,
Come, join in the grand industrial band;
Then we our share of this earth shall demand…

(Rousing Chorus)

There is pow’r, there is pow’r in a band of workingmen,
When they stand, hand in hand,
That’s a pow’r, that’s a pow’r
That must rule in every land—
One Industrial Union Grand!

“There is Power in a Union” 1913 by Joe Hill

IWW tattoo

This year Joe Hill’s life, last hours and legacy to the labor movement and folk music are honored and narrated in a performance and album of his songs, Joe Hill’s Last Will by singer/songwriter John McCutcheon. The stage play, written by Si Kahn, was first performed in Sebastopol, California 2011.

“Hill channeled his experiences into songs, the first written for the American working class. Those songs helped galvanize the union movement, specifically the IWW, whose activism triggered violent opposition from the wealthy class we now refer to as the ‘1 percent’” (from the show announcement).

As such, he was targeted by the 1% capitalists, particularly the “copper bosses” of Silver King mine, Park City Utah where he was arrested for murder in 1914, framed and convicted. The unjust trial and capital punishment sentence were challenged by a prominent clemency campaign and generated international media attention, union and public protest. In the stage narration of his last hours in jail before his execution at dawn, Hill thought few would remember his life and work.

(Written in his cell, on the eve of his execution)

My will is easy to decide,
For there is nothing to divide.
My kind don’t need to fuss and moan —
“Moss does not cling to a rolling stone.”

My body? Ah, if I could choose,
I would to ashes it reduce,
And let the merry breezes blow
My dust to where some flowers grow.

Perhaps some fading flower then
Would come to life and bloom again.
This is my last and final will.
Good luck to all of you.

“Joe Hill’s Last Will” (lyrics by Joe Hill, music by John McCutcheon)

IWW sticker, 1910s, courtesy Wikipedia

100 years later Joe Hill is one of, if not the most renowned, beloved and inspiring labor leaders of the 20^th century. In this century, he stands Presente! with farm workers and the lowest paid, marginalized, unorganized workers; rank and file members fighting for democratic unions, today’s still militant IWW and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU).

In October 1960 in Sydney, Australia, the great Paul Robeson performed a powerful rendition of “Joe Hill” to construction workers at the site of the future Sydney Opera House.

Says I, “But Joe, you’re 100 [ten] years dead,”
“I never died,” says he.

And standing there as big as life
And smiling with his eyes
Says Joe, “What they forgot to kill
Went on to organize.

Where working people [men] are out on strike
Joe Hill is at their side

From San Diego up to Maine,
In every mine and mill –
Where working people [men] defend their rights
It’s there you’ll find Joe Hill.

I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
Alive as you or me
Says I, “But Joe, you’re 100 [ten] years dead”,
“I never died,” says he.

“Joe Hill” 1930 by Alfred Hayes [updated for centenary]

Through his progressive songwriting a century ago, Joe Hill articulated and transmitted still current issues of immigrant and workers rights, economic and class inequality, feminism, religion and war. “Casey Jones–The Union Scab,” “The Preacher and the Slave,” “The Tramp,” “The Rebel Girl” and “There is Power in a Union” are folk and union standards.

Critically, Joe Hill inspired the great Woody Guthrie, a primary influence for modern singer/songwriters, including Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly), Phil Ochs, Billy Bragg, ani difranco – and Utah Phillips, who (before McCutcheon) had reintroduced Hill and his music. Their recordings, progressive commentary and connection to Joe Hill are featured in music programs on community radio KPFA 94.1 FM, especially Robbie Osman’s “Across the Great Divide,” now hosted by Kevin Vance Sunday mornings.

Further, the IWW/Joe Hill industrial union model, objectives and vision are central to understanding current issues, dynamics and effectiveness of labor organizing, after a long period of steadily declining, sporadically resurgent union membership and power. As we learn from John McCutcheon’s performance, Joe Hill and IWW regarded exclusive craft/trade unions as self-serving job trusts, often acting as “scab” unions. They would have a similar assessment of the larger, growing but often management friendly, hierarchical, bureaucratic, staff-run business unions representing service workers and public employees, notably Service Workers International (SEIU).

Currently, there are struggles throughout the labor movement (e.g. National Union of Healthcare Workers defection from SEIU/United Healthcare Workers) for more democratic, “member driven,” inclusive unions, fighting for the interests and benefits of all workers, ready to take on (not accommodate, deal or collaborate with) management, the corporate-governmental complex, political machines and power structures.

These differences and conflicts between industrial and craft or business unions, their effects in terms of representing, including or excluding workers, are analyzed in an upcoming, related article, reviewing recent history and politics of Pacifica-KPFA community radio unions, a complex, controversial and well-documented subject.

———————-

Bob English, from a working class, union family; retired civil service worker, labor democracy activist formerly with SEIU L790 and Public Employees for a Democratic Union; community radio activist formerly with listener groups Coalition for a democratic Pacifica and Peoples Radio.

———————-

Thanks to Eszter Freeman, Attila Nagy (Sonoma Peace Press), Adrienne Lauby (UCR website), Isis Feral and Stan Woods for review/suggestions, editing, images, production; my son Austin and wife Linda Hewitt for review, encouragement and support completing the work; John McCutcheon, and Dr. Barbara Hodges for inviting us to his inspiring performance of “Joe Hill’s Last Will” at the Palms Playhouse in Winters, California, June 5, 2015.

———————-

Graphics:
Joe Hill Poster
IWW Tattoo by vonlampard license
IWW sticker 191os

Save KPFA Candidate said Palestinian Children’s Art “Not Appropriate”

Posted on October 28, 2015 by Webworker1

(Since this information emerged, Hilmon Sorey was quietly dropped from the Save KPFA website and the official website says “candidacy withdrawn”)

In 2011, Oakland’s Museum of Children’s Art abruptly cancelled a planned exhibition of art created by children in the Palestinian occupied territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. At the time, Museum board chair (current Save KPFA candidate) Hilmon Sorey stated that the art was “not appropriate” for the Museum.

UCR says: “This kind of candidate is NOT APPROPRIATE for the KPFA Local Station Board.”

The following open letter was sent by Barbara Lubin, executive director of the Middle East Children’s Alliance.

From: Barbara Lubin
Date: Tue, Oct 27, 2015 at 11:22 AM
Subject: Hilmon Sorey

I received a letter today asking me to vote for the new KPFA Board of Directors and I was shocked to see Mr. Hilmon Sorey’s picture and name on it.

I don’t know if you remember when MECA brought the Children’s Art Exhibit to the U.S. from Gaza.

We spent 6 months working with the staff of The Museum of Children’s Art in Oakland.

They had agreed to let us hang the exhibit at the museum for 2 months during which time we would have many small events with children and teachers.

We were all very excited but that changed after a visit from Hilmon Sorey who was chair of the Museum’s Board.

He came to MECA’S office 2 weeks before the exhibit was to open and informed us that the Museum had changed their mind and we would have to look elsewhere for a place to hang the pictures.

The rest of this story is in the book we had published and I will get to you.

I have been thinking about all of this and all the pain that we here at MECA went through and I asked myself this question “with all the problems that KPFA has do we really need a person like Mr. Sorey on our Board?”

He is not to be trusted and when push comes to shove he will do what the Zionist community tells him to do.

We received hundreds of letters from all over the world condemning him for his lack of leadership but mostly for insulting the Palestinian children who drew these pictures.

Barbara Lubin
Middle East Children’s Alliance
Web: www.mecaforpeace.org

Maia Project: Bringing clean water to children in Palestine
www.mecaforpeace.org/project/maia-project

Press coverage of the incident:

San Francisco Chronicle

Daily Kos

Huffington Post

VOTE!!!

UNITED FOR COMMUNITY RADIO CANDIDATES

KPFA LOCAL STATION BOARD ELECTION

Secret Plot Revealed to Hijack Pacifica’s Broadcast Licenses & Assets

Posted on October 28, 2015 by webweaver2

Documents registered with the California Secretary of State for a private “foundation” called the “KPFA Foundation” seem to be part of a conspiracy by “SaveKPFA” insiders to gain total control of KPFA (under the guise of protecting KPFA) and to “capture” its license in the event of Pacifica’s dissolution. Further, it appears to be an attempt to privatize the Pacifica Foundation for the benefit of a few instead of the many. These documents were recently uncovered by Pacifica’s National Board (PNB) Secretary Janet Kobren, a United for Community Radio (UCR) candidate and whistleblower.

Here’s what was revealed:
In September 2013, PNB director, former PNB chair/interim Executive Director (iED) Margy Wilkinson registered the above named shadow corporation with the California Secretary of State at the address of Siegel & Yee, the law firm of former PNB director and current Pacifica legal counsel Dan Siegel. They kept this information hidden from the KPFA listeners, the Local Station Board (LSB) and the Pacifica National Board (PNB) until its discovery only recently.

In addition to usurping Pacifica’s trademarked “KPFA” call letters, this shadow corporation also adopted Pacifica’s Articles of Incorporation that includes its Mission Statement. When asked to explain, Siegel and Wilkinson admitted that they created this shadow corporation to acquire the licenses and assets of Pacifica (estimated to be worth more than $100 million) in case Pacifica went bankrupt and/or was taken over by creditors or the government.

The establishment of this covert “KPFA Foundation” raises the question of whether some of the decisions Wilkinson made when overseeing Pacifica’s finances during her tenure as interim ED contributed to the current disastrous financial state of the Pacifica Foundation and its stations. What might be considered gross ineptitude was so systematic that it appears to be an intentional attempt to bankrupt Pacifica and its stations, in order to gain control of KPFA from Pacifica via the “KPFA Foundation” At the very least, this constitutes a severe conflict of interest and ethical violation by Wilkinson and Siegel.

How does this relate to the KPFA Local Station Board election?

Your Vote Matters (photo credit below)

As a KPFA member, your vote will elect members to the KPFA LSB. This board not only sets policy for KPFA, it also selects four of its members to sit on Pacifica’s National Board. Right now, the Siegel-Wilkinson “Save KPFA” faction has a majority of KPFA’s seats on this board. This election can overturn the “Save KPFA” majority of seats on the board and enable the new local and national boards to block their plan to hijack Pacifica’s licenses. “Save KPFA’s” Brian Edwards-Tiekert’s recent motion to get the KPFA LSB to overstep its powers and ratify the creation of thesecret “KPFA Foundation” was stopped by UCR LSB members. But it could still be approved if the LSB majority stays the same in this election.
The United for Community Radio (UCR) candidates are committed to doing everything in their power to block “Save KPFA” from dismantling KPFA and Pacifica and walking away with KPFA’s licenses and assets.

HELP PACIFICA REMAIN INTACT ~
RESCUE KPFA ~ VOTE FOR THE UCR 9

————

“Your Vote Matters” photo by Brooke Anderson from a rally for the Right to a Roof / El Derecho al Techo in Santa Rosa, California, Summer 2015.

Bringing Peace to KPFA

Posted on October 24, 2015 by webweaver2

By Akio Tanaka 10-15-15
[KPFA LSB Member 2006-2012]

Underlying Problems
Whenever there is a conflict, there is always an escalation in rhetoric, such as the divisive and inflammatory charge a few years ago that the Pacifica National Office engaged in union busting, and the labeling of volunteers who worked on the Morning Mix as scabs. We should avoid getting caught up in rhetoric and address real problems and concerns.

The underlying problem is financial. The trauma of the layoffs in 2010 was the consequence of the station increasing the payroll by 140% between 2000 and 2009. Even with the cuts made in 2010, income has not kept up with the expenses.

Andrés Soto

One area of friction is programming. It stands to reason that a trade union looking after the financial security of its members will prefer programming which appeals to a more affluent audience. But the mission of Pacifica is to be the commons of the airwaves, to represent a broader and more diverse community, to include marginalized and under-represented voices. (Lew Hill, the founder of Pacifica, was a conscientious objector. One program exemplifying this diversity – and which saved KPFA money — was the Morning Mix, which included members of the local activist community, like Peter Phillips of Project Censored, Andres Soto of Richmond Progressive Alliance, and the well-produced “Poor News” and “Strike Debt” segments. However, in 2014 it was inexplicably replaced by a show produced in L.A. rather than being supported and improved by KPFA paid staff. (Paid staff member Davey D did support this show.)

An area of friction is the working relationship between paid and unpaid staff. Originally, both were represented by one union. In 1996, it was replaced by a union which only represented the paid staff. This created a class system resulting in an uneasy working relationship between the paid and the unpaid staff.

Possible Solutions

So what to do with these conflicting needs and interests? How does a union look after the financial security of its members in a non-profit organization that relies on donations by listeners and must live within a balanced budget?

The management and the union should work out a staffing level that is sustainable over the economic ups and downs, and avoid the temptation to add more paid staff during the economic boom times as happened in 2001-2006. Achieving a sustainable paid staffing level is a challenge, but it would help address the main source of tension. It could curtail the seemingly endless appeal for funds.

The primary task of the station should be to fulfill the mission of Pacifica.

It is important to note that KPFA has always relied on a large number of volunteers (e.g. Alan Watts), who produce the majority of programming. At KPFA there simply is not enough money to pay all those who contribute to the station. Progressive organizations like KPFA should have one all-inclusive union for everyone who works at the station. While the notion of workers’ rights resonates to all within the progressive community, it must be remembered that it is about respecting and honoring ALL workers.

Instead of taking sides, we as listeners should encourage the paid and unpaid staff to work together and help each other to produce the best in progressive radio. It is time for the staff, paid and unpaid, and for the listeners to embrace the democratic victory that was won in the legal and street battles of 1999-2001. It is time to stop dividing the station.

Listener Support:

The audited financials show that steep decline in Listener Support occurred between 2006 and 2009 before cuts were made in 2010. (Adjusted for inflation, since 2010, Listener Support is back to the 2000 level, irrespective of the morning programming line-up.)

Salary and Benefits:

The audited financials show that between 2002 and 2006, the station added way too many people (the payroll more than doubled), and between 2006 and 2010, the station, understandably, did not address the steep decline in Listener Support. By the fall of 2010, the station was in danger of insolvency, which is the only reason that the Pacifica National Office stepped in, to bring expenses in line with income. (Adjusted for inflation, even with the cuts that were made in 2010, the current Salaries and Benefits are still above the 2000 level.)

Central Services:

Central Services pay for network administrative services like FCC licenses, audit, insurance, legal, Pacifica archives, and national programming like Democracy Now! (Adjusted for inflation, since 2010, Central Services has been below the 2000 level.)

Program Council at KPFA

Posted on October 22, 2015 by webweaver2

KPFA PROGRAM COUNCIL —

What is it? Why is it important? What did it do? Where did it come from? Why should I care that it is gone?

[Written c. 2009, still relevant today!]

The Program Council (or programming committee) at KPFA has existed since the 1970’s – over 35 years. [45 in 2015.] During that time, its been composed of managers for the departments of public affairs, news, music and arts and humanities, representatives of the hundreds of unpaid programmers, often elected under the supervision of the Unpaid Staff Organization (UPSO) and at various times, technical and operations staff, managers from the apprenticeship program, local board members and listener representatives.

At times it has been facilitated by a program director or coordinator, and sometimes by someone else in the group chosen by the members. The author of this piece served in that role from 2004 to 2007 as a listener representative.

Birthed in the mobilizations of the 60’s and 70’s that demanded a meaningful place at the table for the perspectives of marginalized groups (and created at KPFA a Women’s Desk, a Third World Center, and the Unpaid Staff Organization itself), the program council had the philosophy that collaborative decision making about programming was healthy and desirable for a voice of dissent and resistance. Protected by a confidentiality agreement that allowed staff, volunteers and later listener reps to talk candidly about their programming visions and critiques, the program council always played an important role in airing and discussing contentious issues. During the many years the station lacked a program director (including the years 2000 to 2006), the program council took on much of the responsibility for non-emergency decision-making.

Some of the things accomplished in that period of time:

Added locally-generated programs to the grid: Guns and Butter, Voices of the Middle East and North Africa, Youth Radio, Education Today, Pushing Limits, Women’s Magazine, Rock en Rebellion, Bay Native Circle, Full Circle.

(In the same interval of time – the only programs added to the schedule by management policy were Against The Grain, Sundays with Peter Laufer (since canceled) and imported programs from New York (Behind The News) and LA (Uprising).

Evaluated 2/3 of the current programs with a thorough 5 page evaluation form and programmer briefing
Developed a program proposal process for new additions to the grid from community members, processed over 40 demos, interviewed the programmers and developed a waiting list of approved programs.
Attempted to implement a contract basis for programming where individual programs would sign an agreement for a program slot for a contained period of time (until the next evaluation – projected for 2 years apart).

(Current system is indefinite until programmer voluntarily relinquishes a slot or is taken abruptly off the air; examples: Youth Radio, Peter Laufer)

The program council couldn’t always solve every contentious issue. In 2003, it was temporarily dissolved when its decision to move Democracy Now! from its current airing time of 6 am and 9 am to one daily 7 am airing failed to be implemented by station management.

When the program council was re-assembled, the Local Station Board passed a motion affirming the decision making power given to it. It also made a highly controversial decision to place a one year moratorium on new proposals from a group called the Labor Collective.

In 2006, after a long interval without a full-time Program Director, KPFA finally assigned an interim person to the position. Unfortunately, the results were:

Suspension of meetings from April 2007 to October 2007
Unilateral reduction of meetings from weekly to bi-weekly
A statement that the program council was advisory only,
Removal of program proposals for long and short-term programs from the review of the council
Jettisoning of the approved program waiting list that had been created after the program council slogged through a backload of 20+ proposals between 2004 and 2005
Replacement of the established evaluation process with a one-page Survey Monkey online survey.

This is not what the unpaid staff organized, fought and went on strike for in 1970’s

This is not what the listeners envisioned when so many of them marched to protect KPFA in 1999.

KPFA is not to be encompassed by any one single person’s vision. The delivery of the mission depends on many perspectives being brought to bear and on sharing experiences, building understanding and resolving differences. If we cannot do that within our own community and build collaborative working groups, how can we hope to do so out in the world?

All the stakeholders sitting down and hashing out the best way to put the 59,000 watts into service for peace and justice. That’s the mission.

by Tracy Rosenberg, Media Alliance

2015 Postscript – To date the Program Council has not been reinstated because the SaveKPFA majority on the Local Station Board rejected a democratically-constituted Program Council, as existed before. They preferred one dominated by department heads, which would hardly function as a democratic Council, dedicated to community programming.

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