Overview:
Members of the Cinematographers Guild, Local 600, said it's hard to make a living, pay rent based on current wages
Journalists, camera operators, producers and other workers at KEYT-TV said that they are underpaid and that management has stymied their efforts to negotiate a new contract, at a press conference Friday at Santa Barbara City Hall.
The result, they say, is high turnover rates and staffing levels that fall short of what it takes to adequately cover the Central Coast.
“I know of a lot of people who do want to work in this industry but can’t because they are paid so little,” said videographer Gene Silva, one of the workers at the press conference, urging management to negotiate.
KEYT is owned by the News-Press & Gazette of California, which operates three channels in the area with network affiliations. They are Channel 3 (ABC); Channel 11 (Fox) and Channel 12 (CBS). The company is a subsidiary of the family-owned News-Press & Gazette based in St. Joseph, Missouri, and is not associated with Santa Barbara’s News-Press.
Reached for comment, KEYT General Manager Jim Lemon denied the union’s assertion that it has been dragging its feet in trying reach a new contract.
“KEYT has negotiated in good faith to reach a contract with IATSE and we fully intend to continue to negotiate in an effort to reach an agreement,” Lemon said in a statement.
KEYT employees—about 35 in total—chose to be represented by the Cinematographers Guild Local 600, in November, 2024 and set out to hammer out a contract, said Raquel Ruiz, senior business representative.
The company and union are yet to reach an agreement. She said at one point, the company offered a base pay lower than what California required as a minimum wage at the time—apparently unaware it was below California’s minimum wage, which is currently $16.90 an hour,
What’s next is unclear.
“Everything is on the table,” Ruiz said.
KEYT chief videographer Herb Tuyay, who works on special projects, noted that with three channels, the news operation is a critical source of news in the community.
And because of the role they play in transmiitting accurate information to the public, especially during disasters and emergencies, they are considered essential workers.
News producer Owen Pratt said many workers make less than $18 an hour. As a result, many are quick to leave for higher-paying jobs, leaving many newsroom slots unfilled.
“Our staff has eroded to where basic tasks are hard to do,” Pratt said.