Published: March 13, 2009

According to officals from SEIU Local 32BJ, which represents municipal building security guards in Philadelphia, KYW 1060 has refused to air an ad of theirs in which the union criticizes Mayor Michael Nutter for cutting the amount of money shelters receive to pay for their guard contracts.

We wrote about the cuts to the shelter system the week before last. It's not yet clear how much the guards would stand to lose in salary, but the amount is probably significant — as much as 30 to 50 percent, which could lower their wages to less than $10 an hour.

SEIU officials accuse the city of skirting around its prevailing wage ordinance, which says that all city contractors should earn a "prevailing wage."

Here's the ad

It's not clear why KYW won't run the ad. Two calls to station manager/owner Marc Rayfield have not been returned.
Says Wayne MacManiman, 32BJ SEIU Mid-Atlantic Area Director: “KYW’s refusal to run an ad about the situation at city homeless shelters neglects its responsibility to bring people the news and serve as an outlet for all points of view. To deny any company, organization or individual the right to express their view, particularly in a paid ad that is free of any profanity or character attack, is unbecoming of radio station that claims to be the city’s top news station.”