Candidate for Council, Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News Sector
Fellow News Writers:
My name is Phil Pilato and I’m running for the WGAE Council representing Broadcast, Cable and Streaming News at the WGAE.
News members face dangers right around the corner.
There is a possibility that the man who labeled us “the enemy of the people” will be reelected to the White House.
We are not “the enemy of the people” – we are Journalists – we work long, hard hours to get stories right. We’re professionals and deserve decent pay and benefits.
We need a Council with a strong voice to speak for us.
No matter who wins in November, we need changes that help every member of the Writers Guild East – changes in labor enforcement, net neutrality, and health care.
But in Washington, there are still those who cling to failed policies and fight to hold on to their power and prevent any change.
Those are things we as a Guild must fight – so we don’t lose what we’ve already achieved and that’s what I will do as your Council member.
I care deeply for working writers and have always fought hard to get what writers deserve – not just for my benefit – but for the benefit of all writers – and that’s what I’ll do as a Council member
I’ve been a member of the WGAE for over 40 years, a shop steward for 20 years and I was on the WGAE Council for nearly 14 years. I’ve been nominated for three WGAE writing awards and received the Jablow award for service to the WGAE.
I’ve negotiated many contracts in my years as a shop steward – fighting hard to get the best deal for my fellow workers and I’ll fight just as hard on the Council to make sure all News Members are treated as equally as Entertainment and Digital writers.
Let me give you just two examples.
I have a bust of Marlon Brando as he appears in the film “The Godfather”. It’s set up on a pedestal and can be seen behind me when I do zoom meetings. Recently, I had a negotiating session where one of the managers looked at the bust and asked half-jokingly, “Is that supposed to scare us?” I don’t know if they really were scared, but we did beat back some severe givebacks in that negotiation.
Similarly, in 2007-2008, the Entertainment writers went out on strike. I had just become a Council member and walked the picket line with them. My face was photographed quite a bit walking the picket line. We were in negotiations at the time and one of the managers asked me if I was going to walk our members out in sympathy. I told him the thought had crossed my mind. Soon after, we settled our contract and I have no doubt the fear of a walkout moved management to quickly settle.
As a council member, I worked on committees to better the Guild and our News Members. As a member of the Diversity Committee, I worked on ways to make the WGAE more inclusive, encouraging more women, BIPOC, and LBGTQ+ writers to become active union members. As the co-chair of the News Committee, I worked to get programs added to the Guild that would help our members in their careers.
That’s why I’m running for the Council of the WGAE representing Broadcast, Cable and Streaming News at the WGAE.
I also have worked very well with the other sectors and have been endorsed by both news and entertainment writers.
I will fight with everything I know to get working News Writers fair pay, good benefits and help from the Union that cares for them.
Endorsements
Larry Abuliak, Monica Lee Bellais, Christina Covino, Bonnie Datt, Nicholas Davis, Vivian Ducat, Dawn Ennis, Tom Fontana, Nancy Ford, Gina Gionfriddo, Katherine Hall, Don P Hooper, Penelope Koechl, James Maloney, Thomas Offer, Jean Passanante, Mark Ramirez, Joseph Randazzo, Bill Scheft, Stephen Schiff, Theodore Schreiber, David Smilow, Nancy Williams Watt, Steve Young, Mary Bennis, Eileen Lehpamer, Kyle McMorrow, Brian Seligson, Sharon Waters
Endorse Phil Pilato for Council
Note: WGAW members who wish to endorse a candidate may follow the process outlined in section G.1.B of the 2024 Election Policy.
