$100,000 for 100,000 Watts of Community Power! WRFG 89.3 FM is not your ordinary radio station. We are independent, non-commercial, working-class radio for the 99%. Based in Atlanta, Georgia (but streaming worldwide at www.wrfg.org and available on the WRFG and TuneIn apps for smartphones), our mission is to provide a platform for people and ideas that lack free and open access to the broadcast media, including those who suffer oppression and exploitation based on class, sex, race, age, creed, sexual orientation or immigrant status. WRFG has always relied for funding on our dedicated listeners, either through our on-air pledge drives or the various events we host each year. But, like so many of the workers and families who depend on us for news and information relevant to their lives, we, too, have been hit hard by today’s economy. We need your help. For 42 years, WRFG 89.3 FM has been untouched by the hand of commercial greed, leaving us free to broadcast progressive news, information and handpicked quality music. Unlike most non-commercial radio stations, we are not owned by a college, church, or library. Instead, we are a non-profit governed by a diverse volunteer board of directors who reflect the communities we serve. There are only two paid staffers, and all of our programs are produced and hosted by volunteers. For more than 30 years, WRFG was fortunate to have free space on a broadcast tower for our antenna. That changed in 2009 when we were required to move by the Federal Communications Commission and had to begin paying for a tower location. Our annual expenses immediately increased by $70,000, and the rent has been going up every year since. That’s why we’re coming to you. It’s been a struggle to keep up with this additional expense, and, as a result, we’ve accumulated some debt. We want to raise $100,000 to retire our debt and get ahead on the rent. This will help to stabilize the station’s operations so that we can focus on what’s really important: enhancing our on-air programming to better serve the needs of the community. Today’s political environment favors large, conglomerate media owners over small, independent radio stations. WRFG 89.3 FM is one of the last unbought/unbossed stations in the country. For that reason, our survival and growth are more important now than ever – and not just for Atlanta. Free, independent radio is the lifeline for everyday people everywhere. Please, help keep independent media alive. Donate to WRFG 89.3 FM today! Click here to make a donation and thank you!      http://www.gofundme.com/WRFGRADIO

The Labor Forum asks you to take a few minutes to fill out our listener survey on https://wrfglaborforum.org/wrfg-labor-forum-survey.
We will use this information to better tailor our programs to meet your interests and needs.

This is the new WRFG Labor Forum Worker Power t-shirt. They will be available at WRFG events.

With the union’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with the U.S. Postal Service set to expire in less than two weeks, APWU negotiators and members are turning up the heat. Postal workers are demanding Good Postal Service! Good Jobs! Good Contract! As negotiations draw to a close, postal workers need a strong demonstration of support.

On May 14, just six days before the current contract expires, postal workers across the country will hold events organized around the theme, “I Stand with Postal Workers.” Join us by spreading the word and using #0514Action to show your support.

Times and locations are listed here: http://www.apwu.org/may-14-national-day-action. This page will be updated frequently, so please check back often!

Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/events/1615788721991687/

Ken Riley, President of International Longshoreman’s Association Local 1422 calls in from Charleston, SC to discuss the role of the union in the community response to the police killing of Walter Scott. The video of Scott being shot in the back went viral and murder charges have been lodged against policeman, Michael Slager. Riley and Local 1422 have a long history in the struggle against racism and state repression which he will share.

Actors Equity members, Marguerite Hannah and William S. Murphy explain why cultural workers need a union and what the benefits are to individuals, their craft, theaters and audiences. Both are associated with Horizon Theatre, located in the Little 5 Points Center for Community and Art., the same building as WRFG.

Watch and share our latest videos on our Youtube channel.

On Monday, May 4, The Labor Forum on WRFG 89.3FM, 4-5pm will speak with Andre Powell, AFSCME Executive Board member and delegate to the Baltimore Labor Council about the mass protests over the killing of Freddie Grey by Baltimore police and the connection to the extreme poverty and unemployment  in the city. Powell, a gay trade unionist, has been an active participant in the struggle against police terror.

At 4:30, the Labor Forum team will interview Ayanna Dunlap-Bell, a second generation ATU member who is leading the formation of a Young Workers Council in conjunction with the Atlanta-N. Georgia Labor Council. With the prevalence of low-wage jobs, the loss of pensions and other benefits, the question to be discussed is ‘What is the future of work for the Millennial generation?” The emergence of the Fight for $15 and a Union has sparked a national movement for economic and social justice. How is the organized trade union movement responding?

For additional information about WRFG Labor Forum, please visit our website at http://www.wrfglaborforum.org