The Trump Administration’s attack on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS, and NPR is part of a broader effort to dismantle public institutions that serve the common good. Without this support, many stations will be forced to cut staff, reduce local programming, and, in some cases, shut down entirely. The loss of these jobs will have ripple effects in the communities they serve, weakening access to educational content, cultural programming, and fact-based journalism.
Austin PBS is facing a roughly 10% ($2.8 million) budget cut due to the loss of CPB funding. NABET-CWA 6186 union members working at Austin PBS are negotiating a new contract now. Unlike some communities facing the prospect of public media going dark, Austin PBS is not going away. There is broad community support and a national audience for the station because of the incredible programs produced and recorded here locally. The NABET-CWA 6186 members working behind the scenes to produce these programs have helped make Austin PBS what it is today.
| Austin PBS Funding Facts: | |
| Annual Salary, Production Assistant: | $55,161 |
| Annual Salary, Austin PBS CEO (2024): | $543,030 |
| Top 3 Executive Pay Growth, 2022-2024: | 56% |
| Production Worker Pay Growth, 2022-2024: | 8% |
| Austin PBS Revenue Growth, 2022-2024: | 19% |
Become a Union Member:
Do you work in production or engineering for KLRU? Become a union member with the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians, a sector of the Communications Workers of America (NABET-CWA.)
All employees (full-time, part-time, and freelance) should complete this PDF form and email us a digital copy at info@cwa-tseu.org to become a union member.
Part-time or freelance employees (including ACL) must submit an additional online form here.
Documents:
Collective Bargaining Agreement (Effective October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2027)
NABET-CWA’s Resolution on Restoring Federal Funding (August 2025)
