(CLEVELAND, OHIO)- Sports Broadcast Technicians responsible for the live televised coverage of the National Basketball Association’s Cleveland Cavaliers and Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians airing on Bally Sports Ohio & Great Lakes have voted in favor of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) representation.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) made the results official by announcing a 73-to-31 final vote for Union representation with their employer - Program Productions Incorporated.

IATSE had filed for recognition with the NLRB in mid-May and the NLRB subsequently issued a mail-in ballot recognition vote that actually resulted in a high voter turnout election of 77%.

The Cleveland area Sports Broadcast Technicians demonstrated solidarity that will bolster them as they bargain their first Union contract to provide access to quality/affordable health care and retirement benefits, among other industry standards and conditions, IATSE Officials said.

Brett Koren, a Handheld Camera Operator, said: “The Cleveland market has some of the best Sports Broadcast Technicians in the country, who, for far too long, have been working without affordable health care and retirement benefits.  This decisive election victory is an important first step toward achieving a collectively bargained contract with our employer, not only for our veteran Technicians, but for our many excellent up-and-coming Crew Members whose careers have just begun.”

Technical Director Griffin Jacob added: “This is an extremely special opportunity.  Our industry is changing, regional programming is changing, and we are uniting our workforce to share our common vision for the future.  I can’t wait to get started and I look forward to giving each Technician a voice in the workplace, emphasizing the needs of each department in contract negotiations while maintaining a strong relationship with our employer for years to come.”

IATSE represents more than 168,000 Technicians, Artisans and Craftspersons in the Entertainment Industry, including live events, motion picture and television production, broadcast and trade shows in the United States and across Canada.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story, Go To: Sports Broadcast Crews in Cleveland Vote Yes for Union Representation - IATSE