By Kelly Morgan,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – A group of protesters marched for two hours outside the WGME 13 offices on Main Street on Saturday, accusing the television news station’s owners of poor labor practices.

“What we’re really trying to do is educate the public and WGME advertisers about the fact that Sinclair Broadcasting Group – this large, out-of-state corporation – is trying to bust the union and is not offering fair contracts in Maine,” said Shop Steward Matt Beck of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1837.

Beck spoke with the Sun Journal after the protest. He said about 35 people showed during the morning, including members of the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Local 1837 and 567, the Maine People’s Alliance, AFL-CIO President Ed Gorham, and the president of the Southern Maine Labor Council, Peter Kellman.

He accused Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., based in Baltimore, Md., of offering workers contracts that would effectively destroy the unions, and of leaving workers without pay increases for the last two years despite increasing health insurance costs.

According to the Sinclair group Web site, the corporation “owns and operates, programs or provides sales services to 59 television stations in 36 markets,” reaching approximately 22 percent of U.S. television households.

An automated voice-mail system at the corporate headquarters would not accept calls Saturday night.

Maura Sargent, a news assignment editor with WGME in Portland, said she believed the station “would have no comment.”

“Sinclair Unfair,” and “WGME Unfair.com” were among signs protesters carried as they walked in the cold outside the Lewiston offices Saturday.

“There’s no strike planned at this time,” Beck said. “Of course, that’s always an option.”

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