I’m asking my fellow workers at WBAI to re-elect me to the Local Station Board. During the past three years, I’ve done my utmost to make sure that the LSB respects staff contracts. Along with the rest of the board majority, I’ve worked to minimize cuts in paid staff advocated by some board members, which would only weaken the station. I’ve also worked with the Unpaid Staff Organizing Committee (USOC) to prevent the Pacifica National Board from curtailing staff voting rights, and personally lobbied fellow board members to keep the long-standing arrangement of a staff majority on management search committees.

My name is R. Paul Martin, I’m running for reelection as a Staff delegate to the WBAI Local Station Board (LSB) and I’m asking you to vote for me.

Yes! I’m running for the Local Station Board (LSB) as a staff representative. Yes! I do believe that, when elected, I will, indeed and in deed, do my best to represent the interests of all staff (paid and unpaid).

Each day my street, our city, this country, and our world grow smaller. Although I love open spaces, this knowledge does not make me claustrophobic; instead, it fills me with tenderness and with wonder. We are responsible for each other.

I have been producing at WBAI since 1978, and have held a variety of paid and unpaid positions at the station over the years, including elected Arts Dept. rep to the Program Council for several years, Staff rep to the LAB, shop for several terms as steward in the United Electrical Union. I have worked in the Operations Department as paid staff since 1989, and was appointed acting Department Head of Operations for 18 months in 2002-2003.

As a producer at WBAI for the past two decades I have deep concerns about the future of WBAI. I fear for the future of this beloved and embattled institution. It is my belief that WBAI is on a crash course towards extinction and it is for this reason that I am throwing my hat into the ring or perhaps the lion’s den, of this election to be a member of the LSB.