New Day Pacifica January 20
Channel: Free Press Network
Date: 2022-01-21

We The Pacifica Majority seek Democracy and the Survival of our Network
by The New Pacifica Majority
We are EXTREMELY CONCERNED about the attacks and actions promulgated by Pacifica’s current leadership and attorneys, and we think you will be, too, once you know more about them.
We write as part of the majority of the Pacifica Foundation members who voted 6640 to 5216 (55% to 45%) to install new leadership and a workable set of new by-laws, but are being prevented from implementing those much needed changes by legal actions taken by current Pacifica leadership, based on their very dubious interpretations of applicable California law.

UPDATE: Watch a free Zoom presentation on this, Thursday, January 20, and following Thursdays at 12:30 pm PT / 2:30 pm CT / 3:30 pm ET.  The Pacifica Majority presentation will discuss the need for transparent democracy and popular support at America’s most critical progressive radio network.  Amidst a devastating fiscal crisis, we seek answers for a truly responsive governance.  Moderated by Harvey Wasserman. Talks by jan Goodman, Myla Reson, Bill Crosier, and more. 
Since the close of voting on the New Day Pacifica bylaws, the current entrenched management has continued to show that it cannot competently manage the network, and that it is willing to cynically mis-use Pacifica’s resources to pursue its legal actions against Pacifica members who want reform. They clearly have no plans to reverse our dwindling listenership, membership, and finances, and are unable or unwilling to save our stations’ buildings from being foreclosed on and sold off to pay the $3+ million mortgage whose due date rapidly approaches.

This network was established 75 years ago by pacifists who forged it into a progressive force built on competent management and fierce beliefs in democracy and fairness. The dysfunctional governing structure and current leadership have not only failed to live up to these standards and ideals, but have put the very survival of our stations at risk.

Please click here to add your name as a co-signer of this letter.
Please click here to donate to support the legal effort to have the New Day Referendum enacted.
To remedy this dire situation, we the Pacifica Majority urge the following in the strongest way possible – Click on any of these for more details:

1. RESPECT THE MAJORITY VOTE of the PACIFICA MEMBERSHIP
2. IMMEDIATELY DISCLOSE THE TRUE VOTE COUNT IN THE KPFK BOARD ELECTION and INSTALL THE TRUE WINNERS
3. INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE VOTING IRREGULARITIES, FRAUD and/or MANIPULATION AT WBAI
4. STOP PACIFICA MANAGEMENT’S MISTREATMENT OF ITS WORK FORCE
5. FIRE THE PACIFICA LEGAL TEAM
6. INSTALL COMPETENT MANAGEMENT & LET THEM MANAGE
1. RESPECT THE MAJORITY VOTE of the PACIFICA MEMBERSHIP
In the New Day referendum election the majority voted (6640 to 5216 – 55% to 45%) to change the leadership and bylaws to a more workable, democratic form of governance. Pacifica management and its legal team have refused to abide by the majority vote –recognized by both California Law and Pacifica’s own bylaws as defining who won the election, except in very special cases, which New Day strongly asserts are not applicable here. Pacifica’s refusal to respect the majority must end now.

Pacifica’s attorneys claim that the NDP Bylaws would somehow infringe on the rights of staff members as compared to listener members and so the staff must separately approve the new Bylaws. The NDP Bylaws would reduce the numbers of both staff and listener members on the Pacifica National Board (PNB). However, listener representatives’ numbers would actually be reduced slightly more than staff representatives, so it’s false to claim that staff members’ rights are negatively affected compared to those of listeners. More significant, for the first time, the NDP Bylaws would give both paid and volunteer/unpaid staff something new and very important – the democratic right to elect Directors of their own choosing to the PNB. This is a right they do not have now and would clearly be a very significant enhancement with the NDP Bylaws.

We the majority further believe and urge that all legal actions currently being pursued by current Pacifica management against New Day be halted and that the new bylaws be implemented and the new officers be recognized.

For more details on how the legal team has undermined the results of the NDP Bylaws election, see this analysis of how they are claiming a dubious victory....