MSNBC Hosts Haven’t Responded to 10,000 Petitions From NBC Writers-Producers

By Jordan Chariton 

Petitions To MSNBCMSNBC primetime hosts haven’t responded to over 10,000 petitions dropped off yesterday by employees from NBCUniversal-owned Peacock Productions seeking better workplace rights.

Upon arriving at MSNBC, these workers requested Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes, Ed Schultz, Al Sharpton, and Lawrence O’Donnell to come down and personally receive the letters. None of the anchors did so.

“Yesterday, Writers Guild of America, East delivered 10,000+ petitions to NBCU Labor Relations with assurance that they’d be passed onto MSNBC hosts,” Writers Guild of America East Communications Director Jason Gordon tells TVNewser, adding that Peacock supporters also sent emails to the hosts asking for support.

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“The company can’t have it both ways – presenting the strong, progressive voices of the MSNBC hosts while at the same time depriving the Peacock employees of their own voices on the job,” he added.

Back in December of last year, a report surfaced that Chris Hayes had met with disgruntled employees of Peacock Productions who had failed in attempts to unionize.  The Writers Guild claims votes from a June, 2013 secret ballot union election were never counted, still sitting in a box.

We’ve reached out to MSNBC on the petitions and claims by WGAE, but have not heard back.

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