Union rules affect talk show

[Bob Nelson <bluesradio_99@yahoo.com>]

If you've listened to Howie Carr lately, you've
noticed that his sidekicks like (producer) Doug
"Virgin Boy" Goudy, (assistant producer) Sandy,
and Paul "Butchy" Brennan have been silent lately.
When asked about it, Howie has said that it's due
to "the union" (which one? AFTRA?).

This problem has popped up before, as Howie's
sidekicks either couldn't talk on the air at all,
or they were limited to a few minutes per show.
(At one point he had to have sidekick "Trish"
call in on the phone under the name "Mish" to
avoid the union regulation.) Howie's listeners
have complained about this, and he's replied,
"We're trying to de-certify the union".

My question is: does anyone know which union he
means, and what is the actual policy regarding
non-union staffers talking on the air? I suppose
Virgin Boy or Sandy could join Howie's union to
get around it, but the nature of the business 
probably wouldn't allow it (they're not technically
on-air talent, they're behind-the-scenes workers,
etc.)

Any comments?
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