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Joint News Release on ABC Tentative Agreement; NABET Bulletin
Following are two documents: the joint press release issued today by NABET-CWA and ABC, Inc., and the NABET Bulletin to members.
The following press release is being issued jointly by NABET-CWA and ABC, Inc.
Contacts: For NABET-CWA, John Krieger, 202-434-1254
For ABC, Inc., Julie Hoover, 212-456-6641
Or 888-477-0961 (pager)
ABC, NABET Reach Tentative Agreement on New Contracts
June 18, New York-The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET) Sector of the Communications Workers of America and ABC, Inc., today announced they have reached tentative agreement on new contracts concerning the five bargaining units that previously rejected the company's December 1998 Comprehensive Package Proposal.
The tentative agreement, which is the result of recent off-the-record talks between the parties, incorporates the company's Comprehensive Package Proposal as modified in a few respects in these talks.
The tentative agreement has the support of Morton Bahr, president of the Communications Workers of America; John S. Clark, president of the NABET Sector of CWA; John J. Krieger, NABET network coordinator; and the presidents of the five NABET locals who represent ABC employees and who comprised the union's negotiating committee: Anthony Capitano, Local 16 (New York); James Harvey, Local 31 (Washington, DC); Ray Taylor, Local 41 (Chicago); Kevin Wilson, Local 51 (San Francisco); and Gena Stinnett, Local 57 (Los Angeles).
As the result of the recent talks, these leaders have agreed to promptly submit the tentative agreement to a ratification vote and have agreed unanimously to recommend that the union's membership accept the proposed contracts. The proposed contracts will now be submitted for a ratification vote to the members of the five units that had previously rejected the company's Comprehensive Package Proposal. Those units are: New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco engineering technicians, New York desk assistants, San Francisco newswriters, New York couriers and New York radio talent coordinators. The results of this vote are expected by July 16.
Upon ratification, the new contracts would become part of the ABC-NABET Master Agreement. This agreement, which expires on march 31, 2003, would cover the five units as well as the seven units that ratified the company's Comprehensive Package Proposal in February 1999. Those units are: Los Angeles and Chicago newswriters, New York and San Francisco traffic coordinators, New York publicists, Chicago telephone operators, Los Angeles plant maintenance and Los Angeles radio program coordinators.
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FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1999
NABET BULLETIN 55
NABET-CWA and ABC have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract which carries the unanimous support of the Union's top leadership and its Negotiating Committee consisting of CWA President Morton Bahr, NABET-CWA President John Clark, Network Negotiator John Krieger, Local 16 President Tony Capitano, Local 31 President Jim Harvey, Local 41 President Ray Taylor, Local 51 President Kevin Wilson and Local 57 President Gena Stinnett. The contract runs from date of ratification to March 31, 2003.
President Bahr is credited with playing a key role in bringing this lengthy process to conclusion and in reaching the tentative agreement.
Union members covered under the Engineering Contract that was rejected in the Union's previous ratification balloting include camera operators; videotape operators; field, studio and master control engineers; technical directors; editors; graphic artists and others. More than 1,800 NABET-CWA members are in the Engineering Group, which represents about 80 percent of the union's total 2,400 broadcast workers.
Those recommending the ratification of the proposal said that they were recommending acceptance even though the proposal falls short of the union's objectives because they sincerely believe that it is the best agreement that could be achieved at this time.
The latest proposal, as did the previous one, provides the same wage increases of 3.5 percent effective on the ratification date of each agreement with additional increases of 3 percent effective one year after ratification, 3 percent effective one year thereafter, and further increased an additional 3.5 percent one-year thereafter, contingent upon each increase occurring on a date prior to March, 31, 2003. The initial wage increase is retroactive to June 26, 1999. In the case of the San Francisco local, the increase will take the form of a bonus.
The new proposal provides for improved "in-hire" rates, an increased daily hire cap of 40 percent upon ratification in 1999 and 50 percent on June 1, 2001, further clarification of pro-rata vacation entitlement, network engineering buyouts, improved discharge provision, improved language on the meal buy-out, improved jurisdiction for newswriters/producers in San Francisco and resolution of outstanding litigation matters between the parties.
Local membership meetings will be held in respective locations. Ballots will be distributed shortly and counted at the CWA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on July 16th.
NABET-CWA Negotiating Committee
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The following press release is being issued jointly by NABET-CWA and ABC, Inc.
Contacts: For NABET-CWA, John Krieger, 202-434-1254
For ABC, Inc., Julie Hoover, 212-456-6641
Or 888-477-0961 (pager)
ABC, NABET Reach Tentative Agreement on New Contracts
June 18, New York-The National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET) Sector of the Communications Workers of America and ABC, Inc., today announced they have reached tentative agreement on new contracts concerning the five bargaining units that previously rejected the company's December 1998 Comprehensive Package Proposal.
The tentative agreement, which is the result of recent off-the-record talks between the parties, incorporates the company's Comprehensive Package Proposal as modified in a few respects in these talks.
The tentative agreement has the support of Morton Bahr, president of the Communications Workers of America; John S. Clark, president of the NABET Sector of CWA; John J. Krieger, NABET network coordinator; and the presidents of the five NABET locals who represent ABC employees and who comprised the union's negotiating committee: Anthony Capitano, Local 16 (New York); James Harvey, Local 31 (Washington, DC); Ray Taylor, Local 41 (Chicago); Kevin Wilson, Local 51 (San Francisco); and Gena Stinnett, Local 57 (Los Angeles).
As the result of the recent talks, these leaders have agreed to promptly submit the tentative agreement to a ratification vote and have agreed unanimously to recommend that the union's membership accept the proposed contracts. The proposed contracts will now be submitted for a ratification vote to the members of the five units that had previously rejected the company's Comprehensive Package Proposal. Those units are: New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco engineering technicians, New York desk assistants, San Francisco newswriters, New York couriers and New York radio talent coordinators. The results of this vote are expected by July 16.
Upon ratification, the new contracts would become part of the ABC-NABET Master Agreement. This agreement, which expires on march 31, 2003, would cover the five units as well as the seven units that ratified the company's Comprehensive Package Proposal in February 1999. Those units are: Los Angeles and Chicago newswriters, New York and San Francisco traffic coordinators, New York publicists, Chicago telephone operators, Los Angeles plant maintenance and Los Angeles radio program coordinators.
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FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1999
NABET BULLETIN 55
NABET-CWA and ABC have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract which carries the unanimous support of the Union's top leadership and its Negotiating Committee consisting of CWA President Morton Bahr, NABET-CWA President John Clark, Network Negotiator John Krieger, Local 16 President Tony Capitano, Local 31 President Jim Harvey, Local 41 President Ray Taylor, Local 51 President Kevin Wilson and Local 57 President Gena Stinnett. The contract runs from date of ratification to March 31, 2003.
President Bahr is credited with playing a key role in bringing this lengthy process to conclusion and in reaching the tentative agreement.
Union members covered under the Engineering Contract that was rejected in the Union's previous ratification balloting include camera operators; videotape operators; field, studio and master control engineers; technical directors; editors; graphic artists and others. More than 1,800 NABET-CWA members are in the Engineering Group, which represents about 80 percent of the union's total 2,400 broadcast workers.
Those recommending the ratification of the proposal said that they were recommending acceptance even though the proposal falls short of the union's objectives because they sincerely believe that it is the best agreement that could be achieved at this time.
The latest proposal, as did the previous one, provides the same wage increases of 3.5 percent effective on the ratification date of each agreement with additional increases of 3 percent effective one year after ratification, 3 percent effective one year thereafter, and further increased an additional 3.5 percent one-year thereafter, contingent upon each increase occurring on a date prior to March, 31, 2003. The initial wage increase is retroactive to June 26, 1999. In the case of the San Francisco local, the increase will take the form of a bonus.
The new proposal provides for improved "in-hire" rates, an increased daily hire cap of 40 percent upon ratification in 1999 and 50 percent on June 1, 2001, further clarification of pro-rata vacation entitlement, network engineering buyouts, improved discharge provision, improved language on the meal buy-out, improved jurisdiction for newswriters/producers in San Francisco and resolution of outstanding litigation matters between the parties.
Local membership meetings will be held in respective locations. Ballots will be distributed shortly and counted at the CWA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on July 16th.
NABET-CWA Negotiating Committee
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