Making Our Union Stronger in Tough Times: As Technical Change Transforms Broadcasting, NABET Trainin

Above, a mobile NABET training program is set up in a conference room at Local 51011's offices in New York City. Below, NABET-CWA members of Local 54042 in Cleveland take a video editing class.

The "T" in NABET stands for "technicians." But it could just as easily stand for "training."

For CWA's broadcasting sector, keeping pace with rapidly changing technology — even staying a step ahead of it — has become its mission. As technical upgrades phase out some of the traditional jobs behind the camera, NABET-CWA members are ready to take on the next challenge.

"I can't say enough good things about it," NABET-CWA Representative Bill Murray said, describing training programs for Local 51026 in Binghamton, N.Y. "It's helped our people. It's helped morale. And it's helped bring the company into the digital age."

Training in Binghamton and locals across the country ranges from full-weekend classes to a state-of-the-art online program plus a mobile lab for teaching new software for video editing.

Funding and resources have come from NABET-CWA, CWA/NETT, grants, vendors and employers, such as the $25,000 that Boston's Public Broadcasting Service affiliate gives the local annually — per the union contract for the last six years

"It's in the employer's interest too," said Local 51018 President Brad Hawes, whose members help produce PBS's "American Experience," "Nova," "Frontline" and "Antique Road Show," as well as local programming. He said almost all of the 45 full-time staffers and many of the 100 freelancers represented by NABET-CWA at his station have taken part in training.

A few years back in Binghamton, the WICZ news department equipment seemed prehistoric and morale was low, Murray said. Union leaders approached a New York City coalition for broadcast training called BURST, which was created in the late 1990s by the city's two NABET locals and an IBEW local.

The Binghamton workers learned that their station could get new equipment for far less than feared and that BURST would train them and get them through the transition.

"We did all the homework for the company," Murray said. "We went to them and said, 'We have an engineer who identified this editing system and these cameras that are ready for HD, and it will solve all our problems in the news department. You guys purchase the equipment and we'll provide the training. The station was thrilled."

NABET-CWA Vice President Jim Joyce said the local's proactive leadership helped avoid a common problem as technology evolves: Management's attempt to claim that a new generation of equipment means that the jobs have changed and the union no longer has jurisdiction.

"They want to use technology as an excuse to move work away, even though the skill set used and the end product is the same," said Joyce, who chairs NABET-CWA's Task Force on Technology and Training. "But even employers who are skeptical at first can see the benefit of using the resources the union offers. We can have people trained and ready to go on a new system as soon as it's installed."

Not only is training saving jobs, it's helping save relationships — between employees and employer, both Joyce and Murray said. At WICZ, for instance, the union often joins with the company in lobbying efforts, such as a current bid to get the station on Direct TV.

"Back in the 1990s, we had a seven-year war with the old employer at WICZ," Murray said. "And who wants war when you can have peace? The training has really added to our relationship with the new owner. It doesn't mean we agree on everything, but we're better as allies than we were as enemies."