NABET-CWA Presses NBC Universal on Fair Contract

New York -- Members of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-CWA who work at NBC Universal are stepping up their campaign to win a fair contract. The agreement covering about 2,500 engineers, newswriters and other workers at the network and at four of its owned and operated stations expired March 31 and talks to date "have not addressed members' serious concerns," said NABET-CWA President John S. Clark.

Unit members are very concerned about management's demands that it be able to assign more work to a wide range of people, both in and outside the bargaining unit. "One proposal basically would enable management to assign digital camera work to a broad array of non-unit people, endangering the futures of many workers. That's just not acceptable to NABET-CWA-represented workers who have committed their skills and talents to producing quality work at NBC," Clark said.  

Other key issues for NABET-CWA members include a demand for cuts in night shift pay, changes in the structure of the workday, an insufficient wage offer and provisions affecting daily hire employees.

"So far, despite our meetings over the past several months, management hasn't made any real effort to seriously respond to workers' concerns over many of these issues," Clark said. "Our members are stepping up their mobilization actions and building support for their fight."  

The agreement covers NABET-CWA members in these Locals: 51011, New York; 54041, Chicago; 59053, Burbank, Calif.; and 52031, Washington, D.C.

For more information: Jeff Miller or Candice Johnson, CWA Communications, 202-434-1168, jmiller@cwa-union.org and cjohnson@cwa-union.org.