NABET and NBC Partner with CWA/NETT

Participants practice fiber optic cable installation.

During the day-long classes, members gained hands-on practice.

NABET-CWA Local 11 members.

NBC is poised to rip miles of copper out of its iconic 30 Rock building and rewire it with fiber optic cable. But instead of outsourcing the work, the company recently partnered with CWA to train 40 daily hires to do the high-tech installation.

"If NBC needs and wants manpower, we're certainly ready to develop that manpower because that's our future," said NABET Local 11 President Thomas Cappo.

Back in April, Cappo started talking with NBC management about improving the skill sets of the company's daily hires, and he was able to negotiate utilizing CWA/NETT to train the members to do the fiber optic installation. CWA/NETT is a training program to improve CWA members' skill sets through courses ranging from digital photography to data network design.

Members happened to have down time during the Olympics, when NBC stopped all work in fear of accidentally disrupting the broadcast. So NABET Local 11 pounced on the opportunity to host three training sessions taught by a leading fiber optic training company. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., workers listened to lectures and gained hands-on practice. At the end of course, they all took a certification exam and everyone passed.

"We enjoy opportunities where labor and management can come together and collaborate," said Kevin Celata, CWA/NETT training administrator. "Everyone benefits."

After such a successful project, Cappo is now working to get the same training for 30 Rock's maintenance team and crews out in NBC's Long Island City bureau.

"If they're trained and capable, it'll keep the company from getting anyone else," he said.

Learn more at http://www.cwanett.org or visit CWA/NETT on Facebook.