DAILY HIRE V.2#1 - CWA - Communications Workers of America

October 2006
Volume 55 / Number 3
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCAST EMPLOYEES & TECHNICIANS
T H E B R O A D C A ST I N G A N D C A B L E T E L EV I S I O N W O R K E RS SEC TO R O F T H E CO M M U N I C AT I O NS W O R K E RS O F A M E R I C A
MEMBERS RATIFY NBC AGREEMENT
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present a limited number of proposals during the negotiations, a procedure that had
produced early or on-time agreements
when it was utilized in 1998 and 2002.
There was no early or on-time settlement
this time, however, as both sides submitted
proposals that made negotiations difficult
at times, and the 2002-2006 Master
Agreement expired on March 31 with no
agreement on a successor.
The most contentious issue the parties
faced during the talks was the company’s
proposal to permit a broader usage of digital cameras by non-NABET-CWA-represented personnel. Under the expired contract, such usage was restricted to news
pickups in the field. In addition, an arbitrator had determined that the cameras had to
be hand-held, ruling out the use of tripods.
The new agreement will expand the use of
digital cameras beyond news coverage and
allows the use of tripods and associated
equipment. The Union received written
assurances, however, that the cameras had
to be of a type generally marketed as “consumer” or “professional consumer,” and
there are restrictions on the company’s
ability to lay off covered employees due to
the usage of the digital cameras by nonNABET-CWA-represented personnel.
The three-year pact calls for wage
increases of 3.25%, 3% and 3.25% over
the term of the contract. Newswriters in
the Los Angeles office will receive additional increases, so that they reach pay parity with newswriters in New York and
Chicago by the last year of the contract.
In addition to the wage increases, the
Union gained a sideletter stating that
NABET-CWA-represented employees are
the company’s “primary workforce” on
programs of the type it has produced in the
past with the assignment of such employees. A new agreement will be added to the
contract that gives NABET-CWA-represented employees an entrée into work in
new company businesses, such as Internet
programming and pod-casting. A number
Major Mobilization at KGTV
Union Takes Action to Bring Company Back to the Table
ABET-CWA Local 54 held a major
rally in front of KGTV, Channel 10,
in San Diego on September 9, to
put pressure on station management to
get back to the table and negotiate a new
contract for the 40 unit members.
The rally attracted many participants,
including members of CWA District 9,
Sector President John Clark, Sector Vice
President James Joyce, RVP5 Keith
Hendriks, Local 53 President Leroy
Jackson, Local 57 President Richard
Daszkowski and NABET-CWA Staff
Representative Don Jernigan. After the
rally, the group took their message to local
businesses, urging them to discontinue
advertising on the McGraw-Hill-owned
KGTV until an agreement is reached.
Since negotiations began, the station
has fired Local 54 President Dennis
Csillag for allegedly “tampering with a
computer” and has refused to go back to
the table after presenting its “last, best and
final” offer in March. The NABET-CWA
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unit, which includes technicians, maintenance engineers, directors, artists and editors, voted down that offer in April and currently is working without a contract under
work rules implemented by the company.
The Union filed a grievance over
Csillag’s termination, but the company
has refused to arbitrate the issue. Csillag is
receiving some financial aid from the
CWA Members’ Relief Fund.
“I’m hanging in there,” Csillag said. “My
goal is to go back to the table and get a fair
contract.”
The Union and the company have been in
negotiations since January. NABET-CWA has
represented the workers at KGTV since 1975,
but Csillag says these talks are different.
“The company has a different attitude at
the table this time,” Csillag said. “They
have been fair in the past, but they’ve
taken a turn.”
NABET-CWA attempted to organize the
producers and writers at the station earlier
this year, but lost the election by three votes.
of improvements were made in benefit
payments for Daily-Hire employees. In
addition, the agreement contains protections from layoff for several units covered
by the contract.
Among the company gains were a reduction in the number of hours for which night
shift differential is paid, changes in the structure of the work hour, and the limitation of
retiree medical coverage to current employees (employees hired after ratification would
not be eligible for such coverage).
The membership granted its bargaining
committee strike authorization in a vote
conducted in May. “The committee attributes the positive last-minute changes we
were able to get to the outcome of the
strike vote,” said NABET-CWA President
John S. Clark, the Union’s chief
spokesman for the talks. “I think the company took the committee and the membership for granted, and I believe the strong
favorable strike vote was a wake-up call
for them to work to bring these negotiations to a conclusion.”
In addition to President Clark, the Union
was represented at the bargaining table by
Ed McEwan, President of Local 11 (New
York); Rich McDermott, a member of the
Local 31 Executive Board (Washington,
DC); Ray Taylor, President of Local 41
(Chicago); and Warren Stern, a Local 53
Executive Board member (Los Angeles).
Sector P
re
rallies th sident Clark
e troops
!
Local 54 Rally at KGTV
San Diego Labor Council provided a barbecue for
the crowd. Mobile billboard truck in background.
Page 1 • NABET NEWS • October 2006
W W W. N A B ETC W A .O R G
tentative agreement between NABETCWA and NBC Universal was ratified
by the membership in a secret ballot
vote that was conducted between August 4
and 23, 2006. The ballots, tabulated on
August 24, confirmed that all 11 of the
bargaining units covered by the Master
Agreement had ratified the new contract.
The tentative agreement, which was
unanimously recommended by the Union’s
bargaining committee, was reached on July
11, after several off-the-record discussions
between the parties. It covers engineers,
graphic designers, newswriters, staging
employees, couriers and several other
groups of employees working at NBC
Universal’s network operations and ownedand-operated television stations in New
York, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los
Angeles.
The negotiations began in November
2005 in New York City and were conducted off-the-record throughout the bargaining process. The parties had agreed to
omewhere near the beginning of every round
of bargaining I chair, someone on my committee will shout out, in response to a particularly
obnoxious company proposal, that there must be a
law protecting us from that and other nasty
employer demands. At that point, I generally counsel the committee to be realistic and realize that we
live in a country with virtually no laws at the federal level to help or protect workers. Moreover, ours
is a country where the few laws that do exist are
NABET-CWA Sector President
not enforced with much (or any) zeal these days.
John S. Clark
And now, as if to emphasize my point with the
glare of spotlights and the blare of brassy fanfares, comes President Bush’s nomination of Paul DeCamp as the Department of Labor’s Administrator of the Wage and
Hour Division, the agency responsible for enforcing the Family and Medical Leave
and Fair Labor Standards Acts and ensuring that workers are paid properly for all the
time they work; the agency that has grappled with Wal-Mart and other employers
who have been accused of and, in many cases, been found guilty of cheating workers
and violating the law.
Mr. DeCamp, an attorney who is currently serving in another position at the DOL,
has a long and not very illustrious record where workers’ rights are concerned.
Among other things, he represented Wal-Mart in its appeal from the verdict in a
class-action suit alleging that the giant retailer discriminated against women regarding pay and promotions, and he won a case to grant DaimlerChrysler a new trial in a
record $40 million sexual harassment case. He’s advised employers on fighting
organizing campaigns and defended them against unfair labor practice charges.
According to the AFL-CIO, DeCamp proposed guidelines for depriving workers
of overtime pay that went beyond those adopted by the Bush Administration. And in
his current position, he was deeply involved in the DOL’s failure to protect Gulf
Coast workers from wage and hour abuses in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
When testifying before the Senate Health, Labor and Pensions Committee, Mr.
DeCamp expressed his belief that many wage and hour violations are the result of a
“good-faith misunderstanding” of the law by employers. Just the sort of kind, understanding and empathetic fellow you’d like to see protecting your rights, right?
Hard on the heels of the DeCamp nomination came word from functionaries at the
Internal Revenue Service that they plan to turn the collection of unpaid taxes of up
to $25,000 over to private debt collectors, ostensibly to save money. At the same
time, the IRS announced that it will lay off nearly half the agents who audit estate
tax returns. Since the knock on the door from a collection agency heavy is likely to
come when the Feds drop a dime on an ordinary Joe like you or me, and the rich and
famous – who are most prone to paying taxes on an estate — will be likely to come
under even less scrutiny than usual, can any of us be blamed for thinking there’s
something just a little inherently unfair and unjust in this arrangement?
The developments at the IRS and the nomination of Mr. DeCamp, the erstwhile
servant of corporate excess, as the protector of our nation’s workers send a clear
message – as if further evidence were necessary — that unless you’re a member of
America’s elite and powerful, you shouldn’t expect any assistance or encouragement
from your government. Is there any doubt that life in the USA today is ruled increasingly by the dictum of dour Calvin Coolidge that the “business of America is business”? Whatever else the business of America may be, it’s certainly not directed
toward serving the interests of its workers and its people.
Photo by Gena Stinnett
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ABC PENSION PLAN
PANS OUT
hen NABET-CWA and ABC were
negotiating their current contract in
2003, the company made proposals
to eliminate the pension plan in favor of a
401(k) plan. The Union’s vigorous fight to
retain the pension plan that was established
in 1963 has paid off. After an initial reduction in the accrual rate in the new contract,
NABET-CWA members’ pensions now
will increase retroactively because of the
plan’s improved performance.
During the 2003 negotiations, NABETCWA and ABC agreed to preserve the
pension plan if the accrual rate was
reduced from 2.03% to 0.65%. This reduction helped to offset the company’s liability
if the plan, which is tied largely to stock
market performance, did not do well.
However, it was also agreed that if the
stock market rose and the Trust had adequate funds, the plan’s actuaries could recommend an increase in the accrual rate,
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retroactive for three years.
In August, the actuaries recommended
an accrual rate increase to 1.68%, retroactive for three years (2004-2006), which
will enhance NABET-CWA members’ pensions significantly. The Fund Office has
been notified and is beginning to recalculate the pension amounts. These higher
amounts will be reflected in the annual
report letters that will be sent by the Plan
when completed.
“We are pleased that the NABET-CWA
members at ABC are enjoying the benefit
of their pension plan, which they have
relied on as guaranteed savings for their
futures,” said Sector President John Clark.
“Preserving the plan was the right and only
thing to do.”
Beginning in January 2007, the accrual
rate returns to 0.65% until the parties
negotiate a new contract next year.
Retired NABET-CWA Member Turns Author
fter retiring from his job as a newswriter at WLS-TV in
Chicago after 30 years, NABET-CWA member Allan D.
Brown has become a published author. Brown’s new book,
News-Daze, takes a satirical look at the world of local television
news in Chicago in the 1970s.
Though Brown is quick to point out that “the events described in
News-Daze Cover
News-Daze are entirely fictional,” some of the stories grew from
his early experiences in the local TV news business.
A news release describes the book this way: “It’s a time of rapidly changing technology that allows live coverage of breaking news. It is also a time when ratings
mean everything and jobs are on the line. Come watch the news unfold in the
Channel 4 newsroom as an uneventful day rapidly escalates into maelstrom,
intrigue, corruption, sex, racism and hostage-taking that shakes the city to its foundation.”
“The book is set in the 1970s, so it was a time of transition in television news,”
said Brown. The use of video was overtaking film and the “transition into consultantcy” had just begun, where consultants were brought into the newsroom to give
direction and make story decisions. Brown said television news was not the “profit
center” that it is now.
“In the 70s, the stations were not in it for the money. The times were simpler, yet
more cumbersome, too,” Brown said in reference to the heavier equipment and use
of three-to-four-man crews for stories.
The majority of the book was written in the 1980s, but Brown shelved it until he
had time to work on getting it published. “I decided to write the book because news
is so transitory,” he said. “When I wrote something for news, it aired and then it was
gone. I wanted to write something permanent.”
Brown was a member of NABET since 1971. In addition to his work at WLS, he
wrote and produced local TV news in San Francisco and Boston.
News-Daze is available at Lulu.com, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and
Bordersstores.com.
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INDEPENDENT REPORT
(Continued from page 8)
W W W. N A B ETC W A .O R G
ing of Harold Burris, Robert Curry and NABET-CWA Staff Representative Lou Fallot resumed negotiations with the company in August.
WJW-TV – Cleveland
A four-year agreement was reached for the newsroom unit after two bargaining sessions with WJWTV, a Fox affiliate. The contract calls for 3% raises in each year, upgrades in short-turnaround pay
and extra days for medical leave. The Union also won participation in the CWA 401(k) plan for the
Local 42 unit at WJW. Lack of a 401(k) plan had been hurting the station’s recruiting efforts, according to Local 42 President Bill Wachenschwanz, who noted that it was unusual for such a new group
to receive this benefit (this is the unit’s 2nd contract with the company). The negotiating committee included Wachenschwanz, Rick Stiene, Brian Geiger, Jeremy Zimmer, Jonathan Adkins and
NABET-CWA Staff Representative Don Jernigan.
Page 2 • NABET NEWS • October 2006
Clark Swears-In RVPs
From left to right, Sector President
John S. Clark swears-in re-elected
Regional Vice Presidents
Bill Wachenschwanz (Region 6),
Charles Braico (Region 4) and
Fred W. Saburro (Region 2).
.........After the Show
by Bill Freeda
NABET-CWA National Retiree Coordinator and VP CWA Retired Members Council, Merger-Partners Sector
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country. That meeting took place in
Schenectady, N.Y. on June 27.
GE was represented by two members of
its Union Relations Department, Bill
Casey and Doug Baker. In addition to
Mahar and me, our committee consisted of
Ron Flowers and Larry Bruce from UE
Local 506 in Erie; Terry Elfers and Lloyd
Friend from IAM Local 912 in Evandale,
Ohio; Ed Strpza from IUE-CWA Local
155 in Pittsfield, Mass.; Helen Quirini
from IUE-CWA Local 301 in Schenectady,
N.Y.; Jerry Nastasia from IUE-CWA Local
201 in Lynn, Mass.; and Bob Santamoor,
Chairman, GE and Aerospace Conference
Board. The only thing our committee had
in common
was that we
were all members of unions
and represented
GE retirees.
Kevin Mahar
acted as our
chief
spokesman. He
started the
meeting by
telling GE how
“bitterly disappointed” he
was that Jeff
Immelt was not
there. Kevin
had asked him
to attend when
he arranged the
meeting. Bill Casey said he would convey
Kevin’s disappointment to Immelt.
Last year, we asked GE how much it
would cost to raise all pensioners or their
beneficiaries to the current minimum pension. Kevin Mahar received a letter from
Chuck Welch of GE Human Resources in
answer. The current minimum is $33 per
month for each year of service. Using
2005 data, out of more than 200,000 GE
retirees, approximately 70,000 of them or
their beneficiaries do not receive the minimum. It would cost the plan $234 million
dollars a year and $1.484 billion lifetime
to increase everyone to at least the minimum pension. That is less than the
increase in the surplus funds in the Trust
for 2005. Keep in mind that there is almost
$50 billion in this trust.
Life has become very difficult for many
retirees who receive less than the current
minimum pension. The minimum pension
does not increase, but of course the cost of
the medical insurance does, thus further
eroding the value of the pension.
In addition to these points, we requested
the names of the trustees of the GE
Pension Trust and the members of the
Pension Board, the body that is authorized
to grant raises in the pension. We also
asked for a review of how and with whom
the funds of the Trust are invested, an
“Life has become very
difficult for many retirees
who receive less than the
current minimum pension.
The minimum pension
does not increase, but of
course the cost of the
medical insurance does,
thus further eroding the
value of the pension.”
Retirees meet with
GE Management
The main purpose of attending this year’s
meeting was to convince GE to raise the
pensions of its retirees, especially longterm retirees. GE CEO Jeff Immelt agreed
to hold a meeting with a group representing former GE retirees from all over the
The ad hoc union committee
and the two GE Union relations
representatives (back row, center)
Kevin Mahar, the GE retirees’ chief
spokesman (in green shirt), and Bill Freeda
accounting of the surplus in the Trust as of
December 31, 2005, and the percentage of
that surplus that contributes to GE’s annual
earnings. Moreover, we asked if any earnings derived from the pension trust surplus
are counted when executive incentive pay
is being calculated.
We questioned our host about the high
cost of the Trust’s administrative fees. The
trust is managed by GE Asset
Management (GEAM). They received an
$81.4 million fee in 2005. GEAM is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of GE. In other
words, GE is charging its pension trust
millions of dollars to manage it. We asked
if the Trust couldn’t do better. Since the
Trust is paying top dollar for that service,
it should make sure it is getting its
money’s worth.
GE is always concerned that the Trust
will run out of money. I pointed out that
GE has taken steps to insure that that
won’t happen. I noted that all non-represented staff employees hired after January
1, 2005, will not be able to retire with full
pension until they are 65. The current age
is 60. Early unreduced pensions will be
offered at 62 instead of 55 for employees
who have 25 years of Pension Qualifying
Service (PQS). In addition, there will be
no post-age 65 retiree medical coverage
offered to such new employees. Pre-65
retiree medical benefits will be offered, but
those taking it would pay the full, unsubsidized cost of the plan.
As the meeting ended, Kevin Mahar told
Bill Casey that these retirees need help
now. He stressed that we didn’t want to
wait six or eight months for an answer.
Casey said he would pass that along to his
boss. I will let you know in this column
when we hear from GE.
In closing, let me share some important
shareholder information. In more closely
examining this year’s proxy form, I came
across a disclaimer that reads in part: “IF
NO INSTRUCTIONS ARE PROVIDED
OR IF THIS FORM IS NOT
RECEIVED ON OR ABOUT APRIL 24,
2006, shares held in the shareowner’s
S&SP account will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of the
GE Board of Directors.” In other words, if
you do not vote your shares, the GE Board
of Directors gets to vote them any way they
see fit. I hope that gives us all an incentive
to vote our shares the way we want.
“After the Show” will be a regular column
featuring retirement news in NABET News.
Union Raises Training
Reimbursements
o encourage further participation in training programs, NABET-CWA announced
it would change its policy on subsidies for Locals who have already been given
money to offset the cost of training.
In 2004, NABET-CWA’s Sector Executive Council passed a resolution that called for
up to $5,000 in reimbursements for locals that participated in eligible training programs. Now, with training funds still available, the Union wants to give active locals
that have taken advantage of the programs more access to training by offering another
subsidy of up to $5,000 for qualified training programs. At the same time, the Union
hopes that locals that have not yet offered member training will do so with this added
incentive.
Eligible training programs through B.U.R.S.T. and CWA/Nett are available. When a
Local applies for reimbursement for training, the NABET Training Task Force reviews
the program and offers a subsidy. So far, many Locals have taken advantage of the
subsidy program.
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Page 3 • NABET NEWS • October 2006
W W W. N A B ETC W A .O R G
n April 26, about 80 General Electric
retirees converged on the GE
Shareowners meeting in Philadelphia.
We demonstrated outside the Pennsylvania
Convention Center and passed out leaflets
to let shareowners know how poorly GE
treats the retirees who helped build the
company into what it is today. It was heartbreaking to see GE retirees, many in their
70s, 80s and yes, even 90s, travel many
miles on a bus to ask for GE’s help, only
to be all but ignored.
Kevin Mahar, President of the IUE-CWA
Local 201 Retirees Association in Lynn,
Mass., was responsible for organizing the
80-strong retiree contingent. In addition to
the large group
from Mahar’s
local, we were
joined by a busload of retirees
from IUE Local
506 in Erie, Pa.,
as well as GE
retirees from
Evendale, Ohio. I
represented
NABET-CWA at
the event.
The retirees
were active at this
year’s shareowners meeting. They
submitted three
shareowner proposals for consideration:
■ Proposal 2, submitted by William
Steiner of Piermont, N.Y., called for a
limit on how many corporate boards a GE
Director could serve on at one time.
■ Proposal 4 was submitted by Helen
Quirini of Schenectady, N.Y., who requested that the offices of Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) and Chairman be split,
thereby guaranteeing an independent
Board Chairman.
■ I submitted Proposal 3. It called for the
GE Board of Directors to nominate a nonexecutive retiree to the Board. After I
made my presentation, I was gratified
when a number of shareowners, not affiliated with our group, offered me their congratulations.
Although none of these proposals had
enough shares cast in their favor to effectuate any change at this time, we will continue to submit them until we get the attention of GE’s top-level management.
N A B ET- C WA L O C A L S A W A R D S C H O LA R S H I P S
NY 10023. Contributions to the DiFranco
Scholarship Fund are not tax-deductible.
The Local 16 scholarship drawings were
held at the Local 16 office on July 6,
under the supervision of Local 16
Secretary-Treasurer Rich Gelber.
Scholarship Committee Chairman Brendan
Black and Local 16 members Pete Greco
and Bruce Giaraffa were also present.
any NABET-CWA locals offer
scholarships to their members and
their dependents. The following is a
sampling of the scholarships that some of
the Union’s locals have awarded this year.
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Local 16 has a Scholarship Fund in memory of WABC-TV transmitter engineer
Donald DiFranco, who died in the World
Trade Center attack on September 11,
2001. Funds collected are used to support
a scholarship award for children of Local
16 members.
This year, the Local sold a t-shirt in
honor of DiFranco to raise money for the
scholarship fund. The fund is administered
by the Local 16 Scholarship Committee as
part of an ongoing program. Local 16 Vice
President/Sector Vice President James
Joyce said the t-shirt sales and individual
donations have raised $5,000 for the fund
so far. The Local is asking everyone to
wear their shirts on September 11. To
photo by: Rich Gelber
Local 16 — New York
(l-r): Bruce Giaraffa (Network Videotape) and Pete
Greco (WABC-TV) draw the Nolan/DiFranco winners.
order a t-shirt, contact the Local office
(212/757-7191) or visit the website:
www.nabet16.org. Individual contributions
also are accepted. Checks can be made
payable to: “Donald DiFranco Scholarship
Fund” and mail to NABET-CWA Local 16
at 80 West End Ave. Room 501, New York,
Local 41 — Chicago
The 2006 Delaney Scholarship Award winner is Andrew Korienek. His father,
James Korienek, is an NBC courier. Dainel
B. Delaney was the Local 41 President for
25 years. The $1,000 scholarship is
awarded in a lottery and is a one-time-only
award for Local 41 members and their
dependents.
Local 46 — Flint, Mich.
Rebecca K. Look, daughter of Jerry
Look, Local 46 member employed by
WJRT-TV, received the 2006 annual Local
46 scholarship of $300 per year for up to
four years (to a maximum of $1,200).
Local 53 — Burbank, Calif.
Local 53 awarded scholarships to the following students this year:
Krista Lynn Thompson won the 2006
Charles H. Tant Memorial Scholarship
Award.
Steven W. Rachford received the 2006
Harold C. Ingels Memorial Scholarship
Award. The scholarship is named after Hal
Ingels, who worked at NBC for 35 years
and served in many positions, including as
Local 53 Treasurer for 20 years.
Michael Brian Hart won the 2006 Joseph
F. Champa Memorial Scholarship Award.
The award is named after the former Local
53 President who served from 1995-2003.
Local 41 Members Hone News Writing Skills in B.U.R.S.T. Workshop
hrough the Union’s B.U.R.S.T. program, NABET-CWA Local 41 offered
newswriters and producers a TV news
writing workshop to hone the writing skills
of the Local’s members. The two-day-long
workshops were organized by Local 41
Steward Don Villar, a newswriter for
Chicago’s WLS-TV and Local 11
Treasurer Joe Salvaggio, who chairs the
B.U.R.S.T. program.
“Writing for news broadcasts requires a
special skill. No matter how much writing
experience one has, this skill can always
use a little sharpening,” said Local 41
President Ray Taylor. “Until the
B.U.R.S.T. program, there have been few
opportunities to really enhance and sharpen the news writing skills used everyday.”
Local 41 invited Columbia University
professor Mervin Block to teach the class.
Well-known in the broadcast news industry, Professor Block has written several
books on news writing that are part of the
curriculum at journalism and broadcast
communications colleges across the country. Block’s professional experience also
includes writing for both print and television in Chicago, as well as in network
newsrooms in New York.
According to Taylor, Block’s presentation was both informative and entertaining.
He began by going through a number of
poorly-written scripts that aired on local
stations across the country and on the
nightly network news. The scripts contained errors that many writers make.
Block then went through a list of rules and
tips that newswriters should consider when
working on a script in order to make their
news stories more appealing to the listening or viewing audience.
As Lisa Jackson-Dresch, a desk assistant and newswriter at WLS-TV, said,
“What better way to improve your writing
than to learn from the master, Mervin
Block. His workshop, complete with real
newsroom examples, was inspiring.”
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Page 4 • NABET NEWS • October 2006
Local 41 Workshop
Instructor Merv Block answers trainees questions
The workshops also included a writing
clinic where individuals received valuable
criticism and suggestions on how to
improve their writing. Don Villar observed,
“While it could be intimidating to have
your copy critiqued, it was a very good lesson on how to improve a news script.”
Local 41 received a grant for the skillsbuilding workshop from the Chicago
Federation of Labor (CFL). With the help
of the CFL’s Kristen Roberts and Nick
Bianchi, more than 40 news professionals
participated in the skills building workshop. They included NABET-CWA Local
41 writers, producers, desk assistants,
assignment editors and ENG editors.
“I was pleased to see such a good
turnout for my two workshops in
Chicago,” said Professor Block. “Not only
did a lot of people show up, but they also
made a good showing: they asked good
questions, and by the end of each day, a
goodly number wrote good or close-togood scripts.”
“I am very happy about the elevation in
the skill level of the people here, and most
enjoyed the training very much,” said Villar.
Because of the success of the news writing workshop and other previous
B.U.R.S.T. training sessions, Local 41
hopes to provide other skills-building
workshops for its members in the future.
The entire workshop was performed on
CWA computers that are sent around the
country for training. Kevin Celata, CWA
training coordinator, arranged for the computers, which were put in working condition by Local 41Vice President Charlie
Braico and Ed Dabrowski, Steward of the
Maintenance Division of NBC in Chicago.
N A B ET- C WA R E CO G N I Z E S H I G H S C H O O L S C H O LA R S
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Hope Boyarsky, of N. Bellmore, N.Y., won
the Edward M. Lynch Scholarship Award.
She is the daughter of Margie and Gary
Boyarsky, an ABC technical director and
member of Local 16. Hope is an accomplished artist,
musician and
honor student.
In addition to
being a member of her
high school’s
jazz band and
wind ensemble, Hope participated in
every play and
musical at her
high school
and was the
Boyarsky
president of
the school’s
Art Service Club, which helped design and
paint a mural in the heart of her town. Hope
begins classes in the fall at The Cooper
Union for the Advancement of Science and
Art in New York.
“One of the few areas of our workforce
that corporations find it difficult to outsource to a foreign country is that of the
media. …While they have tried, they still
haven’t found foreigners to gather the
news and information for our television
stations and newspapers here in the U.S.A.
This luckily, has been the business that my
father has been in for over 30 years. I
won’t kid anyone; it’s been a struggle. He’s
been on strike and locked out a few times
during his tenure at ABC which has been
scary. Fortunately, NABET had just
merged with the CWA and as a result my
dad was getting regular strike benefits.
This made his resolve to be more involved
in the Union even stronger and he ran for
and won an Executive Board seat in his
Local. …But what about the future? Will
more and more jobs be sent overseas or,
with the advent of the internet, will workers like the reservationists at airliner Jet
Blue, who can work from their home, have
a desire or willingness to unionize? I
believe that they had better or they will
never have the proper protection from a
bad employer, quality health benefits or
the ability to retire with dignity.”
Colin Byrne, of Scarsdale, N.Y., received
the Lawrence Dworkin Scholarship Award.
Byrne, the son of Local 11 member James
Byrne, attended Fordham Preparatory
School. He
was an active
volunteer for
senior citizens
and worked
throughout his
high school
years at sports
camps and in
the schools.
James participates in a
variety of
sports, includByrne
ing lacrosse,
basketball and
track, and enjoys traveling, playing video
games, listening to music and watching
movies. This fall, James will attend Wagner
College in Staten Island, N.Y.
“My dad works for NBC News and he
has seen how technology has changed the
broadcast television business. For one
thing, there are fewer jobs because the use
of digital technology has eliminated certain positions that used to be there. He has
also had to learn how to use the new editing equipment. He is in an industry that
has been directly affected by the advances
of the Information Age. …The continuously
expanding use of computers and other
technology has brought about many
changes in the workplace as well. For
starters, the definition of workplace is different. Much work can be done from
remote locations, including one’s home.
Work can also be done at any time of the
day or night, so the traditional “work
week” and hours have also changed.
Being trained for a specific job no longer
means that you will have that job for life,
or even for a number of years. …Unions
need to re-evaluate their roles. A union
will recognize that although workers are
no longer guaranteed a job for life, they
can fight for other guarantees – like lifelong learning opportunities. …[“Portable
benefits”] is an important area for unions
to protect their workers. If benefits were
more universal, then workers’ rights would
be more protected since they could transfer
benefits with them. …Having the guarantee of life-long learning opportunities as
well as benefits would then let workers
have more control over their jobs, careers
and even where they live.”
Ryland Kurshenoff, of Oradell, N.J.,
received the Dorr C. Wilson Scholarship
Award. Ryland’s parents — Guy Kurshenoff
and Susan Itkin — are members of Local
11, and his
grandfather,
Bill Itkin, is a
retired member of Local
16. Ryland
attended
River Dell
High School,
where he
played saxophone for the
school’s wind
ensemble,
jazz band and
Kurshenoff
spring musical. He also
was a member of the high school varsity
bowling team for four years. Ryland volunteered as a summer camp counselor at
the Challenger Space and Science Center
during his high school summer vacations.
Having studied art in pre-college courses,
Ryland plans to study industrial design at
the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y.
“My father, mother and grandfather, all
NABET members, have seen video production go from film to video to digital media.
It is vital for them to keep up with the
quickly changing technology so they may
continue working as valued employees. It’s
important that unions stay on the forefront
of keeping members trained. They cannot
risk members losing their jobs to people
who already know this media and might
possibly be non-union. For example, people
today are able to learn to edit video on
their home computers and as a result many
non-professionals have entered the television workplace. These non-union workers
will work for less and are more attractive
to the big corporations. …As corporations
get larger and larger, it becomes easier
and more profitable for them to take away
union benefits. For example, my parents
are permatemps because these new megacorporations put less people on staff. My
father has a very similar job to the job my
grandfather had when he worked on staff
for ABC for 35 years. Both work or worked
in television production for major networks
and both are/were NABET members.
However, my parents do not receive any of
the job protection, security, and benefits
that my grandfather did. As long as the
unions remain strong, and the more members they have, the stronger they will be,
and the more influence they will have with
the companies.”
Helenka Casler, of Newton, N.J., was
awarded the George Smith Scholarship
Award. Casler’s father, James Casler, is a
member of Local 11. Casler, the valedictorian of her high school class, received
many academic and sports honors during
her high school years, including awards in
math, foreign
language and
field hockey.
She was the
president of
the National
Latin Honor
Society and a
member of
the National
Honor
Society. In
addition to
her academic
work, Casler
Casler
studies tae
kwon do and
sang in her school’s concert choir. A
national merit scholar, Casler will begin
classes at Columbia University in New
York this fall.
“The nature of jobs is transforming, and
labor unions must not allow workers’ concerns to get lost. This transformation is a
grand opportunity for labor unions to promote the interests of the workers.
Communication technology can keep
union members informed on issues important to the whole working community, and
can make them aware of potential threats
to benefits, safety regulations, or fair compensation. Allowing workers to contact
each other and union officials instantly
and at any time can make sure that important issues are at the forefront of discussion before negotiations begin.
…Computer technology can also be used
to great effect for organizational purposes.
It has never been easier for employers to
change conditions of working or job
descriptions, but it is now also easier for
unions to gather their members’ opinions
and act accordingly. …Because communications technology has increased the speed
at which tasks are completed, labor unions
have a responsibility to support its use in
ways that aid union members.”
Mia Wolfson, of Millwood, N.Y., won the
James P. Nolan Scholarship Award.
Wolfson is the daughter of David Wolfson,
a news photographer for WABC-TV and a
member of Local 16. Mia Wolfson graduated with honors from
Horace
Greeley High
School in
Chappaqua,
New York. In
high school,
she volunteered at the
Mt. Kisco
Boys and
Girls Club
and was a
member of a
student group
Wolfson
called
SADDD (Students Against Drinking and
Drugging while Driving). “I have always
been interested in helping others,” Mia
said. “I plan to continue helping people
throughout my college career and beyond.”
Mia plans to major in psychology with a
minor in education at the University of
California Santa Barbara. She hopes to be
a college professor someday.
“Unions in the information age will
have a hard time surviving. I see this in my
father’s work. My dad works for WABC-TV
in New York. Twenty-five years ago, when
my dad first started at WABC, his Union,
NABET, had control of virtually all of the
technical equipment that operated the television station. However, over the years, the
information age has introduced more userfriendly computerized equipment. This
equipment can now be used by anyone at
the station, including non-paid interns.
…What role would a union have in this
new age? The main role that unions would
have is the same role they have now.
Unions must maintain the rights of the
workers. …There has to be real monitoring
of the companies’ finances. The days of
elaborate bonuses and golden parachutes
for the too few needs to end. Unions, government and business have to pull together
to make health care a natural right and
not a life’s decision maker. …Until there is
control of the greed of big business and
the arrogance of government, unions must
remain the watchdog for worker’s rights.”
Page 5 • NABET NEWS • October 2006
W W W. N A B ETC W A .O R G
ver the summer, NABET-CWA chose
five exceptional high school students
to receive the Union’s 2006 college
scholarship awards. The awards, which
give the students $750 annually for four
years toward their college educations, went
to students who displayed academic and
community leadership. The scholarship
contest is open to sons and daughters of
active, retired or deceased NABET-CWA
members in good standing. Each scholarship is named in memory of past NABETCWA International presidents and/or
employees.
The 2006 scholarship winners and
excerpts of their essays on “The Role of
the Labor Union in the Information Age”:
Health and Safety on the Web
NABET-CWA’s
Health &
Safety
Network
by Steve Barreres,
National Coordinator Health and Safety
To become an effective health and safety
team, we all need to become more
informed. Our ability to use the Internet as
a communications tool gives us a grand
advantage.
Before year’s end, NABET-CWA will
add health and safety pages to the
NABET-CWA web site. This will become
the information resource and a communications avenue for everyone. This is your
starting point in the search for accurate
H&S information, as it applies to the
workplace.
Local Health and Safety
Committees
et’s take a moment and consider the
changes that have occurred in the
broadcast industry. Everyone seems to
agree on the following: There is an expectation that more work be performed, in less
time, with fewer personnel to achieve the
task.
This situation is not unique to our workplace. As most companies strive to achieve
an ever-increasing bottom line, the negative effects have affected employees across
the nation in one form or another. The sad
fact is that when more is expected from
less, something has to give. It is not unusual to find that employer’s health and safety
responsibilities become one of the first
casualties in the “lack of time” syndrome.
Workplace accidents rarely occur
because of a simple fault, failure or problem. Most incidents are due to a number of
small issues that occur simultaneously.
Each of these deficiencies, by itself, would
be harmless. But, together, they add up to
catastrophe.
Local 16 member and ABC Sports cameraman Rich Umansky’s death on the job
nearly three years ago was an example of
just that. While he worked alone at night,
carrying a couple of camera tarps onto a
platform, Rich most likely stepped into a
floor hole cut for a tripod leg on a most
unusually modified camera position. All
indications show that he then fell sideways, struck his ribs on the three-inch pipe
railing and then slid forward off the platform that had no safety railings. Both the
hole in the floor and the lack of fall prevention were SERIOUS OSHA SAFETY
VIOLATIONS. It is our job as a Union to
see that such “chains of deficiency” are
broken.
In order to address health and safety
concerns, NABET-CWA has created a
national health and safety network. The
start-up focus of the Union’s effort is
three-fold:
W W W. N A B ETC W A .O R G
L
1. The Sector has created a national
position of Health and Safety Coordinator,
for which I have volunteered. The position
will provide a centralized resource and
information clearinghouse for the Local
Union’s use.
2. We will assist locals in establishing
their own health and safety committees.
3. Finally, a national, 24/7, toll-free
Safety Hotline will be set up. This communications network will give each and every
member the tools to immediately report
situations that are dire life and limb issues.
Such reports will receive prompt and
direct intervention.
Page 6 • NABET NEWS • October 2006
Establishing a local Health and Safety
Committee that meets regularly with management is essential. The official discussion of problems directly with the employer, who is legally bound to resolve them, is
the preferred starting point. Without notification at such a meeting or in an
official written
form, you can be
sure that management’s memory is
bound to be
extremely vague
when questioned
about an alleged violation. There is no
better arena for notification than monthly
safety committee meetings with many
individuals in attendance.
Each local should appoint an interested,
responsible member as the committee
chairperson. This individual must be interested in learning the ins and outs of the
job, becoming the local’s guru of safety.
For instruction, there are a number of regularly scheduled classes given by CWA
and the AFL-CIO.
Nationwide Safety Hotline:
1-866-516-SAFE
When members are placed in a position
that is dangerous and possibly life threatening, they will now have an immediate
option. When calling the Nationwide
Safety Hotline, there will be direct access
to a Union health and safety representative. No longer should you feel compelled
to work in any way that is unsafe. Cameras
installed at the edges of roof lines without
proper platforms, or working during lightning storms, will be a thing of the past.
Makeshift camera positions and work surfaces with trip holes in the floor will no
longer be “O.K.”!
Situations that require immediate action
will receive it. By dialing the Hotline at 1866-516-SAFE (7233) and leaving the
requested information, you can expect an
expeditious response from a qualified representative.
An effective health and safety network is
a team effort. Each and every member has
to take an active role for it to become a
success. The Union’s goal is clear: to move
toward a safe workplace. By taking these
first steps, we can start a process that will
eliminate accidents and injuries. With your
help, we will make a difference.
Steve Barreres is a 23-year Local 16 member and
has been actively involved in health and safety
work for over 15 years. With guidance from leaders
of past safety work, along with the cooperation of
former Local 16 President Tony Capitano, Local 16
President Gene Maxwell and Local 16 VicePresident Jim Joyce, the Local’s safety team has
made numerous improvements at ABC Television,
both in-studio and out in the field. Barreres’s
extensive Fire Department and Emergency Services
experience has gone hand-in-hand with the Local’s
health and safety program. Contact Steve Barreres
via e-mail: safety@nabet16.org.
NABET-CWA
Health & Safety Hot Line
1-866-516-SAFE
(7 2 3 3)
National Program
Flint’s Local 46: Balancing Strong Union Heritage
with New Ideas — in the Union and Local Government
ome might think the 30-year-old
NABET-CWA Local in Flint, Mich.,
could become complacent in a “Union
Town” like Flint, Mich, the birthplace of
the United Auto Workers. The Local has
always worked closely with the UAW and
other large unions when they need each
other’s support. But Local 46 President
Sheldon Neeley sees it as a “matter of
necessity” to be part of the changes that
the broadcasting industry — and all unions
— are facing today.
Local 46 represents 35 technical, production, creative and traffic employees at
the ABC owned-and-operated WJRT-TV.
The unit ratified a new contract last year
that gives part-time employees some of the
strongest contract language of any
NABET-CWA local. The part-timers –
who make up about a quarter of the unit –
receive the same benefits as full-time unit
members on a pro-rated basis:
vacation/holiday pay, health benefits and
401(k) matches. “Part-time” is equal to 30
hours per week of work.
“They may work part-time at the station,
but they receive full-time representation by
the Union,” said Neeley, who is in his third
year as local president and has worked for
16 years as a technician and master control
operator at WJRT.
Neeley has acquired a new job as well,
that of City Councilman in Flint’s 6th
Ward. With 74% of the vote, Neeley
became the first African-American to be
elected to the post. His colleagues then
elected the freshman Councilman as Vice
President of the nine-member Council.
S
Flint, Michigan
“My running for a seat on the City
Council was a matter of necessity,” Neeley
said, citing Flint’s – and the country’s –
loss of manufacturing and jobs. “The
thinking needs to change. We need to combine the philosophies that once made
unions strong with new tenacity and energy in the future.”
Neeley sees a mirror image between
what has happened in Flint, the “Vehicle
City,” to what is happening in labor today.
Flint was once a major metropolis with
plenty of jobs. Today, however, with the
end of many manufacturing jobs — mostly
in the automotive industry — Flint is a
mere shadow of its former self.
The seat on the Council will help all
organized labor in the community (there is
one other union member on the Council),
Neeley believes. “There needs to be a
worker’s perspective in local government.
There needs to be high-minded legislation
not only in Washington, D.C.,
but also on the local level.”
Increasing pressures on unions
to make more concessions, especially in pensions and health
care, require workers at the table
to defend their rights, Neeley
says. “Instead of lobbying the
lawmakers, we should actually
be sitting at the table. The
strongest lobbyist is the one that
authors the law.”
The members at Local 46
could themselves see changes in their
work lives as technology advances. Neeley
said there has been talk of ParkerVision
being implemented at the station.
Whatever the future holds for Local 46
and its members, Neeley hopes to give
them an opportunity to shape their futures.
This is the 14th article in a series on NABET-CWA
locals.
Local 46 at a glance:
President: Sheldon Neeley
Vice President: Daniel L. Clothier
Secretary: George Hester
Treasurer: Jacques R. Holbrook
Membership: 35 at WJRT-TV (ABC12)
Region: NABET Region Six
Email: nabetcwa46@charter.net
Photos by: Moe Thomas
N A B ET AT C WA CO N V E N T I O N
IN LAS VEGAS
CWA
Ready
for the
Future
★
Sector
President
Clark
68th CONVENTION 2006
NABET-CWA delegates, including L. 42 President Bill Wachenschwanz, L. 57 President Richard Daszkowski,
L. 43 Secretary-Treasurer Kathryn Spitler, L. 48 President Ray Shaver, L. 14 delegate Tim Klune, L. 42 VP
Jim Kolendo and L. 57 delegate Nelson Dearborn
Sector Vice President Jim Joyce
prepares to speak at podium.
NABET-CWA delegates, including L. 53 President
Leroy Jackson, right, L. 53 Secretary-Treasurer
Gary Singleman, left, L. 53 Vice President
Lisa Kassner, L. 11 Secretary Timothy Gorry, and
L. 21 President Bill Lambdin.
NABET-CWA Remembers 9/11:
ABET-CWA members wear t-shirts in honor of Don DiFranco,
a NABET-CWA Local 16 member and WABC-TV engineer
who died in the World Trade Center attack on Sept. 11, 2001.
N
Don DiFranco
Steve Mies, Doug McLay, L. 41 Vice President Charlie Braico and Pat Fiscelli
Local 16 member Pete Greco from WABC-TV with
a Don DiFranco memorial t-shirt.
L. 41 member Alberto Gamez
Page 7 • NABET NEWS • October 2006
W W W. N A B ETC W A .O R G
L. 41 members Verna Lunbald (left) and Sylvia Tanielian
INDEPENDENT REPORT
KVEA-TV – Los Angeles
A tentative agreement was achieved between the NABET-CWA and KVEA-TV over the last remaining issue of the contract on August 31 at the federal mediation offices in Glendale, Ca., under
the auspices of mediator Juan Carlos Gonzalez. The parties had previously agreed to all other
terms in March 2006, but a dispute over the application of a daily hire "fee in lieu of benefits"
led to the need for additional sessions to finalize this detail. The agreement calls for all dailyhires at KVEA to be paid a daily fee of $27.50 per day worked through the end of 2006, with that
amount increasing to $30 per day for 2007, and up to $32.50 per day in 2008. The agreement
also provides for a retroactive adjustment back to March 2006, and the elimination of employer
contributions for the balance of the agreement, set to expire in December 2008. Bargaining
committee members included Carlos Flores, Joe Ayala and Leysser Parada. The committee was
joined at the table by NABET-CWA Staff Representative Paula Olson, Local 53 President Leroy
Jackson and Local Treasurer John Alarid. The committee is recommending ratification, set for
later in September.
WJLA-TV – Washington, D.C.
NABET-CWA Local 31 continues to endure difficult contract negotiations at WJLA-TV
(ABC)/NewsChannel 8. The struggle is to get a
fair contract that
includes arbitration for discharge.
Local 31 members
Local 31 members leaflet station advertiser
voted by a 96% margin to reject a proposed
contract that allowed arbitration for discharge
only at the company’s option. All other terms of the agreement had been resolved. “Arbitration
is the cornerstone of any union, without it, you don’t have a union,” said Edwin Wilson, a WJLA
employee and union negotiator. Local 31 members continue to wage a mobilization campaign
against the station, using the slogan “Our Frustration…We Want Arbitration.” The unit held a
rally to coincide with the station-sponsored “Family Caregivers Expo” at the Washington, D.C.
Convention Center on July 29. The negotiating team includes Mike Forcucci, Alton Morris, Edwin
Wilson, Sector President John S. Clark, NABET-CWA Staff Representative Don Jernigan and Local
31 President Mark Peach.
W W W. N A B ETC W A .O R G
WCPO-TV – Cincinnati, Ohio
A new agreement for the station’s engineers was ratified on July 22. The three-year contract,
which contains no jurisdictional changes, calls for 3% increases in each year.
KSBY-TV – San Luis Obispo, Ca.
In July, a three-year agreement was ratified between NABET-CWA and KSBY-TV. The agreement
calls for a minimum of at least a 3.5% wage increase in each year of the contract, with higher
increases in the first year for some employees, correcting disparities within job classifications.
All wage increases are retroactive to May 1,
2006. Many other improvements to the collective bargaining agreement were achieved,
NABET NEWS (ISSN 0027-5697),
for workers in the broadcasting,
including money for working overnight hours,
telecasting, recording, filming
and allied industries in the
extra money for late or no-meal periods, beneUnited States, is an official
publication of the National
fits for long-term part-timers, and time-and-oneAssociation of Broadcast
Employees and Technicians,
half for working the 6th consecutive day of
AFL-CIO.
work, with double-time paid thereafter until a
Published six times a year at
501 Third Street N.W.,
day off is received. The Union’s negotiating comWashington, D.C. 20001-2797
mittee believes this proposed agreement will
Postmaster: Send address changes to NABET NEWS at
501 Third St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001-2797.
serve all NABET-CWA members very well over the
Phone: 202-434-1254
E-mail: nabet-cwa@cwa-union.org
next three years. Local 51 President Kevin
Distributed to all active and retired NABET-CWA members.
This issue contains no paid advertising.
Wilson chaired the negotiating committee,
Please send news items to:
which also included Brian Green and Lisa
NABET News
c/o Jill Gallagher
Giancola.
Freelance Public Relations and Editorial Services
9819 Haverhill Drive
Kensington, MD 20895
Phone/Fax: 301-933-1415
E-mail: gators4@verizon.net
Editor: Jill Gallagher
Layout: Chadick + Kimball
Sector Officers
Sector President John S. Clark
Sector Vice President James Joyce
Page 8 • NABET NEWS • October 2006
National Captioning Institute – Burbank, Ca.
NABET-CWA continues to defend the illegal discharge, which the company calls a “layoff,” of
the entire bargaining unit at the end of January. The 15 NABET-CWA Local 53 members were terminated to avoid a new collective bargaining agreement. The Union has represented this unit
for 20 years. The Union has filed lawsuits, Board charges and is engaged in a variety of mobilization actions. The unit has been on strike since the terminations and continues to fight the
day-to-day struggle and to work hard to achieve justice. Filmmaker Roger Pickett, an NBC
employee, documented the plight of the union workers in the aftermath of their termination.
His documentary, which featured the workers’ personal testimonies of the events that transpired and how they were treated, aired on public access television in California in April. A
demonstration in support of the NCI workers was held during CWA’s Convention in July, where
the delegates passed a resolution that stated, “In a quest for righteousness that is reinforced
by outrage, the CWA supports this fight to prevent such unlawful labor practices from being
used to decimate workers’ rights. CWA goes on record as condemning the National Captioning
Institute, supporting striking local members and urging the NLRB to conduct a complete and
open hearing of the issue.”
National Public Radio, Washington, D.C., Local 31:
The Local 31 unit of NABET-CWA ratified the company’s modified language with over 60% of the
membership approving the package. The new three-year agreement, which was reached after a
series of “off-the-record” meetings, provides for the following changes to the December package that was overwhelmingly rejected by the unit after a recommendation to vote “no” by the
negotiating committee: a series of four pay increases totaling 13% over the three years; a 1%
signing bonus; the hiring of four employees into the broadcast tech unit (adding to the three
full-time positions already hired by agreement in April); elimination of the company’s language
to “dock pay,” more harshly deal with sick leave, and permit supervisors to “correct” on-air
mistakes by jumping into the work; the elimination of a proposed “zipper clause”; and the
addition of a new sideletter obligating the Company to meet in interest-based mediation to
deal with future work changes. NABET-CWA Staff Representative Paula Olson said the new language changed and compromised jurisdiction in a number of ways, but the contract provides
for a “no-layoff” guarantee, along with the new sideletter to protect against abrupt workplace
changes in work assignments. The negotiating team included Local 31 President Mark Peach,
Vice President Barbara Krieger, Flawn Williams, Joe Mills, Sue Klein, Frank Nelson and NABETCWA Staff Representative Paula Olson.
WSKG-FM/TV – Binghamton, N.Y.
NABET-CWA and the company reached and ratified a one-year extension to the WSKG agreement. The agreement calls for a single 3% raise and no other changes.
WMSA-AM – Watertown-Massena, N.Y.
NABET-CWA Local 24 members ratified a new three-year agreement with WMSA. The agreement
has three 3% raises and no other changes. The negotiating committee consisted of Local
President Dennis Demo, Jim Felton, Sandy Cook and NABET-CWA Staff Representative Bill
Murray.
WTNY-TV – Watertown, N.Y.
A new three-year agreement was ratified by Local 24 members at WTNY. The agreement contains three 3% raises and an extra holiday. The negotiating committee consisted of Dennis
Demo, Jim Felton, Diane and NABET-CWA Staff Representative Bill Murray.
RAI Corporation Italian Radio/TV – New York
Negotiation preparations commenced in June for a first contract for the newly-organized workers at RAI. In April, NABET-CWA organized the 34 technical and production staff employees and
23 daily-hire workers who worked through YOH Services LLC. Recently, NABET-CWA was
informed that RAI had terminated its contract with YOH and planned to hire the former dailyhires directly as staff. Negotiations will begin on September 20 in New York. The negotiating
committee includes Lino Guglielmo, Tony Cerullo, Lorenzo Piecolo, Marina Di Tommaso,
Gabriele Finzi, who is representing the temps, and NABET-CWA Staff Representative Lou Fallot.
WHUT-TV – Washington, D.C.
The tentative agreement that had been reached at Howard University’s WHUT-TV was turned
down in a re-vote held on July 7 at NABET-CWA Local 31’s offices. The negotiating team consist(Continued on page 2)