CBS News deal ratified by WGA

CBS news employees repped by the WGA have ratified a new three-year deal with the network with 98% backing.

Ratification of the pact, which covers about 500 employees, officially ends a battle waged for three years. The previous contract expired in April 2005.

The guild and CBS reached a tentative deal two weeks ago – two months after the CBS News employees repped by the guild gave the WGA a strike authorization with 81% support. The prospect of a picket by the network employees prompted the Democratic National Committee to cancel a presidential debate that had been set for last month in Los Angeles for broadcast on CBS.

The WGA has said the two key issues requiring resolution: CBS had to drop its demand to create a two-tiered work force that would have provided lower salary increases for local radio employees and back off its demand for the right to assign current WGA responsibilities at KNX Radio to non-WGA employees.

Here’s the entire release –

CBS News employees, who are members of the Writers Guilds of America, East and West (WGAE and WGAW), have overwhelmingly ratified their new contract agreement. The vote was 98% yes. The contract is effective immediately and covers approximately 500 newswriters, editors, news desk associates, production assistants, graphic artists, promotion writers, and researchers working in television and radio on the national and local levels in New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. The vote was conducted at special meetings held in New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles on January 22 and 23.

Under the terms of the new contract, WGA-CBS employees will receive a 3.5% raise immediately and again one year from now. In addition, most regularly scheduled employees who worked 200 days or more in 2007 and did not receive wage increases during the negotiations time frame will receive an additional $3,700 payment. Employees who worked shorter schedules will receive pro-rated payments. The contract runs through April 1, 2010.

“This very difficult to achieve contract is the product of a long mobilization effort by the Guilds’ members working at CBS,” says Mona Mangan, executive director of the Writers Guild of America, East. “This strong vote of approval signals their commitment to a contract that is free of the rollbacks that members so strongly opposed. Our members look forward to a renewed commitment to quality news during an exciting presidential election year.”

“The resounding vote for this contract assures that our members at CBS News will continue to provide the quality journalism for which the network has been known," says Michael Winship, president of the Writers Guild of America, East. “It's a tribute to all of our CBS members who worked so hard together to achieve this deal, as well as their negotiating committee and staff at the Guilds East and West.” 

“After such a long and difficult period, we’re pleased that CBS came back to the table with the will to make a deal that was acceptable to newswriters,” said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West. “We’re proud of our members resolve to reach a fair contract and inspired by the solidarity of  Guild newswriters in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.”