CBS News 24/7 writers say they are prepared to strike if a new contract agreement is not reached soon between their union and Paramount/CBS management.
The CBS News broadcaster’s bargaining unit made a strike pledge on Tuesday, calling for a “fair agreement with our union by the end of the day.” Tuesday marks the last scheduled bargaining date for the group of writers, producers and graphic designers, who are represented by the Writers Guild of America East.
Ninety-five percent of the 60-member bargaining unit signed the pledge, which called on the company to “meet us where we are now on our most important issues” including guaranteed wage increases, overtime guidance, union jurisdiction, and work-from-home policies.
The group’s labor contract expired just before midnight on Monday, allowing the union to stop work if it wished, as the no-strike clause in the contract was no longer in effect. But if union negotiators want to call a strike, the WGA East Council and the union’s bargaining unit will have to take a vote and support the action.
“Our colleagues on the negotiating committee have expended significant time and effort to negotiate our new contract,” the pledge read. “We pledge our support and will at least participate in a 24-hour strike and strike if necessary to win a contract that protects the things that matter most to us.”
The letter continued: “We call on management to reach a fair agreement with our union by the end of today, our last scheduled date for negotiation. We pledge to withdraw and, if necessary, to strike for a fair contract.”
Hollywood Reporter CBS News has reached out for comment.
Negotiations began on February 10 for the consortium’s third contract, with members stating that they sought to address inflation, the changing media ecosystem and generative artificial intelligence in the discussions.
As its name suggests, CBS News 24/7 provides 24-hour programming and airs CBS signature series including 60 minutes, 48 hours and CBS Morning.
The contractual battle is taking shape amid a rebranding of CBS News under editor-in-chief Barry Weiss, who arrived in October. “I’m here to make CBS News fit for purpose in the 21st century,” she told staff at a meeting in January. “Our industry has changed more in the past decade than it has in the past 150 years, and the transformation is far from over.”
One of those changes, of course, has been the widespread consolidation of digital and non-traditional newsrooms. CBS News 24/7 itself consolidated in 2019. That’s one shift management must confront.
