Bargaining Updates Around CWA - NBC, American Airlines, AFGE, and more

NBC Universal

After 11 months of bargaining, the NABET-CWA Network Negotiating Committee reached a tentative agreement with NBC Universal last week on a new Master Agreement covering nearly 3,000 staff and daily hire employees working as broadcast engineers in the studios and in the field for NBC News, NBC Sports, and NBC Entertainment. The Master Agreement also covers staging services personnel in Washington, D.C., news writers, plant maintenance personnel, and couriers at company network and TV station operations in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.

The improvements in the new agreement include a 12 percent wage increase over the remaining life of the new contract, an increase in the daily benefit payment, and eligibility for short turnaround payments for daily hires. The package also provides for a substantial increase in “travel-only” pay for daily hires. In addition, staff and eligible daily hire employees will receive ratification bonus payments in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $2,000.

NABET-CWA Locals will be conducting ratification voting over the next few weeks, and the votes will be tabulated in mid-December.

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American Airlines Passenger Service

CWA-IBT passenger service members at American Airlines rallied outside eight airports this week as part of a national day of action to demand better pay and job security. More than a year after negotiations between American Airlines and the CWA-IBT bargaining team began, the company has yet to guarantee job security and fair wages for its passenger service workers in a collective bargaining agreement. Picketing locations included Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami, Philadelphia, New York City, and Rhode Island.

“Our members cannot wait any longer for American Airlines to address its reputation as being one of the largest U.S. airlines with the lowest pay,” said Heidi Andrews, an American Airlines customer service agent and chief steward for CWA Local 1171. “But with the airline industry constantly changing, we want to make sure passenger service workers are not only paid fairly, but are also guaranteed a future in the industry so we can continue to do the job we love.”

Many passenger service workers have not received a wage increase in four years. At the same time, there are concerns that American Airlines will outsource some of their work to Artificial Intelligence. Passenger service workers are on the frontlines of our airline industry, assisting passengers and keeping air travel on schedule and safe. They deserve a strong contract that recognizes the value they provide to the airline industry and provides both fair wages and job security.

CWA members rallied outside airports across the country this week as part of a national day of action to demand better pay and job security and to educate travelers about their fight for a fair contract. Clockwise starting from top center: CWA Local 3642 at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, CWA Local 1171 at the Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, CWA Locals 3640 and 3641 at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, CWA Local 6001 at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, CWA Local 13301 at the Philadelphia International Airport, CWA Local 3140 at the Miami International Airport, and CWA Local 6001 at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

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Human Rights Watch

After 18 months of bargaining, CWA Local 1180 members at Human Rights Watch (HRW) have reached a tentative agreement for a new five-year contract. Through their solidarity in a long contract campaign, the workers at HRW have won more than 25 percent in compounded wage increases over the term of the contract.

The dedicated union staff at HRW fight on behalf of children, migrants, refugees, and political prisoners around the world. Over the past year and a half, they have also fought on behalf of their coworkers, raising minimum salaries by 11.44 percent so that a new generation of union members can do this important work. The members achieved bargaining unit work protection, increased sick time, remote work protections, paid lunch breaks, layoff protections, and longevity increases. As members look to the rights of their coworkers, they also secured a voluntary recognition agreement to organize other workers within the organization.

After 18 months of bargaining, CWA Local 1180 members at Human Rights Watch (HRW) have reached a tentative agreement for a new five-year contract.

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AFGE

FNR-CWA Local 2385 members who work at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) rallied outside of the union’s headquarters on Wednesday to raise awareness of AFGE’s disregard for its workers and their rights.

After signing a new collective bargaining agreement in May, AFGE immediately began repudiating several articles in the new contract and fired the vice president of the local. Although FNR-CWA Local 2385 has filed numerous unfair labor practice charges and grievances against AFGE, the organization continues to violate the contract.

FNR-CWA Local 2385 members who work at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) rallied outside of the union’s headquarters to raise awareness of AFGE’s disregard for its workers and their rights. 

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.