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NABET-CWA / NBCU-VERSANT MEDIA, LLC (MS NOW) NEGOTIATIONS

NABET-CWA / NBCU-VERSANT MEDIA, LLC (MS NOW) NEGOTIATIONS

 

BULLETIN #1

 

November 26, 2025

 

On Thursday November 20, 2025, NABET-CWA commenced formal negotiations with representatives of Versant Media, LLC and NBCUniversal over terms and conditions for employees who will be working at MS NOW throughout the country. The negotiations were held at the office of NABET-CWA Local 11 in New York City.

 

NBCUniversal will be “spinning off” its portfolio of cable television channels to Versant Media, LLC, which includes MS NOW (formerly MSNBC).  The spin-off is scheduled to be completed on January 1, 2026.  At that time, employees assigned to MS NOW will formally become employees of Versant Media, LLC.

 

Daily hire employees assigned to MS NOW are currently covered by the NABET-CWA Master Agreement.  Additionally, staff employees working at MS NOW in the New York Metropolitan Area, which previously were unrepresented, voted for NABET-CWA representation in an election supervised by the National Labor Relations Board.  The NLRB certified NABET-CWA as the representative of all technical staff and daily hires at MS NOW in the New York Metropolitan Area on September 5, 2025.

 

During this initial round of negotiations, NBCUniversal, on behalf of Versant Media, made a proposal for a collective bargaining agreement that covers only daily hire employees.  Both NBCUniversal and Versant made it very clear that they would not bargain in relation to the staff employees until their appeal of the election is heard at the NLRB.

 

The Union believes this course of action – not bargaining on behalf of staff – is a clear violation of the law.  Staff employees at MS NOW voted for NABET-CWA representation in a free and fair election, and the bargaining unit was certified by the NLRB.  Under the law, the Company must continue to bargain on behalf of all employees that were included in the certified bargaining unit while its appeal is pending.  The Union made its position abundantly clear at this initial meeting with Company representatives.

 

The Union will continue to evaluate the Company’s proposal in good faith. The Parties are currently looking to schedule additional bargaining dates in December.

 

The Union’s negotiating team for this initial bargaining session was:

  • Local 11: Lou Marinaro (President)
  • Local 11: Sean Crowley (Executive Board Member)
  • Local 31: Bantu Opiotennione (President)
  • Local 31: Daniel Joyner (Executive Board Member)
  • Local 11 General Counsel, Max Sicherman, Esq.
  • NABET-CWA President, Charlie Braico

 

Please monitor Sector and Local Union websites, and check email notices for updates related to these negotiations.