At least one thing has remained a constant for decades in the ever-changing Broadcasting Industry: The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ (IBEW) long and productive partnership with CBS. 

That relationship added another chapter earlier this year when 3,500 IBEW Technicians employed by the TV Network overwhelmingly approved a new three-year national contract.

The agreement includes a 3% annual raise, increased protections for Freelancers and brings in new Members not covered by the previous contract.

It covers Members working in CBS’s News and Sports Divisions, as well as CBS owned-and-operated TV Stations.

“This round of negotiations had every big topic in it,” said Neil Ambrosio, an International Representative in IBEW’s Broadcasting Department. “Job security for Freelancers, new media and streaming platforms, the impacts associated with new sports league rights deals and major technological changes relating to our jurisdictions.  Resolving these issues through solution-based negotiations provided the IBEW and CBS with a contract everyone could agree to and, most importantly, an agreement that would be ratified by our Members.”

In one the most noteworthy developments, the IBEW will represent CBS News Technicians working in streaming, including at CBSN, a 24-hour news streaming channel.

Like many Legacy Media Companies, CBS is making more news content available via on-line streaming as opposed to traditional over-the-air programming.

IBEW Broadcasting & Telecommunications Director Robert Prunn noted previous contracts didn’t address streaming – meaning that, in a worst case scenario, IBEW Members could have lost work as CBS’ business model changes: “We had no true jurisdiction over this.  Now, however they put something on the air, on whatever platforms they use, no matter what the technological advances are, we will maintain jurisdiction.”

IBEW Co-lead Negotiator Tim Dixon, a Ninth District IBEW International representative, said: “More and more, the public is not viewing in real time with a broadcast signal, they’re watching on their computer or phone and that delivery system is streaming.  To capture that jurisdiction was monumental.  When there’s a change in technology in your industry, you either plant a flag or you miss the boat.”

The company’s flexibility is tied to how many ENG Technicians it keeps on Staff.

And the more CBS hires, the more flexibility it enjoys.

A Staff reduction would mean a loss of that flexibility, which should serve as a good protection against job losses, Prunn said.

“The whole thing with CBS and any other network, with all the different platforms they now have, they want to get as much content as possible,” he said. “Content is king.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: http://www.ibew.org/media-center/Articles/22Daily/2206/220702_NewContract