NABET-CWA/NBCU Negotiations - Bulletin #4

B U L L E T I N
NABET-CWA / NBCUNIVERSAL
February 24, 2023

NBCU 2022 Master Agreement Negotiations – Bulletin #4

The Union's Network Negotiating Committee (NNC) and Labor Relations representatives for NBCUniversal continued bargaining for a successor Master Agreement this week at the Company’s offices in New York City.

The parties exchanged counter proposals in a number of areas including short turnaround, night shift differential, arbitrators, per diem, and travel pay.  

There was a productive dialogue between the Union and the Company in the areas of overseas assignments, meal provisions, streaming platforms, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

The Company revised its initial wage proposal (1.5% in each year of the contract), and modified the offer to 1.75%, 1.75%, and 1.75%.

The Company’s position remains unchanged in proposing to eliminate the existing vacation provisions of the Master Agreement and substitute the NBCUniversal Vacation Policy for all staff employees.  Likewise, there has been no change in the Company’s proposal to expand the parameters associated with the alternative layoff procedure (Sideletter 30).  The Union remains firmly committed to improving and stabilizing the seniority structure as it relates to involuntary layoffs.

The Company has been largely unresponsive to several Union proposals which have been identified as vital to successfully concluding to these negotiations.  A number of proposed reclassifications and upgrades are still on the table.  Additionally, the Union is seeking to secure jurisdiction related to bonded cellular technology.  Daily hire proposals such as increases in the daily benefit payment, improved paid sick leave provisions, automatic enrollment in the 401k Plan, with a 5% Company contribution as well as enhancements for daily hire employees who work more than 150 days in a calendar year, remain open and unresolved as the parties closed this third week of negotiations.

The current Master Agreement is set to expire on March 31, 2023.  Negotiations are scheduled to resume the week of March 13, 2023, in New York City.

Please monitor Sector and Local Union websites, and be alert for official updates relating to negotiations as well as mobilization activities.

In Solidarity,

The NBC NABET-CWA Network Negotiating Committee
●    Local 11: President Lou Marinaro and Executive Board Member Rob Weiss
●    Local 31: Jim Long, Network News EJ, and President Bantu Opiotennione
●    Local 41: Executive Board Members Ed Dabrowski and Doug Webber
●    Local 53: President Emeritus Steve Ross, Executive Board Member Tim Stepich, and Warren Stern
●    NABET-CWA Sector: President Charlie Braico, Local 11 General Counsel and Advisor to the Bargaining Committee Max Sicherman, Assistant to the Sector President Jodi Fabrizio-Clontz, Kristen Helmstetter, and Nikisha Johnson