Writers Guild of America East members at CBS News Digital reached a deal with management on their first collective-bargaining agreement, coming after more than a year of negotiations.
The pact comes just over a week before Skydance Media is set to officially close its deal to acquire CBS parent company Paramount Global on Aug. 7.
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The new three-year contract establishes minimum salaries and guaranteed pay raises for all job titles for CBS News Digital’s union employees. The contract also addresses severance pay in the event of job cuts due to AI rollouts and the issue of worker safety on late-night/early-morning commutes by guaranteeing extra pay for working overnight shifts, long days and weeks and standby shifts, WGA East said Wednesday in announcing the deal.
The contract was unanimously ratified by the 46-member bargaining unit. The WGA East’s CBS News Digital union covers writers, reporters, editors and producers at CBS News’ digital platforms including cbsnews.com, its mobile website, social media channels and the CBS News app. WGA East also reps staffers at CBS News and CBS 24/7 (formerly CBSN).
Highlights from the CBS News Digital contract include: Either a 3% increase or a ratification bonus in year 1 of the contract; a guaranteed minimum 3.5% pay increase in year 2 and a 3% pay increase in year 3 of the contract; guaranteed minimum severance for layoffs (two weeks pay for every year of service with a minimum of eight weeks); and a path for promotion to senior reporter.
The new contract also codifies existing remote-work policies for current employees through Dec. 31, 2027, including guaranteeing employees working on a hybrid basis will not be required to work more than two days in-office; extra pay for working for short turnaround times, standby assignments and upgraded work; the option to be paid out for earned comp time; and employment protections regarding generative AI, including 1.5 times severance if union members are laid off because of its implementation.
“After organizing in 2024 with the goal of securing critical workplace protections, we’re proud to have won a strong first contract for our members at CBS News Digital,” Beth Godvik, WGA East VP of broadcast/cable/streaming news, said in a statement. “Establishing protections like guaranteed raises and pay that actually matches the job duties being performed will allow our members to build sustainable careers in News.”
WGA East, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, represents more than 7,500 members working in film, TV, news, podcasts and online media.
In WGA East’s broadcast/cable/streaming news sector, the union also reps workers at ABC News, Audacy (WCBS-AM, WBBM-AM and KNX-AM), 1010 WINS, Fox 5 WNYW-TV, MSNBC, NBC Promo Writers, Thirteen Productions (Thirteen/WNET) and WBBM/CBS 2 News.
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