CBS said it has reached an early contract renewal agreement with The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), covering 3,500 technicians across the country.
The ratified contract will be effective Feb. 1, 2018, through April 30, 2021. CBS said the current IBEW contract was set to expire on Jan. 31, 2018.
“The skilled professionals of the IBEW are proud of our partnership with CBS, and this agreement reflects our joint commitment to good jobs and broadcasting excellence,” IBEW President Lonnie Stephenson comments.
Major provisions of the renewed contract include pay raises, increased benefit contributions, and a path forward for new media, according to IBEW.
“We are very pleased to have reached this new agreement ahead of schedule,” Leslie Moonves, chairman and CEO of CBS, says. “Our new deal is indicative of the terrific working relationship and cooperation between CBS and the IBEW as well as our ongoing commitment to its highly skilled technicians.”
IBEW represents CBS workers in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Washington D. C.
The agreement comes at a time when a six-month strike by IBEW against Charter Communications heats up. Almost 1,800 IBEW Local 3 workers went on strike starting in March after they were unable to reach an agreement on retirement and healthcare plans with Charter. Union workers rallied in Brooklyn on Sept. 18, joined by Gov. Andrew Como who said Charter failed to uphold their commitment to improve service to customers after the cable company purchased Time Warner Cable in 2016.
Charter has denied the allegations, noting it has offered a 22 percent pay increase to employees, and a 401(k) plan with matching of up to 6 percent of eligible pay.
