ABC News Ratifies New Contract with the Writers Guild of America, East

New York, NY (July 1, 2022) – ABC News’ 110-member bargaining unit overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE).

The unit includes News Editors, Newswriters, Continuity Writers, Researchers, Assignment Editors, Desk Assistants, Production Assistants, and Graphic Artists based in New York and Washington, D.C who work at ABC News Radio, NewsOne, Network Desks, Good Morning America, and WABC.

The contract includes overall pay and pension packages that increase minimus by 9% over three years. The agreement includes substantial increases in the minimum rates for Desk Assistants in D.C., and increases in minimums for certain jobs where people work under Personal Services Contracts (e.g., WABC show producers, assignment editors, continuity writers).

Other highlights include:

• Increases in paid time off;
• Staff employees will get 4 weeks of vacation after 10 years of service;
• “Full-time” temps will get an additional comp day;
• Staff employees will get an additional floating holiday;
• Temps’ comp days will not count against their accrual of 7 sick days a year;
• Both staff and full-time temps will get recharge days;
• Vacation differential for full-time temps will increase from 5% to 6%;
• Labor-management work from home committee to review any manager’s decision denying a work from home request;
• Temps who opted out of the pension and health plans may opt in one time during the 3-year contract period;
• The Company will provide Diversity, Equity & Inclusion training including unconscious bias training to bargaining unit employees on an annual basis.

Lowell Peterson, Executive Director of the Writers Guild of America, East, said, “We are proud our members have won solid increases in pay and pension contributions, gains for full-time ‘temps’, DEI protections, and more.  This demonstrates that, even in a mature industry, collective bargaining works.”

ABOUT WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA, EAST
The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (WGAE) is a labor union representing writers in film, television, broadcast and streaming news, and online media. The Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of its members; conducts programs, seminars and events on issues of interest to writers; and presents writers’ views to various bodies of government. For more information on the Writers Guild of America, East, visit wgaeast.org.

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