CBS News 24/7 Writers Pledge to Strike If Contract Negotiations Go South

Writers for CBS News 24/7 say they are ready to strike if a new contract deal isn’t reached soon between their union and Paramount/CBS management.

The bargaining unit at CBS News’ free streaming network delivered a strike pledge on Tuesday calling for “a fair deal with our union by the end of today.” Tuesday marks the last scheduled bargaining date for the group of writers, producers and graphic designers, who are represented by the Writers Guild of America East.

Ninety-five percent of the 60-member bargaining unit signed the pledge, which called for the company to “meet us where we are at on our most important issues” including guaranteed wage increases, overtime directives, union jurisdiction and work from home policies.

The group’s labor contract expired just before midnight on Monday, allowing the union to stage a work stoppage if it desires, as the contract’s no-strike provision is no longer in effect. But if union negotiators do want to call a strike, the WGA East’s Council and the union’s own bargaining unit would be required to take a vote and support the measure.

“Our colleagues on the bargaining committee have put insignificant timeand effort to negotiate our new contract,” the pledge stated. “We pledge to support them and willparticipateat minimum in a 24-hour walkout and strike if necessary to win a contract that protects the things that matter to us the most.”

The message continued, “We call on management to reach a fair deal with our union by the end of today, our last scheduled bargaining date. We pledge to walk out and, if necessary, strike for a fair contract.”

The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to CBS News for comment.

Negotiations began on Feb. 10 for the union’s third contract, with members stating that they sought to address inflation, a shifting media ecosystem and generative artificial intelligence in the discussions.

As its name implies, CBS News 24/7 offers around-the-clock programming and airs hallmark series for CBS including 60 Minutes, 48 Hours and CBS Mornings.

The contract fight is taking shape amid a reworking of the CBS News brand under the leadership of editor-in-chief Barri Weiss, who arrived in October. “I am here to make CBS News fit for purpose in the 21st century,” she told staffers in a meeting in January. “Our industry has changed more in the last decade than in the last 150 years, and the transformation isn’t over yet.”

One of those changes, of course, has been the widespread unionization of digital and non-traditional newsrooms. CBS News 24/7 itself unionized in 2019. That’s one transformation with which management will have to contend.