March 24, 2007
Dear ABC Member:
As you know, on March 22, 2007, the NABET-CWA Network Negotiating Committee recessed bargaining with ABC after nearly four weeks of meetings in Tysons Corner, VA. The Committee wants to explain to you why this development occurred, as well update you on the current status of negotiations.
Since negotiations began on February 28th, ABC has sought to reduce many important benefits and conditions of your employment as a staff or daily-hire member. The Company began these talks with attacks on jurisdiction that would remove a large volume of the work you are currently performing under the contract. The Company also proposed changes to your work day which would increase your hours at work by virtue of unpaid meal periods. To date, ABC has made it clear by attacking seniority, and by proposing a hard freeze of our financially healthy pension plan, that the Company has little regard for long-term, loyal employees. It is also apparent that with its proposals, ABC management has little regard for the contributions NABET-CWA members have made to the past, and more importantly, the current ratings and revenue successes in all divisions of the Company.
Based on ABC's posture at the table, your Bargaining Committee unanimously decided on March 22nd that no mutually positive outcome would result from continuing these negotiations at this time. Our decision to recess the talks before the expiration date of the current contract was not arrived at lightly. In fact, we took several days to review ABC's current proposals and its statements across the table in connection with those proposals. For example, on March 15th, ABC announced that it was at that point, rejecting all of the Union's proposals to improve staff and daily-hire working conditions. Furthermore, we were particularly disturbed by ABC's March 20th decision to put on the table--three weeks after negotiations began and only eleven days prior to contract expiration--its devastating pension proposal. We viewed these actions as being rooted in the underlying disrespect the Company has for you and for your representatives at the bargaining table.
Thus, it was clear to your Bargaining Committee that ABC was not interested in truly negotiating at this time. Nothing could illustrate this more than when, on March 22nd, Sector President and Chief Spokesperson John S. Clark informed ABC across the table that the Union was recessing the negotiations for the time being, one Company representative responded by saying "John, we haven't started negotiating yet." This unexpectedly candid response affirmed your Committee's belief that ABC was not seriously engaged in the bargaining process at this juncture.
We are extremely disappointed that ABC has decided to embark down a negative path at the outset of these negotiations. Especially disappointing is the fact that, over the course of three short weeks, the Company has dismantled three years of improved relations between the parties. All of the positive results gained from working together on the ESPN Time-Buy Agreement, the KABC-TV Multiple Function Program Agreement, and the Secondary Digital Operations Engineering Agreement have been undone by ABC in Tysons Corner.
When the talks began on February 28th, we told ABC management that we would be open-minded in working with the Company on solutions to any real issues, but we were not interested in spending countless hours on unnecessary changes to our terms and conditions of employment. That is why, at this time, your Network Negotiating Committee believes that your interests would be best served by having us return to our respective cities to educate the membership on all of the developments from these negotiations.
Locals 16, 31, 41, 51, and 57 are making arrangements to hold membership meetings as soon as possible for this purpose. Please make every effort to attend your Local's membership meeting. As NABET-CWA President John S. Clark emphasized in his letter to you last month, you cannot afford to stand on the sidelines and watch the negotiations play out as if you are a disinterested observer. Your job and your family's future welfare are being impacted by what is occurring at the bargaining table. You must show your tangible support for your negotiating team by visibly participating in mobilization activities.
We will update you as soon as there are any new developments concerning these negotiations. In addition, we remind all members to ignore rumors. All official negotiation and mobilization information will be delivered on the Sector website at www.abc-contract.info. Please also check Local websites, hotlines, and e-mail for additional information.
In solidarity,
/s/ Gene Maxwell, Local 16, New York City
/s/ Maurice "Moe" Thomas, Local 31, Washington, D.C.
/s/ Ray W. Taylor, Local 41, Chicago
/s/ Kevin Wilson, Local 51, San Francisco
/s/ Richard Daszkowski, Local 57, Los Angeles
