Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1958)

BROADCASTING THE BUSINESSWEEKLY OF TELEVISION AND RADIO Vol. 54, No. 15 APRIL 14, 1958 IBEW STRIKE HOBBLES CBS NETWORKS • Loss of 1,300 technicians hinders but doesn't halt broadcasts • Hope for settlement comes as parties agree to resume sessions The broadcasting industry's most widespread national strike hit CBS and 1 1 of its owned radio-tv outlets last Monday when 1,300 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers walked off their jobs. Hopes for a settlement rose late Thursday when IBEW International headquarters reported a meeting was arranged for last Saturday morning in Washington between CBS, IBEW International officials and representatives of eight locals at network's radio and tv stations. A representative of the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service also will attend. With 300 non-union employes on duty, there was a minimum dislocation of tv programming, virtually none of radio. At outset of the walkout Monday several live programs were cancelled and during the week some dramatic presentations from Hollywood were replaced by kinescopes. Officials expressed confidence they would be prepared to carry on an uninterrupted schedule this week. The break in the impasse, leading to setting up Saturday's session, was preceded by three days of conciliatpry efforts by leaders of three other broadcast unions and by New York City's labor commissioner's office. The walkoff was the culmination of almost three months of negotiations by IBEW to formulate a new contract to replace the one which expired Jan. 31. Talks began in Washington in mid-January, were recessed Jan. 31 and resumed from time to time until April 4. There was some confusion as to the main cause of the strike. New York Local 1212, which has a membership of about 800, insisted the principal issue was "job security." CBS claimed the main issue was wages. A statement by William C. Fitts Jr., labor relations CBS vice president, issued a few hours after the walk-out began Monday at 1 P.M., said: "The strike has been called despite the union's commitment to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service that there would be no work stoppage pending a ballot to be conducted by an appointee of the service. "An emergency plan has been put into operation which will permit the CBS radio and television networks to continue broadcasting. Every effort will be made to carry as much of the regular program schedule [as possible] under the circumstances. "The striking technicians have been offered the most generous contract in the broadcasting industry [box, page 34]. Under the terms of this offer, base pay after three years of service would be $185 a week, and the average annual pay and overtime for a majority of these technicians would exceed $10,000 a year. Such benefits as four weeks of vacations after 1 5 years employment also are included. "The new contract would provide a 7% increase over a 21,4-year period, resulting in additional total cost to the company of $1 million or more than $1,200 per man." Charles A. Calame, business manager of Local 1212, said the union was battling for "job security because of the threat of automation." Another demand he termed "a must" was "a real clarification of work jurisdiction over video tape." (The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes has challenged the authority of the 1HUIJDDFF HHM IF4 1 JIM!* ■■>:-<>:t&%? LJEI .IE so-called "electrical unions" [including IBEW and the National Assn. of Broadcast Employes & Technicians, which has jurisdiction at ABC and NBC] on video tape.) A secondary issue, according to Mr. Calame, is whether 45 electricians working at CBS Labs in New York will remain under the union's jurisdiction when the laboratories move shortly to Stamford, Conn. The deep concern over a protracted strike was reflected in the actions of three broadcast unions — the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists, the Radio & Television Directors Guild and the Writers Guild of America (East) — which urged that the network and Local 1212 "get together" in an effort to break the deadlock. A similar plea was voted by Harold A. Felix, city labor commissioner in New York, who suggested that a meeting be held under the auspices of his office. Mr. Calame accepted both offers but Mr. Fitts declined, explaining: "I believe that you understand that this situation is complicated by the fact that we have a national agreement which covers television stations at New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Hartford and radio stations at New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, St. Louis and San Francisco. The agreement always has been negotiated by a committee including a representative of the international office and representatives of each of the eight locals involved. Each of the prior agreements always has been signed by the international office and by each of the eight locals. "Accordingly there is a serious question as to whether any negotiation with Local 1212 alone is proper. I feel that it is probably essential that an effort be made to make sure that if any meetings or discussions are opened up, all of the interested parties are represented." Mr. Fitts' position was, in effect, supported later by IBEW headquarters which notified newsmen that, contrary to press reports, no IBEW local is empowered to make a settlement. This was an apparent TEXT CONTINUES page 34 This is what IBEW members were doing last week To see what was happening inside, turn the page ► Broadcasting April 14, 1958 • Page 31